38 



table showing the distance from the several points named, to the lo- 

 cality in question respectively, by a straight line, and by streets already 

 laid out : 



By Straight LiDe. By Streets. 

 From South Seventh street, Eastern District, 2 40-100 miles. 2 50-100 



From Hudson avenue, East River 2 10-100 " 2 12-100 



From Hamilton Avenue, East River 2 2-100 " 2 3-100 



From Greenwood Cemetery 1 31-1 00 " L 31-100 



From the Hunter Fly Road, City Line 2 48-100 " 2 48-100 



From Flatbush Church 1 71-100 " 1 78-100 



The locality in question is an average distance of two miles in a 

 straight line from the several points named ; and it will be seen that 

 by existing streets the deviation is so slight that it would make no 

 appreciable difference in an ordinary carriage drive. 



Under these circumstances it was thought advisable first of all to 

 take measures to secure possession to the city of so much ground as 

 was necessary to be controlled in order to turn this advantage of the 

 locality to proper account. This having been done by the acquisition 

 of the site of what is now called the Plaza, there could be no question 

 that any park intended to be formed in the vicinity for the use of the 

 people of all parts of the city should, if possible, be so located as not in 

 the least to neutralize this advantage. If placed entirely within the two 

 converging lines of Flatbush and Ninth Avenues, no street leading 

 toward the locality would be in the least interfered with, while, with 

 hardly any change of the lines as they then stood on the city map, 

 tAvelve streets and avenues would open on a spacious public place laid 

 out in front of the natural entrance to the park on the city side. 



It happened also that by pushing out a little into the country within 

 these two converging lines, there was found what was most wanted in 

 order to secure a suitable proportion and good general relation one to 

 another of the several chief topographical elements of park scenery, in 

 hill and dale, meadow, wood and water. It moreover became evident 

 that even if it had been found really desirable on account of greater 

 convenience of access, these topographical desiderata could not have 

 been nearly as well secured in any other direction. Accordingly, in 

 forming the new plan for a park, it was assumed, that a certain piece 

 of land on Ninth avenue, and another on Franklin avenue, both with- 

 in the before-mentioned converging lines, would be added to that 

 already in possession, and that a certain other piece of land which hail 



