110 FIEST COrXTY PARK SYSTEIE 



ket price for labor, or they would not be able to get men to 

 work for the figure named.*-' When it was farther brought 

 out that the jDassage of such a re^oluti-n would be an open 

 criticism of one county board up^jii the oirloial action of 

 another public body of the same county constituency, oil was 

 poured on the troubled waters and the resolutions were 

 defeated. 



OIL OX TEOUBLED WATEE5. 



^ "When there came to be a better understanding on the part 

 of the objecting officials, the labor leader-, and labor unions, 

 the agitation ceased, and the work, under the contract, in- 

 cluding the sp>ecifications that had occasioned the discus- 

 sion, went smoothly on to completion. 



In the initial work at Branch Brook Park, there was a 

 question in which another public board was directly con- 

 cerned, that did not work out so readily. This was the 

 authoritative closing of the streets : and later, the matter of 

 transferring to the commission other land under control 

 of the Newark Board of Street and Water Commissioners, 

 besides the reservoir property within the park limits, which 

 soon became a part of the same negotiations. Still later, in 

 1897, the construction of the Millbrook sewer, directly 

 through the southern portion of Branch Brook Park, was 

 for many months a bone of friendly contention between the 

 Xewark board and the Park Commission, 



Incidentally, too, the question arose as to the payment of 

 assessments due the city on land ac-quired by the commis- 

 sion. On June 23, 1896, Mayor Seymour wrote the Park 

 Board as follows: 



^■'During the last week a number of bills for assessments ■ 

 for city improvements, levied against property, have been 

 returned to the city comptroller with the statement that the 

 property benefited has been purchased by the Park Board. 

 An investigation shows that, while the improvements were 

 made prior to the date of purchase by your honorable body, 

 the assessments were not confirmed tintil after title had been 

 taken by the commission. 



