QUESTIONS OF POLICY 



§5 



The commission afterward received from the Messrs. 

 Ballantine a gift of thirty-two acres, and from Z. M. Keen 

 and William A. Eighter one of about twenty acres, all 

 valuable land in northern Xev\"ark, and now included in the 

 northern division of Branch Brook Park, north of Bloom- 

 field avenue. In 1896, a number of public-spirited citizens 

 in Orange and East Orange made a donation of $17,275 in 

 cash toward the acquirement of the triangle tract there, now 

 the Orange Park. 



REAL ESTATE EXPERTS. 



As the preliminary work of the board early in 1895 con- 

 tinued, it was found that one of the intricate, if not difficult, 

 obstacles to overcome would be the acquirement of the land 

 needed for the parks. It is unfortunate, but true, "and 

 pity 'tis 'tis true,'' that whenever realty property is re- 

 quired of private owners for public uses there is, in most 

 instances, an immediate increase in the owner's estimate of 

 the value ; and not infrequently the demands become so ex- 

 orbitant as to price as to leave no other resource excepting 

 either to abandon the purchase or resort to troublesome and 

 frequently costly litigation. Although the commission had 

 :guarded its plans, as had the previous board, there was a 

 general impression that soon appeared to pervade the dis- 

 trict immediately contigaious to the reservoir site that a 

 park would in all probability be located there at an early 

 date. In order to accomplish, as far as possible, the acquire- 

 ment of the land by purchase, it was decided to employ, as a 

 part of the working organization of the commission, two 

 real estate experts, who would undertake this important 

 work of land purchase, and on July 18 Messrs. B. F. Crane 

 and E. E. Bond received the appointment of land agents. 

 Both of these gentlemen performed most valuable service, 

 especially Mr. Crane, who was continuously active and 

 earnest, and by kindly and tactful effort was very successful 

 in acquiring a great number of the small lots and residence 

 properties within the Branch Brook Park area. His loy- 

 iiltj to thfi iixierests of the commission won the confidence 



