The New York herald., 1877-12-10
A FORSAKEN GARDEN.
DILAPIpATIoN AND rEcAY IN THE CENTRAL
PARK.

| To rnE EDITOR THE HERALp:-
After the collapse OF the Tweed Ring the people o
New York worc accustomed to point with pride IN,
management OF the Central Park as the ono depart
mont left untouched by official blundcring. Hero, al
least, there was Improvement without extravasance
Although 1t 10 only few years since this feeling or
the part citizens entirely jusinable these
congratulations can no longer bo INDUCED in The Cen
trail Park to-day is not only apnare ny mismansged !,
seems bo going TO ruin. The withcred leaves blown
over the sward by the November blasts allowed tc
lie the winds place them. The walks drives
are neglected. Tho summer houses and arbors are
going pieces for OF repairs Even the benches
IN state OF dapdation. The lake is pestbed
OF disease which may become fatal before long 10
the central part OF tho city the Harlem fats once
to tho upper part of tho island. In every
direction is the evidence of misma and neg
lcct.
Whoever entered the Central Park few yenrs ago
by tho gate ninth street and Eighth avenue
could not have failed observe tho almost perfect
condition OF tho Improvement known as "hc Circle"
IL was thoroughly macadamized and was always kept
in complete repair. bowling alley could not present
n smoother surface. All It needed was little caro-
and attention to keep it in as good condition as
IL then was for years to come. Now, where the
surface is not SO completely brokon that pools
OF water collect when 1t rains. the jagged points
OF the paving stick of tho pavement Even
in dry weather II issdisagrocable to walk from the
Boulevard Hotel to the Park entrance and when it is
wet the mud and water abun1ant as
In a country road or a downtown srcct In little
while with continued neglect, the whole Circle VIII
break up with and quagmircs and important and
expensive work will have been sacrificed 10 petty
economy objectionable in nelceucy Attention to its
condition Is needed at to savc from destruction.
SOME DRIVES.
II such evidences OF carecssness and neglect
TO be outside the PARK within they
distinct and painful Tho walk leading from tho
Eighth avenue cato to the baseball ground and the
Dairy is in very bad condition. For year past
storm and flood have been allowed to sweep over it
without attention; and, while the earth has been
washed away, gravel placed II
during tho summer. In many places tho sides
OF the walk are washed out by tho rain to
such depth that the iron gratings which have been
provided carry the water into the basins two
three inches above the gutter And these things
true only OF ihis particular walk, but of nearly all
the walks and arivcs on the west side. Tho path
which Ieads 10 and from the seventh Regiment Statue
the West drive Is perhaps The worst BIT
OF paving in tho Park II has been utt' rly neglected.
until It is almost impossible. An ordinary mountain
road could not wci be IN worse condition. Loose
stones scattered all over H. and It Is PLAIN that
thcro has not beon an attempt 10 keep in re-
pair Everywhere In this vicinity are to be seen the
signs of neglect Leaves are strewed cvcryw on
the walks aud grass Hair. vi the benches have
lost some Of thc Stats, and many without backs
ana without seats In the summer houses the
benches are rotling away, and the arbors in some
instances are ready 10 tall The arbor Leading the
mineral spring is an especial example OF negect but
It Is not the only example. ior lew OF the summers
houses and arb0rs In tho Park would bear tho teal OF
examination. In year or two more these places,
so long The charm OF our Central Park, will bc mere
tumbledown structures and will have to DO removed as
unsghty or rebuilt at great cxpcnse simply because
tney are neglected now when they need repair.
THE PALEozoIC MUSEUM.
