CHAPTEB XUV,
 

Histozy of Central Park.
 

Originally Shanties and Bone-Boilii^ Bitabliilunents^Iand Cost $6,348,-

959.90—Site of State Arsenal—Uaed by Tweed for Political Power

—Introdnction of European Spairowi—Analysis of the Soil.

In the yoar 1849 a letter was written from London by Mr, Downing,
addressed to the "Horticulturist,'* a periodical of that date. This letter
attracted considerable attention. The Importance of parks in the growlus
city of New York was the main subject,

Fernando Wood became a strous advocate of the necessity of a park to
be located In upper New York. He was nominated for Mayor in ISEO. He
made the necessity for a park a part of his campaign Issue. Ho was defeated
by Mr. Kingsland, who took otQce January, IS&l. May 5 of the aame year
Mayor Kingsland waa convinced of the Importance of a park, and vrrote a
letter to the Common Council urging tho selection of a site. He bad not
advocated a park up to this time, the credit being due to Mr. Wood. The
Common Council appointed a committee on lands and places, which selected
Jones Wood, a natural piece of woodland situated on tho East Klver above
Sixtieth street. It was necessary for the Legislature to take action before
anything could he done, which it did on July 11, IS&l, approving of the
selection of Jones Wood for a park. Mr. Wood was opposed to the selection
of Jones Wood, as not being properly located, and advocated the selection
of a pisce of land above Fifty-ninth street. The Common Council became
convinced of ita mistake and appointed another committee August 5, ISBl.
who chose the present site of Central Park, from Plfty-nlnth street to One
Hundred and Sixth street, from Fifth avenue to Eighth avenue, 776 acres.
The extODBioa to One Hundred and Tenth street was obtained afterward,

July 23, 1853, the Legislature passed an act authorizing the purchase
of the land now occupied by Central Park.

The act creating the park of Jones Wood waa repealed November 17,
1S53t through the efforts of Mr. Wood. Five commissioners were appointed
by the Supreme Court to appraise the land and purchase the same, under
the act of July 3, 1S&3. They finished their work during the summer of
1855—Washingon Irving serving as one of tho Commissioners.

Fernando Wood was again nominated for Mayor and was elected and
sworn In January 1, 1855, At the time of the commencement of the work on
plans tbat had been approved for Central Park, the municipal government
became Involved In legal complications by reason of a defective cbarter,
which was adjusted hy an appeal to tbe Supreme Court On May IP, 1856.
the Common Council passed an ordinance creating the Mayor and Street
Commissioner and a member of the Park Commission,

223