The New York herald., 1874-08-04
A Queer Case in the Park Manage
ment-COlumbus I'm q New Role.

ment-Columbus In q New Role.
Commissioner Stewart, of the Park Depart
ment objects to the payment of a salary
to Columbus Ryan, Superintendent OF Cen
trail Park, and for the following reasons =
Columbus, like his namesake, to whom we
are indirectly indebted for the Central Park
and for every other good thing on the Ameri-
can Continent, appears to be famous as a dis
coverer. He discovered, among other things,
that very profitable business might be built
up in Central Park by opening hotels and
ice-cream and refreshment saloons and sup
plying the good things of life, including wines,
to the visitors to that magnificent pleasure
ground. With practical business shrewdness
he concluded that such establishments would
be better in the Superintendent's hands than
under any other control, and that their profits
would be better in the Superintendents pock-
cts than in the pockets of any out
slider So he managed to obtain,
through the influence of Mr.. Green,
it is said, lease of oil these
eating and drinking houses and saloons, by
which Columbus Ryan became sole proprietor
on payment to the city of q certain percentage
on the receipts of the several establishments
These receipts were, of course, to be ascer-
tanned and returned by Columbus himself,
and while he is no doubt as honest as Chris
topher and incapable of taking any advantage
of the city, we have recollection that in such
arrangements, based on percentages, the re-
ceipts of the city treasury have never been
large. Railroad corporations sometimes agree
to pay to the public ten per cent on their an
nual profits but there is never any profit to
be percented at the close of the year. We
would not liken Columbus to city railroad
corporation. What we intend to indicate is
that these percentage arrangements on
amounts returned by the party who has to
pay them seldom swell to important sums.
MIR. Columbus Ryan, however, got the
lease, or contract or agreement, whichever
his profitable arrangement may be called.
Now Mr.. Columbus Ryan is, as we have said,
Superintendent of Central Park, as well as
the proprietor of all the eating and drinking
houses within its limits. In the report of the
warrants drawn by the Comptroller for the
months of October, November and December,
1873, we find the name of Columbus Ryan
down for double payments each month.
Sometimes he is called Cornelius Ryan, it is
true but we conclude he is the same person,
as he is described as ''Superintendent," and
Columbus certainly must be the correct name,
judging from the enterprise Of its owner. For
instance we find that on October 2, 1873,
Columbus Ryan received from the City Parks
Improvement Fund warrant No. $685. for
services as Superintendent for Septem-
Der, 1873, $312 50.'' We also find
that on October 2, 1878, Columbus
Ryan received from the fund for maintenance
and government of parks and places, warrant
No. 21,618, for ''services as Superintendent
for September 1873, $1O4 49," So on Novem-
Der S, 1873, we find that Columbus Ryan re-
ceived from the fund for maintenance and
government of parks and places, warrant No.
"a, 600, for ''services as Superintendent for
October, 1873, $104 49, and that Cornelius
Ryan received from the same fund on Decem-
Der 4, 1873, warrant No. 28,O11, for ''services
as Superintendent for November, 1873,
S104 49," while on the same dates we find that
Columbus Ryan received from the City Parks
improvement Fund, warrants Nos. 1857 and
$3.50, each amounting to $312 so and pur-
porting to be for ''services as Super
intendent' for the months of Octo-
Der and November, 1873. The ques-
ton arises in Commissioner Stewards mind,
whether Mr.. Ryan, Columbus or Cornelius, as
the case may be, while thus literally paid for
his services to the city as public officer is
entitled to hold any contract or agreement for
his own profit under the city government
The charter, in half a dozen ways, makes
the action Of the Park Commissioners, in CIV
ing this lease, contract or agreement to Mr..
Columbus Ryan or to Mr.. Cornelius Ryan
illegal. Section SO provides that no officer of
the Corporation, except City Marshal, 'tshall
have or receive to his own use any fees, per-
quisites or commissions or any percentage
but every such officer shall be paid by fixed
salary" &c. Section 101 provides that no
officer of the Corporation ''shall be or become.
directly or indirectly, interested in or
in the performance of any con-
tract, work or business, or the sale
Of any article, the expense, price or consider
ation of which is payable from the city
treiSury," or in 'the purchase or lease of any
real esta>e or other property belonging to the
Oorporation. Section 104 gives to the Sink
ing Fund Comnn>, ,sioners alone the power 10
"sell or lease for the IN chest marketable price
or rental, at public auction ., by sealed bids,
and always after public advsrtisern> nt ana np-
praisal under the direction of SAID Board, any
city property except wharves and piers.''
There are other prohibitions affecting the case
of Columbus or Cornelius, but these will
suffice to show that Commissioner Stewart is
correct The law has been violated, and Mr..
Stewart very properly desires to act in accord
ance with the charter IT, 10 to ba boroa +Lt