BRONX RIVER,
BRONXVILLE

mission was em

powered to acquire

the land and develop the Parkway and it thereupon became the duty of both the City and the County authorities to provide the necessary funds upon the requisition of the Commission. The Legislature foresaw that, without such mandatory provisions, one of the parties at interest might, by refusing to provide its share of the funds, hold up and seriously interfere with the development of the project against the wish of the other municipality which, having already contributed a substantial share, might desire to proceed.

The Commission, recognizing its responsibility under the rather broad powers conferred by the law, including the right to requisition the City and County for the funds required, determined to justify the wisdom of the Legislature by affording no grounds for criticism of the mandatory provisions of the law and by demonstrating that, in this instance at least, the creation of a special State Commission had resulted in more economical and efficient administration of the matters under its control than could reasonably have been expected from State or City departments. To accomplish this the Commissioners have given unsparingly of their time and energy with the result that the total outlay for salaries and other administration expenses incident to negotiations for, and acquisition of, the lands acquired to date, and including the other activities of the Commission, together with all legal expenses, title insurance and appraisals, is about three and one-half per cent. of the value of the lands acquired.

It is apparent to anyone who is familiar with the usual high cost of acquiring land for public use that, in this instance, the creation of a special commission has been amply justified.

and legal expenses while at the same time securing, through the personal efforts of the Commissioners, the necessary lands for the City and County at prices consistent with their true value, to say nothing of the generous donations and options at a fractional value, the Commission has, with respect to the improvement and maintenance of the Parkway, adhered to a policy recognized as economically sound and having full regard for the City's financial condition.

The Parkway project was initiated primarily to preserve the Bronx River from pollution and to secure at the same time a Parkway of great natural beauty, improved with pathways and a parked drive connecting the City's park and boulevard systems with the State roads and watershed lands at Kensico Reservoir. Most of its cost will be paid by a succeeding generation. The immediate need was to protect the River from the pollution which was rapidly converting it into an open sewer. Because it is consistent with sound policy as regards park development, and because of the necessity for economy in expenditure, particularly by the City of New York, the Commission has not entered upon a program entailing lavish expenditure for improvements and maintenance. Gradually, however, and by most economic methods the lands and River have been cleared and cleaned, the trees and vegetation restored to a healthy condition, and general improvement work initiated.

In all branches of its work the Commission has afforded the fullest informa

SURROUNDINGS

paid and all who have cared could easily be advised as to the manner in which the Commission has discharged its responsibilities under the act.

On June 30, 1914, the Commission reported very fully upon the Parkway project. That report contained a history of the project and a full statement of the Commission's activities to that date. The policy followed by the Commission in acquiring lands in the Reservation and with respect to the management of the property under its control was described in detail. The report of the Commission's work for the year ending June 30, 1915, was prepared and filed but, for reasons of economy, its printing was not authorized. The following report will therefore deal with the activities of the Commission during the two years ending June 30, 1916, and what it expects to accomplish in the near future. At this point it may be well to briefly summarize the policies adhered to during the three years since the Commission was authorized to acquire the lands in the Reservation, which are as follows:

1st-To acquire the twelve hundred odd parcels of land in the Reservation at fair and reasonable values, keeping the cost of acquisition and legal expenses at the lowest figure commensurate with satisfactory work.

2nd-To abate pollution, clean up the lands and purify the Bronx River, eliminate billboards, remove buildings, restore natural conditions, protect vegetation and promote healthy tree growth.

3rd-To proceed with permanent improvement work as rapidly as practicable, having due regard to

governing Parkway work.

4th-To resort to condemnation proceedings to acquire the remaining lands only after exhausting all possible efforts to agree with owners on a reasonable basis, and where necessary because of defective titles. The aggregate value of lands acquired by direct purchase since the Commission's last report, including interest on contracts and taxes and assessments accruing prior to the date set for taking title, is $2,082,389.44, making total to date $3,810,271.89, and, in addition, there are lands under contract to the value of $162,030, making aggregate value of lands acquired or under contract by direct purchase to June 30, 1916, $3,972,301.89.

Of the above gross amount $186,367.17 represents interest accruing between the time set for closing contract and the date upon which the funds were actually available for taking title, together with taxes and assessments accruing during the said period, or assessments levied by the City of New York in street-opening proceedings allowed for in the purchase price, so that the net cost of lands, less these items, was $3,783,934.72.

In addition to acquiring land since the last report, the Commission has removed or demolished approximately 275 old buildings standing upon Parkway lands, razed the foundations, filled up the cellars and graded the lands. From the sale of these buildings the Commission has realized $41,782.04, and has collected in rentals $21,986.62. These funds, together with small

to be appropriated by the City of New York and the County of Westchester for construction work. The Commission, therefore, requested the Board of Estimate and Apportionment of the City of New York, and the Board of Supervisors of Westchester County, to authorize the turning over of such funds to the Comptroller of the City of New York to be placed to the credit of the Commission, and to be disbursed by him upon the requisition of the Commission to defray the cost of improvement work. Both of the said Boards approved this procedure and on March 30, 1916, the Commission deposited with the Comptroller of the City of New York an amount of $50,000, which amount was credited to the account of the Commission, to be used in the improvement of Parkway lands.

One hundred and fifty-four separate cases of pollution have been discovered and offenders notified, with the result that, in most instances, the nuisances have been abated. Those still pending will be speedily adjusted. This work necessitated most careful scrutiny of tributary streams, as well as the testing of plumbing systems in a large number of dwelling houses and business buildings.

In connection with the forestry work all trees on the Reservation have been cared for excepting on small areas not yet acquired; dead or defective trees have been removed and live ones trimmed or treated as required. In the nursery, established two years ago, more than 55,000 trees and shrubs have been propagated and are now available for transplanting throughout the Reservation.

The Bronx River has repeatedly been cleaned throughout its length of fifteen miles and an enormous quantity of debris and obnoxious material removed therefrom. More than sixty