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FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 



serious importance, or matters that could not be readily, 

 and with comparatively small expense, adequately and 

 satisfactorily treated. 



This Olmsted report was received and was before the Park 

 Board for consideration on August 8, 1899. I am not aware 

 that its contents have before this ever been made public. 

 Soon after the report was received, and remained in secret 

 in the Park Board archives, one of the traction company's 

 representatives, with a smiling countenance, stated to me 

 that the Park Commission had "an expert's report, which 

 was decidedly against Central avenue." That the com- 

 mission for some reason concluded it was not desirable 

 to give out the report appears from the board's official 

 action. At the meeting of March 5, 1901, in passing upon 

 the matter for the annual report, it was agreed "that the 

 Olmsted Brothers' report in regard to Park and Central 

 avenues," should be included; and then, at the meeting of 

 March 19, on motion of Commissioner Shepard, seconded 

 by Mr. Murphy, the "motion of March 5, which included in 

 the annual report the report of Olmsted Brothers in regard 

 to Park and Central avenues," was rescinded, and a motion 

 of Mr. Shepard, that that report be omitted, was then 

 adopted. 



A PARK BOARD HEARING. 



When, during the latter part of 1899, and early in 1900, 

 it was found that the Board of Freeholders was, on the 

 parkway subject, immovable, an effort was made to secure 

 from that board, if possible, its official approval of the 

 transfer made by the East Orange authorities March 15, 

 1897, and thus have the full control of the East Orange 

 portion of each of the avenues vested in the Park Commis- 

 sion. The Park Board gave a hearing, March 1, 1900, on 

 this question. A large and representative delegation was 

 present. The commission was reminded of "what were con- 

 sidered the promises to the East Orange committee three 

 years before," and of "the condition of unrest that v/as 

 growing out of the delay, in the absence of some action or 



