14 



influence upon the minds of the Commissioners, but which 

 is not usually adverted to, in estimating the motives of 

 action of the visitors at our American Parks and in the 

 adjustment of the degree of restraint, which it is necessary 

 to impose upon them. It is the remembrance of that self 

 gratulatory and independent feeling of our tax-payers, that 

 they hold their privileges as no chary favor or deputed 

 permission, but as a legal right, purchased from their own 

 resources, to be freely transmitted to their posterity, subject 

 only, to the necessary and comparatively trifling expense 

 of culture and supervision. 



The Commissioners, would here direct the attention of 

 the Common Council to some statistics connected with the 

 cost of the Park and of its improvements, which they 

 think, will, at this time be found both interesting and in- 

 structive. The land originally taken, cost the City on the 

 15th day of June, 1864, when the report of the Commis- 

 sioners on valuation was confirmed by the Supreme Court, 



The sum of $1,357,606 27 



The first addition thereto on 4th Feb., 1866 158,558 41 

 And the recent addition on 27th May, 1867 752,745 02 



Whole cost of land taken for the Park, $2,268,909 70 



The cost of improvement as appears from the 

 financial statements appended to this, and 

 to previous annual reports, is . . $1,169,604 70 



Making the entire cost of the Park to date, $3,438,514 40 

 exclusive of a small amount paid for interest. 



Payment of the first of these acquisitions was met by an 

 issue of City Bonds, bearing an interest of six per cent., and 

 having ninety years to run. The residue of the amount was 

 raised by sales of seven per cent, bonds, payable in forty- 

 five years. None of these bonds have been disposed of by 



