217 
PARK AND CEMETERY . 
to present rent ; for example, a tene- 
ment that at present rents for $20 per 
month would cost two cents per month 
additional in order that its occupants 
might have part ownership and full par- 
ticipation and benefit in one million dol- 
lars worth of recreation grounds. 
One acre of parks to each 2,000 peo- 
ple generally is considered a modest al- 
lotment — most of the important cities 
are equalling or exceeding this. Such 
a rate would suggest over 2,000 acres to 
present inhabitants of this Metropolitan 
District. They now have about 850. 
One per cent, of the tax valuation of 
a district is regarded as the minimum 
investment for parks and recreation fea- 
tures. This amount is provided by New 
Jersey laws for the county park system. 
The estimated ultimate cost of the Met- 
ropolitan Park System of Providence 
Plantations is less than one-half of one 
per cent, of the valuation of its district. 
About one million dollars thus invest- 
ed for each 100,000 people appears to be 
about the general average, though the 
Boston Metropolitan District has invest- 
ed more than two million dollars for 
each 100,000 people. At the same rate, 
the Metropolitan Park District of Prov- 
idence Plantations would be called upon 
to invest eight million dollars in its 
parks, playgrounds, boulevards, and 
other things of the kind. It certainly 
could afford eventually to invest about 
one-half of this amount as suggested 
below. The report also gives some other 
interesting comparative figures. 
The park districts of the United 
States, most closely approximating this 
in valuation and population are the two 
county park districts of Essex county, 
N. J., of which Newark is the centre 
(about twenty per cent, more populous 
than Rhode Island Metropolitan Park 
District). The park system was started 
in 1895. Investment is now between five 
and six millions. 
Hudson county (Jersey City district) 
has about the same population as Essex 
county. Its park system was begun in 
1903. About $2,000,000 had been invest- 
ed up to 1908. This will be the most 
expensive park system in America per 
acre, because Jersey City did not think 
it “could afford” to provide parks until 
most of the possibilities were gone. It 
is now finding that present parsimony 
begets future prodigality. 
By New Jersey laws there is also an 
annual assessment of “not less than one- 
half mill nor more than three-quarters 
of a mill” for maintenance of parks and 
recreation grounds. This amounts to 
fifty to seventy-five cents on $1,000, and 
such a rate would provide $200,000 to 
$300,000 a year in this Metropolitan Dis- 
trict. This is about the amount of as- 
sessment levied in most western cities 
and is not burdensome. 
An expenditure equal to one per cent 
of the present valuation of this Metro- 
politan Park District would provide for 
the acquirement of all the projects pro- 
posed by the Metropolitan Park Com- 
mission, — the large reservations, the pro- 
tection of stream banks and pond 
shores; the steep hillsides and prome- 
nades and the connecting parkways. It 
would also provide a comprehensive sys- 
tem of small “neighborhood parks” and 
playgrounds throughout all the present 
thickly built districts and pay up the 
outstanding liabilities for all the parks 
hitherto acquired throughout the district. 
The annual cost would be inappreciable, 
even if there was no increased valua- 
tion resulting from the improvement. 
It should be noticed that the Metro- 
politan Park System, which applies alike 
to the enjoyment and service of all 
parts of the district, serves a purpose of 
economy for each of the cities and 
towns of which the district is composed, 
for each city and town, though it will 
contribute but its proportion of the ex- 
pense, gets the benefit of it all. The 
park system also benefits the whole 
State in an unusual degree, though the 
State acts merely as a guarantor, or un- 
derwriter, of the bonds, and in the end 
pays no part of the cost at all. 
Some splendid illustrations of the 
value of buying land early and of the 
penalty of delay are shown in the re- 
port. Two striking pictures shown here 
speak emphatically on this point. The 
splendid pine grove near the Seekonk 
river, is just two miles from the Provi- 
dence Board of Trade. It would have 
been a remarkable public possession as 
it appeared in 1904. The other picture 
shows how this great opportunity was 
wasted for the price of a few boards. 
In September, 1908, the first tract of 
land for the metropolitan park system, 
the celebrated glen and pond of Quins- 
nicket, situated in the town of Lincoln 
and for many years a resort of picnic 
parties and sightseers, was bought. The 
area is about seventy-one acres. The 
price paid was $3,000. The Commis- 
sion is much indebted to the public spirit 
and generosity of the owner, Stephen 
Smith, who had only a short time be- 
fore refused an offer very much more 
liberal. 
In November, 1908, Mr. Herbert C. 
Calef presented to the Commission a 
strip of shore front and beach border- 
ing the Nausauket plat, upon the north 
shore of Greenwich Bay between Ap- 
ponaug and Buttonwoods, and contain- 
ing about four and one-half acres. Later 
Mr. Calef conveyed as a gift to the 
Commission several acres additional, ex- 
tending along a cove to the north of the 
first parcel. 
In January, John M. Dean, gave to 
the Commission his beautifully develop- 
ed private park and lake at Meshanti- 
cut, containing about fifteen acres, and 
also offered the land for a parkway ex- 
tending through his estate to Sockan- 
osset Hill. 
Since his first gift, Mr. Dean has of- 
fered additional land to the Commis- 
sion, the boundaries of which are now 
being surveyed and studied. A number 
of very generous gifts of land have 
been offered by owners of East Provi- 
dence property, by which the construc- 
tion of the first section of the proposed 
Barrington parkway seems almost as- 
sured. 
The Commission has also been given 
reason to hope for equally generous 
treatment by owners of certain land on 
the west shore of the bay. These two 
parkways will provide for the proper 
THE PENALTY OP DELAY; BEFORE. 
Pine Grove, Near Seekonk River in 1904. 
