278 FIRST COUOTY PARK SYSTEM 



the section between Park and Central avennes only, was 

 submitted, and land options authorized, on May 18 fol- 

 lowing. During 1898-9 the crossing of the Delaware, Lack- 

 awanna and Western Railroad tracks and of Main street 

 were, for many months, undetermined problems. 



The expense of the costly stone bridge for elevating the 

 railroad over the parkway was borne by the commission. 

 As a suitable subway under Main street and the trolley 

 tracks there, as favored by Commissioner Shepard, was esti- 

 mated to cost $93,271, the grade crossing at Main street 

 was finally determined upon. By these matters, together 

 with the complications over condemnation proceedings in 

 acquiring some of the land for the parkway, and the con- 

 troversy between the commission and the city authorities 

 over the drainage, this shortest and smallest of all the ac- 

 quirements now in the control of the Park Commission, has 

 been proportionately the most expensive, and the time in 

 making the improvements the longest drawn out. This, 

 notwithstanding, deeds for much of the land were given to 

 the commission. The larger owners, whose lands were lo- 

 cated on the line of, and mostly on both sides of the park- 

 way, and their frontage there were respectively as follows : 



Frederick M. Shepard, 2,361 feet; Rockwell estate, 531 

 feet; Randall estate 454 feet; David S. Walton, 1,462 feet. 



The contest over the drainage matter is yet unsettled, 

 although the commission on June 18, 1901, paid $11,000 

 toward the expense of drainage for the short portion of the 

 parkway north of Main street. The contract for the first 

 construction, amounting to $24,018, was not let until No- 

 vember 13, 1900, and for the section between Park avenue 

 and William street not until the autumn of 1903. 



Owing to the uncompleted condition of this parkway^ its 

 short length, and the fact that within this small distance 

 it crosses one double trolley trunk line at Main street, and 

 that, since Central avenue has been given over to the trol-* 

 ley, the southern terminus is directly on another double 

 track railroad there, the parkway is but little used. It is 

 'thim a eosstant ^reminder of the ImmcB^Q s^itecfs 



