pendicular from the said dividing line; thence by a line parallel to said dividing line, about 1,900 feet, to the point of beginning, and containing about 160 acres, exclusive of about four acres in proposed streets.

RESERVOIR LOTS.

Boundaries. -Beginning at the southerly corner of Chestnut-hill avenue and South street and running southeasterly by said Chestnut-hill avenue, about 350 feet, to land of the City of Boston; thence southwesterly about 380 feet; thence southerly about 120 feet; thence northwesterly about 220 feet; thence westerly about 740 feet by a line crossing a street or way belonging to an owner or owners unknown, at a point about 325 feet from South street; thence southwesterly about 280 feet; thence southwesterly again about 270 feet; thence northwesterly about 240 feet; all the lines running by said` City of Boston's land and land in said way, to Evergreen cemetery; thence northeasterly by said cemetery, about 650 feet, to said South street; thence by said South street, about 1,190 feet, to the point of beginning, and containing about 163 acres.

4

Also a lot beginning on Chestnut-hill avenue at the dividing line between land of Wm. White and land of the City of Boston, about 300 feet from Beacon street and running southwesterly about 350 feet; thence northwesterly about 200 feet; thence northerly about 265 feet; thence northwesterly about 315 feet; all by said land of the City of Boston, to Chestnut-hill avenue; thence by said Chestnut-hill avenue, about 235 feet, to the point of beginning, and containing about 2 acres.

Description.

Brighton Park contains an area of 160 acres. It is a picturesque tract, with great variety of surface, ledges, abrupt and gently-sloping hill-sides, meadows and forests. Its highest elevation is over 200 feet above the sea, commanding views of Wachusett and Monadnock mountains, forty and seventy miles away, and of broad stretches of foreground, dotted with an almost continuous succession of towns and villages. While much of it is naturally impracticable for ordinary city or even village purposes, it is remarkably well disposed for the best of park scenery, and is capable of improvement as such with a moderate expendi

ture.

Its chief approach from the city proper will be by the park-way to be hereafter located as before suggested (see page 18), connecting with the Charles-river Embankment at

Cottage Farm bridge, which again will connect with the principal drive through the park, leading, at its western end, directly into the Chestnut-hill Reservoir drive through the granite arch. It will have other entrances on its sides, also connecting with its main drive. It is within the fourth and fifth mile circles, excepting about ten acres. The reservoir station on the Woonsocket branch of the N. Y. & N. E. R. R. on the south, and Cambridge street horse-car tracks on the north are each less than one quarter of a mile distant. The surrounding streets, already laid out and suggested, will give a frontage of about 11,000 lincal feet available for house-lots.

The proximity of this park to the Chestnut-hill Reservoir is of mutual advantage, in their characters of ornamental grounds, the one supplementing the other. The construction of this reservoir, the most important public work of its kind in New England, was fortunately in the hands of enlightened citizens, who, while building magnificent waterworks, created at the same time a picturesque lake by preserving the natural lines of the valley and the rural features of the borders.

In addition to the 160 acres of Brighton Park, the Commissioners have located as park property, three small lots of land, chiefly unimproved, comprising 19 acres, adjacent to the reservoir (and now surrounded by city property), as naturally forming parts of the reservoir grounds, and without which these grounds are incomplete. Should these lots be allowed to become occupied by structures, they would be a serious disfigurement to the neighboring park and reservoir drive, and would, doubtless, eventually be taken by the city at a greatly increased cost. They may properly be placed under the control of the Water Board.

With these lots added, there will be, within the boundaries of the reservoir, an area of 231 acres of land and water (exclusive of Evergreen Cemetery), making, with Brighton Park, a total of 391 acres.

JAMAICA PARK.

Boundaries.- Beginning at the northerly corner of Pond and Prince streets, and running northwesterly by said Prince street, about 2,350 feet, to Perkins street; thence northeasterly by said Perkins street, about 3,150 feet, to a point 280 feet casterly from the dividing line between land of Edward N. Perkins and George S. Curtis; thence southerly by a line running through land of George S. Curtis and Jos. H. Curtis, about 600 feet; thence southerly again, through

land of said Jos. H. Curtis and land of Adams to land of Seaverns, about 600 feet; thence southwesterly, through said land of Seaverns, Lakeville place, land of Gorham and Hall, about 750 feet, to Pond street at a point 10 feet easterly from the dividing line between land of said Hall and land of N. G. Munson; thence southwesterly again by said Pond street, about 1,720 feet, to the point of beginning, and containing about 52 acres of land, and 70 acres of water, exclusive of 22 acres of land in proposed street.

Description.

The area of Jamaica Park, including the pond of seventy acres, is one hundred and twenty-two acres. This beautiful lake is the only important sheet of fresh water within the city limits. For a short distance on its northerly and southerly side it is skirted by the highway, and from these points of view its beauty is familiar to the public. Its western shore is a somewhat steep hill-side, well planted with trees and shrubbery, and mostly occupied at present by private dwellings, with their adjacent ornamental grounds, seriously disfigured, however, within a few years, by the erection of extensive ice-houses. Its eastern border is less bold, more irregular in outline, and at present occupied by private dwellings, with their lawns and shrubberies, and with some fine trees. The different characters of the opposite shores contrast well with each other. Unless the city takes possession of the entire shore, the rural character of the scenery will probably be hopelessly destroyed within a few years. As estates come into the market one after the other, the banks will be denuded of their present fine growth, and be replaced by unsightly ice-houses, with their adjuncts of stables and tenements, by which the pure waters of the pond will be defiled, dangers already threatened.

The chance that this pond, situated in an extensive plain, with a range of high hills on three sides, in the midst of such a dense neighborhood as within a few years will exist around it, will become pestilential, and the certainty that, if defended and used as proposed, it will be of great sanitary advantage to the city, are considered to be conclusive reasons for this location. The Commissioners cannot too strongly urge the importance of early action in the premises in order to avert the danger and secure the benefit. The pond is a favorite resort of skaters in winter, and to a limited extent is used for boating in summer, and these will be encouraged and rendered more safe by police regulations. It lies between the four and four and one-half mile circles. Its chief ap