25 



eluding expenses, as appears from the official report filed in 



the County Clerk's Office, was . . $1,387,606 27 

 For the second purchase on the 5th Feb'y, 



1866, . ' . 158,558 40 



For the third purchase on the 27th May, 1867, 752,745 02 

 And for the fourth and last purchase, on the 



13th of April, 1869, . * . . 1,705,248 32 



Total, . . . $4,004,158, 01 



From this deduct the amount awarded to the 

 City for a strip of land, thirty feet wide, 

 taken from the Park for the widening of 

 Vahderbilt Avenue, and paid into • the 

 sinking fund to be applied in the re- 

 demption of Park bonds, . . . 28,509 60 



and the present cost of all the land pur- 

 chased will be ... $3,975,648 41 

 If to this we add the amount authorized to 



be expended for improvement, . . 3,000,000 00 



the total indebtedness of the City at this 



time, on account of this Park, will be $6,975,648 41 



But no solicitude need be felt by our citizens on the 

 score of expense. In a merely pecuniary point of view, and 

 without regard to the immense social and moral considera- 

 tions involved in the possession and use of such a Park, the 

 acquisition of the property is proving, as we have shown, a 

 splendid investment for the City; and every dollar now' ex- 

 pended upon it will add to its permanent value. This prop- 

 erty has cost, say seven millions of dollars; but if sold 

 to-day it would realize more than enough to pay the whole 

 debt of the City ; and long before the bonds issued for its 

 purchase shall have matured, it will, in all probability, be 



