New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-03
CENTRAL PARK CHANGES.
=, c,pn rrov MIR. oLMsTED.

CARD PROM Nh Ol-MolED'
TIE Nxy POLICE SYSTEM LESS THAN MONTH OLD
BIT ONF COMPLAINT 50 FAR MADE AGAINST
III To THE oFF1CIALs-No INCREASE IN TIKI
oFFFNsFs AGAINST DECENCY-TliE INNOVATION
w,DV NECESSARY By TIE CONDUCT or VISITORS
AND KEEPERS
q. "a, Fdffor Of The Tribune.
srn whatever good end the letters about the
Central Park which you printed last week de-
signed to serve. there are at least three ways in
which harm might obviously result from them;
7 The announcement that there is no longer an
effective police force in the Park and that not only
ordinary disorders, but fnghtful crimes aud out
RACES. are committed upon it at all times with
IMMUNITY. was calculated TO stimulate all sorts OF
lawlessness into activity and increase whatever
tendency 70 mischief. in fact existed.
II. If there had been any inclination with any
OF the keepers 20 make the requirements which are
represented TO be hard upon them appear lmprac-
ticable and ineicacious through sulen, faithless,
perfunctory and eOuivocal compliance with them
a form Of mutny which always evinces previous
deep-seated ACKNOWLEDGEMENT thus to induce the
incoming Board to undo the work Of their predeces
or the letters were adapted sustain and advance
such an inclination.
Ill So far as the representations made Of the dan
gers and generally disCTaceful condition Of the Park
should be credited they would be a source OF PAIN
and modification to many readers OF The TRIBUNE
who had come TO regard it with some degree Of
afectionate pride and would certainly prevent
many women and children from visiting or at least
from having that enjoyment in II 10 which these
fine DAYS and its present uueQualed condition Of
bloom and verdure would otherwise be so favor
able.
For this latter reason moro especially shall ask
vour leave TO point 10 few circumstances in which
trust some degree Of reinsurance and comfort may
be found. Your correspondent represents himself as
in hot rage and his avowed purpose being to wake
I'D the City of New-York and stir it to the same
condition His letters consist mainly of declamatory
rhetoric. which on cooling down, would be found
10 contain nothing Of more serious import than the
following Allegations That there was formerly a
keepers service on the Park which rightly COM
handed the confidence of The public, and under the
protection Of which women and children could re-
sort to 10 with safety; that under the expiring
Board of Park Commissioners. this organization
with its well-tried rules and discipline has been
abandoned and q completely new system adopted,
so arduous. ineffective, and generally abOminable
that no sensible man can find a redeeming feature
INIT" that N cOnsequence-Observe the leap. IN
conss7ueuoe-of these changes, the keepers are IN
detected and demoralized condition they have no
leisure for that attention 20 ladies which they have
been habtuated to offer; the Park is in fair way
Co be given up TO the depraved and dangerous
classes; highway robberies and worse things are
getting 10 be common, and unless the keepers al
lowed 20 20 back TO their old ways will be more
common. IL is even now no tit place of resort for
decent people.
The degree in which these representations how
ever calmly made. would rouse the angry passions
IN any well-consttuted beast might be less perhaps
than would otherwise be the case, if the fact were
fully understood that when they were written the
changes alluded TO had been initiated less than a
month that they were part Of plan not yet fully
operative and, Of course. working imperfectly, and
seen and described very imperfectly, and that
since they had been made neither by the complaints
Of citizens the returns Of the keepers the personal
observation Of the Commissioners and their supern-
tending officers, nor yet by the diligence Of
the reporters Of the public press had any increased
tendency to profigacy rufianism disorder in any
way appeared During the month just one complaint
In regard to the Park has been received at the Office
of the Departments il is from resident near it who
ayers that il has been Of his pleasures when in
the Park TO converse with the keepers, and that now
they tell him they have no time for talking. The
head Of the organization reports officially and vol
unfairly that there has been no increase in the
Der of Oenses of visitors against decency and order
In any respect. During the last three days there
have been 10000 visitors in the Park, with larger
proportion of respectable women and girls than ever
before l was each day upon it, and passed through
different parts of il on foot and on wheels and saw
not one single ofense against modesty nor the
smallest violation of the law. In some respects
better order was kept than have ever seen before
when the walks were greatly crowded. I compared
observations on this point with gentlemen who
have been regular requenters of it during the last
IS years who confirmed my impression One thing
more: during these Is years, the President Of the
Department and myself have been personally known
50 many Of these keepers, who, TO their honor it
may be said, have never received reproof from us,
much less conscious injustice OF Intentional unknd
uess They know that they have our respect and
confidence. We have had friendly words with more
than one of them during the period Of the fearful
bardships TO which they are supposed to have
been recently subject, but Of these hardshps not
word have we heard from them. Finally, as your
correspondent thinks that the keepers have been
quite knocked up by the severity Of their duties 1t
must be added that, according to the surgeons re-
ports the health of the force hardly better;
there has been one case of undoubted malngering
End one Of intoxication, but nothing like breaking
down from Overwork. There is one statement Of
sour correspondent which / can verify. Whatever
tuch dangers there may be as he enumerates they
increase MANIFOLD at night-fal. recommend no
woman to stroll in the Park and answer for no
mans safety in it from DULLES, garroters, or high
way robbers after dusk. There has been already
che mysterious murder in the park in the evening,
Under those perfect rules which have been
discarded; there viii be more until the dan
ser Of keeping it open is better understood.
know Of no great city park anywhere in the world
IN which, when opened at night, the worst crimes
have not been frequent. have the authority of the
Eir I'd FOR fhe A.