86 



FIRST COUXTY PAEK SYSTEM 



and esteem of all the members, and by liis death, in Febru- 

 ary, 1896, the Park Board lost one of its most trusted and 

 careful assistants. 



In January, 1896, A.L. Cross was chosen as assistant land 

 agent, in place of Mr. Bond. The purchasing agents were 

 not always successful, even in instances where there had 

 been no intimation to the owners that the lands inquired for 

 or under negotiation were for public use. Xo one outside 

 the board rooms knew of the decision of the commission 

 regarding the East Side Park location, as mentioned, or, as 

 far as I know, at the time negotiations were opened for the 

 land, no one in that part of Xewark had any thought or 

 knowledge that the subject was under consideration. 



Messrs. Bond and Crane reported that J. M. Lummis 

 was the agent of John O'Brien, who owned the 131: unim- 

 proved lots, and constituting nearly all of the thirteen acres 

 required for the park, bounded by Adams, "Walnut, Oliver 

 and Tan Buren streets, in eastern Xewa^rk. They were 

 authorized to negotiate with Mr. Lummis and to have a 

 careful appraisement made, including their own valuation 

 of the property. Later they advised that $148,000 was the 

 price asked, and reported the appraisement, which they said 

 had been carefully made, at $95,700. The board declined to 

 pay an}' such price as that asked. After some further nego- 

 tiations the selling price was reduced to $125,000, as ^'the 

 very lowest price" that would be accepted. At the board 

 meeting of December 31, 1895, a resolution was adopted 

 authorizing condemnation proceedings toward securing the 

 property. Xot long afterward I received word at my place 

 of business in Xew York that Andrew H. Green, whom I 

 had pleasantly known and whose office was convenient to 

 mine, desired to see me. In the interview following Air. 

 Green informed me that as a lifelong friend he had, a? a 

 personal favor to ]\Ir. O'Brien, consented to look after his 

 property interests in Xewark ; how both he and Mr. O'Brien 

 disliked either to stand in the way of such public improve- 

 ments or to go into litigation ; and that he had sent for me 

 because from our pa.?t aequaintarice he felt that *'we could 