One OF tho most curious spots in the Central Pork
to-day-but curious only TO The knowing oncs-is the
SITE OF the projected Paleozoic Museum. About the
year 1868 Mr.. Warehouse Hawkins, an English nat
uralist engaged At large salary 10 superntend
the collection oil paleozoic museum. large sruc-
turo, probably so by 100 feet, designed Tor the
purpose and ground was not only broken for its con-
struction ut Sixiy-hfth street and Eighth avenue,
but the earth VAS cxcavated to the depth OF fifteen
ect anu the foundations were laid at expense OF
not less than $4,000 An immense quantity OF cut
stont prepared Tor the building and Drought TO tho
walks to ana around Inc projected building laid
out and paved and . carriage road was staked
a. great expense, and for . time everything
which would nave boon necessary for thc propos,d
museum was pushed iorward wih gres., rapidity;
Suddenly, however, the work stopped.s The hewed
werc lett standing whore the wdrkmen placed
them and but tor their ncwnoss they might have been
mistaken for the vestigcs vi some ruined temple
on the Nile or the Euphrates. The newspapers IN
dulgcd in q fow ossncd jokes at tho expense
OF the naturalist ana the matter was forgotten.
little effort OF the memory Will recall to our c,tzens
the fact that paleozoic museum was projected Tor
tho Central Park low years ago. and most OF our
people will remember seeing the foundation, but q
visit 10 the site where tho museum was TO have been
built would ia to reveal any evidences tha. there
any intention OF building II, at sixty.nith
street and Eighth avenue. Where tho foundations
were dug there are now mounds OF earth, and the
and drains. Even OF the cut stone part only was
removed, and three years ago the whole was hastily
covered over with earth to hide these evidences OF
folly and extravaganza from the oycs o the people
OF New York.
THE sHEErFoLp.
Another picco OF objectionable folly and extrava-
rancc is what Is known MS .tue shoepioId.n When
the Central Park was little less than personal
inheritance 10 Mr. Columbus Ryan-lhc sheep
which grazed on the lawns, among other things
being his property-hat individual could not re-
sist expressing his abhorrcncc Of the expensive
structure ana his report superintendent
tor ls7l-2 he said-"rne sheepiold, extensive aRd
costly structure dcsigucd and erected without
sable absence OF which totally units IT,
In my judgment, Tor its ostensibe purpose Mr. Ryan
also described as extremely damp This "cxtensvc
anu costly structure" Ouiit IN semicrce aud covers
an and halt Of ground. IL Is not only
extensive and costly but " is unique In architectural
design and splcndldy finished. That II is mere
sheep pen no one would suspect looking It, aud on
beng told OF the uses to which II IS put the stranger
would be still more surprsed IL IS without means OF
ventilation, aud Is dark, damp and hard. IL IS
badly cared tor IN every way, and tho od0rs which
IRON ts ilthy condition are not only offensive TO
visitors but TO passersby At each end OF The semi
circle is reception room, highly nnishcd but one
Is unoccupcd aud the Ctner Is used as depository
for baby carriages. IL ID unnt 1or shecplou,
and even II II was II Is singular cxhbi.
ton Of e&travagance to construct such u building
tor The accommodation OF l0s sheep, tho humber
now kept IN the Park Practically, however, build
Ing which cost any extravagant sum that might be
named is lit only Tor housing TWO or three hundred
dollars worth OF childrcn's carriages Ahd not only
is the shceptold itself in bad condition, but all
It's surroundings are bad. The; yard at the
Sixty-sIxth street entrance is hied with water
carts and walk rollers, and against tnc stable
Is piled a .ot oil dtlapdated cages Tor wild
beasts. Apparently the Park Cornmlssoners have
spent large sum OF money TO make the shcepfold
OF the most beautiful buildings in the Central
Park, and now that their extravagance ana folly may
be oil all men are doing everything in their
power TO keep people away from I: by making II as
uninvting as possible.
soME QUEER BRIDGE BUILDING.
One OF the confessed bosucs VI our great pleasure
ground rs Its bridges; but even In bridge Buildings
thing which everybody Is willing to forgive when the
bridges are bullt-thcre evidences OF cxtrava-
gnnce and FOLLY. No bcttcr evidence OF this Can be
found than in tho case Of the projected bridge
from the West Drlvc 10 tho Eighth ave.
nuc, at tho new Auscum OF Natural History
According 10 the plans this BRIDGE one OF the least