QUESTIOXS OF POLICY 



83 



under active consideration during the summer, and 

 early in August it was decided to make a further requisition 

 for $945,000. It had also been determined to locate a 

 small park in the eastern district of Xewark, where all 

 agreed a park was needed, and where opportunit}' offered to 

 obtain about thirteen acres of unimproved city lots in the 

 midst of a built-up and populous district. 



The acquirements of nearly all this land from the single 

 owner, John O'Brien, of Xew York, enabled the commis- 

 sion to avoid the expense and delay incidental to condem- 

 nation proceedings, and made the improvement of that park 

 the first work completed. 



Early in July, I brought before the board the matter of 

 encouraging gifts of park land, etc., from private owners, 

 and the following statement was approved and appeared in 

 most of the Essex County papers about that time: 



^The Essex Couxty Paek Commission", 



"Xewark, 1^. J., July 25, 1895. 



^^In order that Essex County may possess as elaborate a 

 park system as possible, the Park Commission has thought 

 it wise to invite the people to assist in increasing the area 

 and attractions. This is the only commission in the United 

 States where the park movement embraces an entire county, 

 and the splendid possibilities which follow from such an 

 almost unlimited choice of magnificent natural features 

 make most desirable the hearty co-operation of the press 

 and people in eyery portion of the county. 



"The experience of other localities shows that park de- 

 velopment has been materially assisted by liberal gifts of 

 land and money, and in almost every community the park 

 systems are a monument not only to the wise public policy 

 but to private benefaction as well. 



'^Of the 425 acres in the Springfield (Mass.) park sys- 

 tem, more than 300 acres have been by gift from individuals 

 and but 116 acres — less than one-third — acquired by pur- 

 chase. 



''l^^ithin the past two years the city of Hartford (Conn.) 



