H ouse and Garden 
—to say nothing of enjoyment—the more eager all 
classes are for park extensions and new pleasure 
grounds. 
“With all the millions New York had previously 
expended for park lands and improvements, only 
a lew years ago large areas of additional park lands 
were secured at an expense of some $9,000,000 or 
$10,000,000, and that municipality has again this 
year undertakings for additional parks at an author¬ 
ized expenditure of several millions more. 
“Philadelphia, with her city squares and beauti¬ 
ful Fairmount Park, is just undertaking at an es¬ 
timated cost of $6,000,000, the construction of a 
boulevard from the new city hall direct to Fair- 
mount Park, much of the way through a densely 
built up part of the city. These are only instances 
of the movement going on everywhere. Smaller 
communities like Paterson and Trenton have already 
parks and parkway approaches of commanding 
importance. 
“Not one of these communities, and but few in 
this country or in Europe, have the natural ad¬ 
vantages of topography, scenery, etc., that naturt 
has already provided here in Essex County. 
“Hardly another community so important has st, 
long neglected to utilize these advantages, or so 
persistently failed to realize the importance of this 
subject.” 
Park Sites Carefully Examined. By early 
September the commissioners had personally ex¬ 
amined many of the possible park sites; had, in 
fact, looked over the county east of the Second 
Mountain quite generally. Some of the more 
desirable locations had been studied with care. The 
general plan of the park system was gradually taking 
shape. Expert advice was needed. Arrangements 
were accordingly made with five experienced land¬ 
scape architects, who were to prepare plans and act 
in the capacity of “park making advisers” to the 
commission. In the engagement of Olmsted, 
Olmsted & Eliot, it was “with the wish and ex¬ 
pectation that the commission obtain the personal 
services and report of Frederick Law Olmsted.” 
Each was engaged to act entirely and wholly 
independent of the other. Each received a county 
map, upon which, after studying the topography of 
the whole county below the Second Mountain— 
the relative populations, etc., etc. — was to be marked 
in a way indicating the locations of such parks and 
connecting parkways as, in his (or their) judgment, 
would provide the best park system, as viewed irom 
the standpoint of the whole county. In this view 
the needs and conveniences of the denser popula¬ 
tions were to be considered. The maps, when 
completed and marked as indicated, were to become 
the property of the commission. The necessary 
expenses in making the investigations were to be 
met by the board, but the compensation was for a 
fixed fee, which was in each case very reasonable; 
for it was understood that the plans to be submitted 
were on the principle of competitive designs, and 
the architect (or firm) making the most acceptable 
design and report would very naturally have an 
advanced position for future engagement should 
their plans be carried out. 
By December the plans of the board had suffi¬ 
ciently matured so that, on December 6, a com¬ 
mittee of two was appointed “to wait upon John R. 
Emery, Esq., and consult with him about procuring 
his legal services for the commission,” for the pur¬ 
pose of preparing a charter for a succeeding com¬ 
mission. 
Thus at the close of 1894, all was yet smooth 
sailing. We were nearing the port of destination, 
and the harbor of safe condition for an attractive 
and most creditable county park system did not 
seem far beyond. 
The inspection and selection of park sites within 
a territory possessing the varied topography and 
variety of natural scenery found in Essex County 
was a most agreeable and interesting experience. 
In roaming over “green fields and pastures new,” 
all the commissioners were deeply interested in 
what they saw. One day they were looking at 
the then unattractive Newark reservoir (now Branch 
Brook Park) site; another day found them at Mill- 
burn. Perhaps the day following they were in 
the Oranges, or Montclair, or at Bellesdlle. Next 
they visited Weequahic and passed from considera¬ 
tion of this mosquito-breeding and buzzing locality 
with unfavorable comment. 
On the Orange Mountain. But of all the 
experiences during the summer and autumn of that 
year (1894) the days devoted to the Orange Moun¬ 
tain were at once the most impressive and delight¬ 
ful. As we walked on the crest of the first moun¬ 
tain from the point where the mountain abruptly 
ends near Millburn to the limits of the county at 
Northern Alontclair Heights, the beautiful and 
varied views were inspiring. Every new piospect 
along the entire distance was a revelation. 
The beauties of these diversified scenes on ideal 
autumnal days can be only inadequately described. 
The views from the southern points of the crest 
overlook plains, farms, and occasionally a small 
village; or South Orange, Hilton, Irvington and 
the fringe of southern Newark, and an attractive 
section of Union County. Erom the central por¬ 
tion, as from the cable road track above Orange 
Valley looking toward Eagle Rock, Orange and 
East Orange, portions of Montclair, Bloomfield 
and the full lines of Newark beyond, Bergen Hill, the 
Brooklyn Bridge and the tall buildings of Greater 
New York, all appear in view. The whole area, 
save for the intercepting trees and foliage, of this 
vast, extended area of buildings, looks as though. 
46 
