SELECTIO^T OF OEAXGE PARK 139 



mediately place all the land within the proposed site^ on the 

 "city lot" basis. The extension had been deferred, pending 

 the decision of the Park Commission. If a park, then no 

 sewer extension. If no park, the extension would be 

 promptly built. With this see-saw of possibilities, the un- 

 certainty continued for months. Mr. Eeynolds would not 

 fix a price. The commission decided, owing to the opposi- 

 tion referred to, that it would not undertake to acquire his 

 property unless it could be secured by purchase. The local 

 committee did not know what proposition might, or might 

 not, be "to the commission satisfactory" — and thus the in- 

 creasing doubt continued, to the advantage of the opposi- 

 tion, though not to the discouragement of those favoring 

 the park. 



At last the uncertainty culminated. The Orange Com- 

 mon Council arrived at an understanding with the triangle 

 property owners that, if on December 7, there should have 

 been no decision by the Park Commission regarding the 

 park, proceedings to extend the storm-water sewer would 

 then be taken. The public agitation continued, more gen- 

 erally and more earnestly than before. All the newspapers 

 favored the proposition. There was not a dissenting voice — 

 outside the Park Commission. The citizens' committee and 

 the local authorities were becoming impatient at the delay. 

 Finally, on December 7, 1896, Mr. Reynolds was invited to 

 attend the Park Board meeting on that day. He was pres- 

 ent. For nearly an hour we endeavored to ascertain his 

 price. These efforts were without success. It was then 

 after 6 o'clock. The Common Council was to meet that 

 evening. With the passage of a resolution to extend the 

 storm-sewer, there would be no triangle park. 



OUTLOOK BRIGHTEN"S. 



By one of those peculiar decrees of fate, when, at the last 

 moment, the tide seems irrevocably set in an adverse direc- 

 tion and is as abruptly changed, so in this instance a single 

 incident completely altered the drift of events. 



"Mr. Shepard/*' I asked, "what, in your judgment, would 



