47 



interior improvement, and for this purpose we called Mr. Vaux, one of 

 the designers of Central Park, to our assistance. We knew that the 

 want of consideration of this question at the outset had already been a 

 source of difficulty and of great expense to the Commissioners of the Cen- 

 tral Park, and that they were even then debating propositions for ac- 

 quiring land to improve their entrances, which had enormously increased 

 in value since their work commenced. Our review of the question led 

 us to fix upon one point as especially suitable for a principal entrance 

 to the Park, and induced us to apply to the Legislature at once for 

 the provision of so much additional land as was necessary to form 

 what is now known as the Plaza, Had the Central Park Commission 

 exercised the same forecast, in regard to the comparatively contracted 

 vestibules which they are now about to lay out at their principal en- 

 trances, it would have saved at least a million dollars of their expen- 

 diture. 



Turning then to the general question of boundaries, we had con- 

 vinced ourselves that the ground we had, was not all that was wanted 

 in respect to extent or opportunity for improvement, with reference to 

 the problem before us. But, although we obtained a report which 

 very clearly demonstrated in what direction we should look for an en- 

 largement of our borders, we determined before recommending the ac- 

 quisition of any new territory, that we would have a complete and 

 well-matured proposition to lay before the community. 



We therefore next employed Messrs. Olmsted & Vaux, to design 

 a general plan, taking another year for its preparation, and for our de- 

 liberation upon it. When at length we were satisfied that we had 

 matured a plan, adequate to the purpose we had in view, we printed 

 our design, with a report very fully setting forth its character, and 

 circulated it diligently among our fellow citizens, inviting, through 

 the newspapers and otherwise, their judgment upon it. 



Being satisfied with the general expression of public opinion thus 

 obtained, we then went to the Legislature and asked for the additional 

 territory required to carry out the plan. We at the same time asked 

 for power to sell the land not covered by our plan on the East side of 

 Flatbush Avenue, so that we might have money to pay for the ad- 

 ditional land which we needed to carry out our design. The power 

 to buy the largest part of what we wanted was given us, but although 

 our request for permission to sell was backed by three thousand peti- 

 tioners, and the bill for the purpose passed the Senate, it failed 

 to receive the assent of the Assembly, and its discussion was 

 postponed. 



