105 



property, from park enterprise, will not only enable it to main- 

 tain the park with ease in a high degree of culture, but will 

 insure the payment of the debt incurred, and to be incurred, 

 for its construction, long before its maturity, and that, too, with 

 a continually diminished burthen upon its tax-payers. 



The Board has the pleasure to announce, that the War 

 Fund Committee of Kings County, has presented the city with 

 a Bronze Statue of the late President Lincoln, to be erected in 

 the park, as soon as a suitable place can be prepared for its 

 reception. This beautiful work of art, designed and executed 

 by our late townsman, II. K. Brown, the distinguished sculptor, 

 is the result of a dollar subscription, set on foot among our 

 citizens, by the patriotic committee above mentioned, soon after 

 the decease of the subject of its commemoration, and may, 

 therefore, be truly called the People's Monument. 



The statue is nine feet high, and embodies the true ideal of 

 the late President, the head and shoulders being modelled from 

 a bust taken from life ; a correct delineation of its other pecu- 

 liarities having been secured, by the vivid recollection, which a 

 personal intimacy with the deceased afforded to the artist. A 

 cloak, such as Mr. Lincoln frequently wore, is thrown loosely 

 over the shoulders, falling to the knees, giving dignity and 

 elegance to the figure ; the left hand holds an open scroll, on 

 which is written the immortal Proclamation of Emancipation, 

 the finger of the right hand pointing to the words " shall be 

 forever free." It will be erected on a pedestal of granite fifteen 

 feet high, to be located on the public platform in the Plaza, 

 near the fountain, and will be ornamented on two sides with 

 the eagle, one of them bearing the coat of arms of the city, and 

 on the other two sides with wreathes to represent the army and 

 navy ; all in bronze with suitable inscriptions. 



Our city may feel a just pride in the accomplishment of this 

 beautiful tribute to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, for, of 

 all the multitudinous monuments and statues proposed to be 

 erected to his memory at the time of his death, this is believed 

 to be the first that has been executed. 



The Legislature, at its last session, at the request of the 

 Common Council, placed four of the smaller parks of Brook- 

 lyn under the charge of this Board ; but the season had ad- 

 vanced so rapidly before the Commissioners found themselves 



