284: PIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 



poles had been in some instances erected v/ithont pexmis- 

 sion or a shadow of authority. The special attention of the 

 Park Board was also called to this fact. The poles still 

 remain. 



COSTLY NEGLIGENCE. 



On June 3, 1903, about the time of the transfer of Park 

 avenne by the freeholders to the commission, a delegation 

 from the citizens' committee of Roseville was given a 

 hearing. The committee protested against the execntion of 

 the plans for the proposed Park avenne bridge over the 

 Lackawanna tracks at Thirteenth street, which, it was de- 

 clared, would '^disfigure an approach to Branch Brook Park 

 and would prove dangerous to drivers and pedestrians." 

 The bridge as then planned was to narrow the roadway 

 down to a width of only forty feet. A conference with the 

 railroad officials was, by the commission, requested. The 

 company at once took the ground that as the specifications 

 with the freeholders and the Newark and East Orange 

 authorities had been agreed upon, the charge in widening 

 the bridge to the requisite width must be borne by the 

 commission. 



In the seventh annual report of the Park Department, 

 reference is made to the "negotiations with the railroad 

 authorities in the endeavor to have the bridge, which is to 

 cross the tracks, as much in conformity with park design 

 as possible," but, as the railroad had "secured the proper 

 consents, whatever is done toward altering them (the 

 plans) must be at the expense of the county." 



As early as February 24, 1902, the Newark Board of 

 Works had asked for a conference with the East Orange 

 authorities regarding this bridge. At the time, in 1903, 

 the specifications were agreed to, it was well known to those 

 interested that the traction company had capitulated as to 

 surrendering Park avenue^ — as evidenced by the expressed 

 willingness of the freeholders to transfer that avenue to the 

 Park Commission — and that it was to be a parkway. 



Wtj, therefore^ no attention was given to the requisite 



