237 



of Dove, through Dove to Orange, down Orange to Swan 

 street, and finally along Swan until it reaches the point of 

 starting at Elk street. 



The ground included within these bounds conies nearer 

 to perfection in its capabilities for easy transformation into 

 a magnificent park than any ground which I ever saw in 

 any city. It meets almost perfectly every one of the requi- 

 sites. 



1. It is near to the central part of the city, and easily 

 accessible from every quarter. Clinton avenue, a wide and 

 beautiful and well graded street, leads directly from the 

 most populous and attractive portions of Broadway and 

 Pearl street, by a distance of only two or three blocks, into 

 the most beautiful part of it. The whole of Arbor Hill 

 can reach it, either by Clinton avenue, or by any of the 

 streets parallel to it. The portion of the city living on 

 Capitol Hill can reach it either by Clinton avenue or 

 directly from Swan street, Dove street, or any of the cross 

 streets above them. And furthermore, if the project of a 

 horse rail road to West Albany is carried out, as will no 

 doubt be the case in a few years, it must run directly 

 through or along side this ground. It is therefore central 

 and accessible. 



2. A park can be obtained here of sufficient size. Without 

 cramping in any respects the growing business portions of 

 the city, without taking land which must become valuable 

 for any other purposes, a park of 250 acres can here be laid 

 out. More than this ; the ground thus occupied, and which 

 would thus be converted into a perpetual pleasure, is now 

 and must forever continue a most unwholsome and incon- 

 venient locality for residences. The Canal street valley is 

 proverbially filthy and unhealthy. It will always remain 

 so, unless its side hills are turned into pleasure grounds, 

 its putrid pools of water into beautiful ponds, and the na- 

 kedness of its clay banks covered with verdure and shade. 



3. The surface has all the requisite qualifications. It is 

 [Trans, iv.] 32 



