The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-24
Tne Ce'tr" Park and tho Proposed
Geological Gsrden-A Very Cool Opera
ti0n Even for the Season.

The Central Park and tho Proposed
zoolesicaI Gsrden-A Very Cool Opera
tion Even for the Season.
A brace OF Landscape architects" whose
services have lately been dispensed with nv the
present Commission Of the Central Park. appear
determined to keep up stereotyped advertise.
ment in the daily papers by ventilating their
anxiety lest the Commissioners should mar the
beauty Of the Park by the erection of ''struc-
turar edifces for q geological garden on the
meadow to the north of the new Reservoir.
Now, when 1t is recollected that the glaring
defect of the lower Park is the great number
OF structural" edifces which were designed
by these same architects, and unfortunately
adopted by the late Board, it seems to be a
cool-a very cool operation, even at this cool
season, that they should now undertake to
denounce the intention which, we learn, the
present Board has formed, to provide, at some
future day, shelter for the animals in the fringe
OF the meadow of the upper Park, and to place
the proposed geological garden in that locality.
This sudden admiration for the peaceful and
quiet meadow unadorned with any structural
edifce appears to evince sudden sense Of
the simple beauties of nature, and some con-
triton, also, that so many and such costly
structures had been built under their advice
and inspection in the lower Park. We are
inclined to think these gentlemen exhibit
unnecessary alarm. We have evidence that
the members of the present Board are lovers
of nature, and have too much reason to
deplore the number and style of the structures
in the lower Park to prevent any imitation
thereof on the upper Park. In the opinion of
competent judges they are not likely to build
''Casino" of three small apartments ct q
cost of sixty thousand dollars; nor "Dairy"
Ito be supplied with milk by the ordinary
milkman from the transverse road) at cost
of fifty thousand dollars; nor an artificial
fountain" on the margin of natural lake,
costing fifty thousand dollars nor an Eddy
stone lighthouse, called ''Belvidere, costing
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars; nor q
''Palaceozoie" bearing some other jaw
cracking name-museum, for the plastic
anatomies Of pre-Adamite and extinct animals,
costing three hundred thousand dollars; nor
gates to cost six hundred thousand dollars,
nor fancy bridges Of any kind.
We have no tokens as yet tending to show
that the present Commission is not composed
Of gentlemen possessing good sense and
respectable taste-that they do not devote
themselves to their work w.Sh commendable
zeal, and that their voluntary and gratuitous
services will not compare favorably with the
paid services of the old Commission.
The Central Park is the great beauty and
ornament of the city. The work of rendering
it still more ornamental must be continued
from day to day and meet no obstruction
from disappointed parties-no matter from
what quarter they may spring-otherwise the
labor of years and the citys expenditure Of
millions will come to naught and all the lowell
ness and magnifcence of the great work
become simply byword and derison for
pOsserity.