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to, will soon become the geographical (-(Miter of a great 

 religious and intellectual people, which, with its Park 

 surroundings, will afford opportunities for mental culture, 

 as well as for artistic and athletic training, such as can 

 probably be no where else found, in equal measure, upon 

 our continent. A wise forecast therefore seems to demand 

 that these advantages shall be secured for the genera- 

 tions who are to follow us, and wdio are to advance the 

 moral and mental progress of our race. 



After making this reservation, there will still remain 

 east of the Avenue, a high plateau of land of about one 

 hundred acres, remarkably well adapted for building pur- 

 poses, whose value has been recently much increased by 

 surrounding improvements. And the Commissioners 

 respectfully submit for the consideration of their constitu- 

 ents, whether in view of what has been suggested, as well 

 as of the financial considerations about to be presented, it 

 may not be judicious to adopt the proposal of some of 

 our wisest and most practical citizens, to allow this land 

 to return to its former domestic uses, and thereby dimin- 

 ish the city debt and increase one of its great sources of 

 revenue. The plot in question, contains about twelve 

 hundred ordinary sized city lots of land, and would pro- 

 bably realize, if properly laid out, and sold, with suit- 

 able building covenants, at least two thousand dollars a 

 lot, or a total of say two-and-a-half millions of dollars, 

 to be applied in liquidation of the Park debt. And if we 

 increase this valuation by the probable value of the 

 buildings which we may reasonably expect to see erected 

 thereon, say five and a half millions of dollars, we shall 

 add independantly of the immense stimulus thereby 

 given to the surrounding property, eight millions 

 of dollars to the taxable property of the city, and 

 enlarge her revenue two hundred and fifty thousand 

 dollars per annum. At the same time, we make a 



