312 



tunately delayed by legislative inaction. The board also con- 

 sidered the great importance, if not the absolute necessity, of 

 this addition to the park, and did not therefore hesitate to . 

 accept the report of the Commissioners, and apply to the court 

 for its confirmation. The bonds authorized by law were at 

 once issued by the city authorities, and met with a ready sale. 

 The awards for land taken were promptly paid, and the board 

 forthwith entered into possession of the premises. In an 

 artistic point of view this acquisition fully justifies the high 

 expectations of its value originally entertained by the board. 

 And if we are to judge from the unqualified expressions of ad- 

 miration with which the subsequent opening of the drive 

 through these beautifully wooded and picturesque grounds has 

 been greeted, the board are well assured that public sentiment 

 entirely approves of their action in this behalf. 



The same Commissioners are now rapidly proceeding with 

 the assessment which the law directs them to make upon prop- 

 erty specially benefited by the opening of the park. And the 

 board have reason to expect that when that Commission shall 

 have finished their work, and their assessment collected, park 

 indebtedness will have been very largely diminished. It is but 

 justice to the Assessment Commissioners to add that they are 

 engaged in an arduous and important work ; that their opera- 

 tions extend over a large district of country, and that they 

 have been prevented by the terms of the law from commencing 

 their labors until after the confirmation of the last report on 

 land taken for park extension. 



The Commissioners were much pleased to find that the sub- 

 ject of laying out streets and avenues through the County of 

 Kings, so as to conform, as nearly as may be practicable and 

 judicious, to the streets and avenues of our city, to which sub- 

 ject they have repeatedly called the attention of the Common 

 Council, was acted upon by the Legislature at its last session. 

 The present supervisors of the county towns, in conjunction 

 with the President of the Board of Supervisors, were appointed 

 a Board of Commissioners for the purpose of maturing a per- 

 manent plan of improvement. That board have since appointed 

 an experienced surveyor to make the requisite examinations, 

 and to prepare a map of the streets and avenues upon a plan 



