V20 



FIEST COrXTY PAEK SYSTEM 



* ''Whatever other property the Essex Coimty park commis- 

 sioners may acquire, there is no question that they have 

 acted "wisely in securing Eagle Eock and the land ahont it. 

 This is the show -place of Essex Connty."^ On the same day 

 The Daily Advertiser exjDressed this sentiment : ''A county 

 park system withont Eagle Eock wonld he in the nature of 

 an anomaly. That elevated point, overlooking an extensive 

 and varied 23anorama of town, eonntry and river, seems to 

 have loeen destined by nature for a pnhlic breathing place.'^ 

 An editorial in the Xew York Press of Xovember 27 stated 

 that "the acqnirement of the far-famed Eagle Eock the 

 other day for park purposes was a great thing for the peo- 

 ple. From this giant knoU the homes of tens of thousands 

 of Xew Jersey's citizens can be plainly seen, and it is de- 

 clared that it looks npon more homes and varied industries 

 than any other natural elevation in the world."' 



And The Orange Chronicle of November 30 thus referred 

 to the acquirement : "'A more suitable or a more beautiful 

 site for a park could not possibly be found. There is double 

 reason for rejoicing at the announcement just made.'' 



With the exception of opening roads through this reser- 

 vation, some thinning of the natural growths and clearing 

 in places the east brow of the cliff so as to open unobstructed 

 views, little has been done in the way of improvement of 

 this beautifully situated and densely wooded reservation, 

 and it yet remains largely in the primitive state as of years 

 gone by — a place to delight an Emerson, a Thoreau, or a. 

 Eusldn, and to charm any lover of nature who revels in 

 her rugged and unintruded haunts. 



The estimated cost of this park in Januan', 1896, was for 

 land acquirement, $202,775. The aetual disbursements by 

 January, 1901, were for land and buildings, $243,563. Up 

 to the present time the total cost of the park, including the 

 413 acres of land, and the improvements, has been about 

 $300,000. 



A FIXE PARK SITE XOT CHOSEiJ'. 



During the tours of inspection of the Orange ]\Iountain 

 by tlie first commission^ ia 1894, perhaps no one observation 



