It was a succession of rocky elevations, stagnant pools, and
sandy plains. It was covered with a coarse undergrowth, which simply
disfigured it, and was occupied by the miserable shanties of a number
of Irish families, known as "squatters." By looking at the character of
the land surrounding it, the reader can easily form a correct idea of
the primitive character of the Park, and of the immense labor which has
been performed in transforming that barren waste into the magnificent
grounds of to-day.
As it was morally certain that the authorities of the city of New York
would not carry on the work as honestly and as promptly as was
desirable, the Legislature placed the management of affairs in the
hands of a Commission, composed of prominent citizens of all parties.
Under the auspices of this Commission, the work was begun in 1858, and
pushed forward as rapidly as possible, to its present state. These
Commissioners still have charge of it, and conduct its affairs with the
same skill and vigor which have accomplished so much in the past.
The Park now contains a parade ground of fifty acres, for the
manoeuvering of large bodies of troops, play grounds, base ball
grounds, rides, drives, walks, etc. There are nine miles of carriage
roads in it, four miles of bridle roads, and twenty-five miles of
walks. It is larger than any city park in the world, except the Bois de
Boulogne at Paris, the Prater at Vienna, and the Phenix Park at Dublin.
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