MORE BONDS AND "HIGH FINANCE" 153 



charm to the beauties of the county. It is reasonable to 

 expect that the improvements of these broad avenues will 

 involve a large expenditure, and that this work, taken in 

 connection with the improvement of the great areas already 

 secured in the Orange Mountain district, will necessitate 

 an expenditure of at least $2,500,000 more, and perhaps a 

 sum in excess of that amount." 



The correctness of this prophetic statement as regards the 

 application for additional funds for the parks, was vindi- 

 cated within a year by the issuance of the commission's re- 

 port for that year (1897), in January, 1898. In the clos- 

 ing paragraphs of that report appears (page 18) the 

 following statement : 



MORE MONEY NEEDED. 



"The Park Commission can expend the balance still on 

 hand in completing as far as is possible the land purchases 

 within the areas already selected, and in bringing the city 

 parks to such condition as will make them useful, in a 

 measure, to the public. But for more perfect development 

 of the parks, for the acquirement of some further lands to 

 improve the ou.tlines of these parks, and especially for the 

 expense of parkways, the need of which becomes more ob- 

 vious as the system is developed and appreciated, the com- 

 mission estimates that the further sum of $1,500,000 is 

 needed. And this sum is, in the estimation of the commis- 

 sioners, all that ought to be expended for acquirement and 

 development of the system as laid out and designated." 



This official intimation of the needs and the intention of 

 the commission was put into practical shape by the prepara- 

 tion of a bill, which, at about the same time, early in 1898, 

 made its appearance in the Legislature. This bill, contain- 

 ing a referendum clause providing for its submission to the 

 electorate of the county in April, was soon passed by both 

 houses of the Legislature, and was approved February 21, 

 1898. At the election of April 12, following, the vote stood 

 for the law, 14,737; against, 9,954; or a majority in favor 

 of only 4,783, although the Newark Board of Trade, the 



