15^ riEST COUXTY PAEK SYSTEM 



jSTew England Society, the Eoseville Improvement Associa- 

 tion and other organizations liad, just prior to the election, 

 passed resolutions favoring the adoption of the law, and the 

 approval of the act by the voters. 



Another factor which might have been favorable in de- 

 ciding the vote was the impression and promise given out 

 by the commission that the additional $1,500,000 asked for 

 would be sufficient to complete the park system plans. The 

 Xews of January 21, 1898, gave a detailed account of a con- 

 ference upon the new appropriation bill ^'lield at the home 

 of Franklin Murphy, treasurer of the Park Commission," 

 the night previous, at which meeting Senator Ketcham, a 

 number of the Essex County assemblymen, and all of the 

 park commissioners, excepting Mr. Bramhall, were present. 

 It was there stated, according to this report of the confer- 

 ence, that while the amount ($1,500,000) ^'would not do 

 all that might be done, for the commission could expend 

 $5,000,000 if all the suggestions advanced were followed, 

 yet it would, he said, be sufficient to leave the county in 

 possession of a park system, properly connected by park- 

 ways, second to none in the country, and all secured for a 

 total outlay of only $4,000,000." 



SIGXIFICAXCE OE SMALL TOTE. 



The comparatively small total vote of 24,691 — only a lit- 

 tle more than half in the county — and the reduced majority 

 of onh' 4,783, as against a majority of 8,321 for the first 

 appropriation, April 15, 1895, clearly reflected the reduced 

 interest in and lack of popular support of the commission 

 and of the county park undertaking, as it was then before 

 the public. On January 11, 1898, the commission made a 

 requisition on the Board of Freeholders for the $1,500,000, 

 as provided in the bill, "on approval of the bill by the peo- 

 ple," and in April, directly after the vote on the bill, an 

 unconditional requisition was made for $500,000 of the ap- 

 propriation as then available. 



The issuance of these bonds was delayed for several 

 months. A teclmical question Imd. arisen as to the leg-jlity 



