178 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
the salt marsh flats, part of which is at present known 
as the “Common” and “Public Garden.” Beyond the 
“Common” an arm of the Charles River was known 
as the “Back Bay,” and an indentation of the sea south 
of the settlement was known as “South Bay.” 
The “Common,” which was then a pasture on the 
outskirts of the town, is at present the center of the 
metropolitan district and the metropolitan park sys- 
tem. A city developed from the original colony and 
lie opinion conceived the idea that to fill in this tract 
would correct the evil and enable a public park to be 
made on the site. Hence, in 1870, a bill relating to 
the establishing of parks in the City of Boston was in- 
troduced in the City Council. It was to have taken 
effect after two-thirds of the voters approved it at the 
state election, but it failed to obtain the necessary sup- 
port for its enactment. 
In 1875 a bill entitled “An act for the laying out of 
expansion forced the settlement of large areas of 
marsh and lowland until the improper provision for 
sewage disposal of the greater population threatened 
the health of a large portion of the inhabitants. Prin- 
cipal among the unsanitary areas of the city was that 
of the Back Bay and its immediate surroundings. The 
demand for the correction of the evil resulted in the 
invitation of a public undertaking which has since de- 
veloped into the Boston and the Metropolitan Park 
Systems. 
With a view to demanding the abolition of a nui- 
sance, public agitation was first directed, about the 
year 1869, toward the Back Bay flats, the conversion 
of which was primarily a sanitary undertaking. Pub- 
public parks in or near the City of Boston,” was ap- 
proved by the City Council of Boston. 
Emil Mische. 
CESNOLA MEMORIAL, NEW YORK. 
The beautiful memorial, shown on the opposite 
page, to General L. P. di Cesnola, the late Director 
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, 
was modeled by F. Edwin Elwell, Curator of Sculp- 
ture in the museum, and is a remarkable study in 
dignity and simplicity of design. In 1902 the lamented 
Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, com- 
missioned Mr. Elwell to think up a monument for his 
family lot at Kensico Cemetery. He made a careful 
