"GREYSTONE, YONKERS, N. Y., _May 7th, 1886_.
"DEAR MAYOR GRACE,--I have from the beginning taken great
interest in the welfare of the Central Park. I had much to do
in enlarging it from the northern limit, which originally was a
straight line across the hill and the ravine.
"This is my excuse for writing to you now. It is my judgment, and
the judgment of many of the original friends of the Park, that
the filling in of a portion of the ravine is a great wrong. It
is probably the beginning of a series of measures which will be
the desecration and ruin of the natural beauties of the great
pleasure-ground of the people. It matters not whether these
results come from incompetency or from jobbery. A change in the
administration of the Park seems to be absolutely necessary.
"Gentlemen well acquainted with the subject, and with the
individual, recommend the appointment of Mr. C. H. Woodman in the
vacancy which you are about to fill.
"I am satisfied of his competency and integrity; and join my
entreaty with those of the public, that you will rescue that
imperilled work by his selection. After the mischief is done to
the Park, and the people realize it, there will be a storm of
indignation. All this can be averted by you now.
"Very truly yours,
"S. J. TILDEN."