New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-08


Of clearing and breaking up land, WORK almost
universally done throughout the country by contract
at fixed price per acre. Irrigation, which II Is
affirmed, is merely laying pipes to furnish water IN
designated places: the construction OF ponds ana
lakes, involving the same kind Of work ~ that
done for aqueducts; the making of roads, the
erecting Of entrances, lodges, &c. il would the
minority Of the Committee thought, be far better
to undertake by contract than in any other way.
But the planting of trees and shrubbey, he con-
sented. could not easily be made the subject of
specification except in the case of some large
trees to be moved by machinery
DispOsing thus Of the question whether the crea-
ton of the Park is Of that character that II may BE-
properly provided fer by contract, and which dis
position of the subject the reader will find more or
less satisfactory according to his own knowledge
the report then goes to show that there are GER
tain particular considerations which make the
contract system desirable in this particular case
The chief of these seems to be that In the neces-
sary construction of the Park as now, by day labor
the power of appointment and discharge both oi
officers and men, and the supervision OF all these
rests with the Architectural while the Com
missioners, thus relieved from duties which, 1t Is
acknowledged, they could not perform except
through contractors as sub0rdluates, are reduced
To much simpler duties. 1t strikes US that here Is
the essential and fatal weakness Of the report. To
construct the work by contract would be- 10 take
out of the hands of the Architect-inCheit the COM
peton of his own plan and deliver II, not into the
hands of the intelligent members of the Board, but
to those Of persons who, though they might be
practically familiar with the difference be-
tween trenching and grubbing, could hardly
BE- supposed to possess the aesthetic cultivation re-
duisire for the construction and completion OF 30
noble end grand work of art. The Archtect-in-
Chief It is true. would still act as superntendent
but his chief duty would be TO enforce the tunlment
of the contracts which the Commissioners had made.
But Park, it should be remembered. Is truly 8
work of art, and not an agricultural enterprise.
The plan of landscape gardener. however excel
lent and complete on paper, must still he' ID
great measure in his own mind. His idea can
never be fully displayed till worked out on the sur
face of the earth. and numberless details-such as
the nature Of the soil in particular spots, the shape
Of rock the shadow of tree, the running ot a
vine, the aspect of building, the heat, the cold
sun the ran and hundred other circumstances
and relations, the existence or position ol which
cannot be fOreseen-must control and influence
him when he comes 10 transfer the image OF beauty
in his own brain TO the face of nature. his
efficiency as an artist is i'll great measure lost
unless he is left unrestricted to work when he will
how he will, and where be will, and To marshal his
men to labor here or there as the exigency OF the
moment and the circumstances require, according
to his taste and Judgment
In these considerations, it seems to us, lie the
strongest objections to the plan proposed by the
minority of the Board. But there are Others still
Of great weight which are clearly and ably set
forth in the report made by the President. There
is n certain portion of the work, such as the
erection of lodges buildings and the breaking OF
stones for roads, which he suggests may be prop
erly and economically done by contract and for
the removal Of large trees by that system steps
have already been taken by the Architect-in he..
But he shows that trenching is not merely the
clearing of land that irrigation is not simply the
laying Of pipes from point 10 another; and that
these, and the making of roads and walks, the
sinking Of ponds and lakes, the filing of hOllows,
the clearing and breaking up of land, and the blast
ing of rocks are all work which should be in-
trusted 10 the direction and oversight of single
mind with men under his complete control; aud
that il intrusted to separate contractors, each n-
terested in doing his own portion in the speedlest
and most economical manner, confusion inter-
ference, incapscity and bad faith will combine 10
defeat the completion and perfection of the whole.
The statement that Government works are always
done By contract he shows to be erroneous, and
cites certain instances where, when the system is
adopted, the right of rejection OF offers is re-
served aud where its adoption has led to serious
delay, tedious litigation, and useless expense. The
work already accomplished upon the Park,
under the present system, he contends, is credit
able to those concerned and should be satisfactory
to tie public. The limit ofexpenditure he shows to
be- completely within the control of the Board
whose action can, such is its constitution not un-
frequently be checked by small minority of its
members. The universal feeling, he suggests, in
and not by contract, is founded in reason; and he
instances, in proof of il, the common familiar
instance of preference for houses built by tho
former system over those put up by the latter
And finally he refers 10 the working OF the con-
tract system in the several departments of this
city, rather as a warning than as guide to the
Commissioners of the Park. What" he asks,
- have We witnessed in the departments but frauds
- in bidding, combinations in bidding aban-
- 'donments of contracts, straw securities, law