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broken and uneven. The very qualities which have unfitted 

 it for being occupied with dwellings make it especially 

 adapted to this purpose. We have here the steep hillside ; 

 we have the broken surface ; we have water, both for 

 ponds and fountains. The declivity extending from Elk 

 street, in the rear of the residences of Messrs, Strong, Rath- 

 bone, Gansevoort, Parker and others, down to Canal street, 

 is utterly useless for building or cultivation ; but for the 

 purposes of a park, nothing could be more admirable. 

 Sufficient water from that unused by the waterworks could 

 be obtained to supply the ponds that are already formed. 

 A large skating park could with little expense be con- 

 structed. The top of Arbor Hill is very level, and would 

 give ample accommodations for grounds for ball-playing, 

 cricketing, &c. ; purposes for which in the Central Park of 

 New York, 50 acres have been devoted. 



Already a large number of trees are growing in various 

 parts of the land — maple, and elm, and willow ; and with 

 prompt attention to this branch of the ornamentation, in a 

 very short time the whole might be covered. In the Van 

 Woert street gorge, a beautiful grove of natural pines is 

 already growing, and would add much to the facility with 

 which the park could be prepared. 



The broken surface would give a fine opportunity for 

 winding drives and walks. For example, a driving road 

 might be commenced at Swan street, corner of Elk, at the 

 top of the hill; and, winding down gradually, might cross 

 the gorge, and skirt around the ponds of water, be carried 

 westward to the west terminus, where it might be made to 

 pass over Arbor Hill, circuiting in its course the sporting 

 grounds, then descending into the beautiful gorge south of 

 the Observatory, wind along one side and return by the 

 other, and recrossing Arbor Hill, re-enter the city by Clin- 

 ton avenue. Such a drive, including all its windings, would 

 not be less than two miles. In addition to this chief drive, 



