10 



the same time rapidly occupying the cheaper, but equally 

 attractive situations lying along the eastern shore of the bay, 

 towards Fort Hamilton. 



The progress of population eastward has been quite as remark- 

 able, and seems to justify the current opinion that in a few more 

 years of such increase, not only a large portion of Kings county, 

 now lying beyond the city limits, but a considerable part of 

 Queens, will be merged in the city. 



A glance at the annexed map will illustrate these statements, 

 and show that a park at Prospect Hill could not fairly be called 

 a Central Park ; but though very accessible to the inhabitants 

 of the Western district, so called, is more distant from, and less 

 accessible to those of the Eastern district. 



The Commissioners, in view of these facts, of the incalculable 

 importance of protecting from encroachment the great receiving 

 reservoir at Ridgewood ; in view, also, of the diversified surface 

 of the land there, of its fine natural forest, of the noble views of 

 the surrounding country, the Bay and Ocean, presented from its 

 heights, and the comparative cheapness of the land, determined 

 to recommend that another large city park be laid out there. 



This receiving reservoir, lying in a tract of land of about fifty 

 acres, owned by the city, now has the Cemetery of the Ever- 

 greens on the southwest, and the Cypress Hills Cemetery on the 

 northeast. These cemeteries are now at a distance from the 

 reservoir, but the population of the cities of the dead increases, 

 only less rapidly than that of the abodes of the living. 



The reservoir certainly should never be allowed to come in 

 contact with these cemeteries. 



Ridgewood is near the termini of three city railroads, communi- 

 cating with six ferries on the East river. The population of the 

 city is rapidly spreading in that direction. 



A portion of the land recommended for a park lies beyond the 

 city line, and is in Queens county ; but so is a part of the reser- 

 voir. This circumstance, especially in view of the rapid approach 

 of the time when the city proper will absorb all this territory 

 spoken of, affords no substantial objection to the proposition. 



This land will, we think, require but a small expenditure for 

 embellishment. It may be almost called a natural park. It pre- 

 sents a great diversity of surface, yet is smooth and free from 

 rock. A large portion of it is well covered with timber, and the 



