New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26

show that unforeseen and lDsuperaole ""
stacles are in the way.
Assuming, then, that the Commission will still
try to have a Fair. now is the time lot
vigorous discussion of every point connected
with it. Facts and arguments should be pre-
sented to the people as well as to the Coni'liiS-
sion, for, unless the Commission represents a
settled and intelligent public opinion, the en-
terprise cannot prove broadly successful. lnis
is especially true in regard to the fundatneh'ai
question of the site. 1t must be demon
strated not only that the location selected Is
good. but the best practicable and the best not
for any special railroad or real estate interest,"
but for the Fair itself. The choice OF the
Inwood Hollow has certainly not called forth
any enthusiastic Endorsement from the people OF
the press. 1t may have merits, but they are
unobtrusive, and common sense community
has the right to demand commOn-sense rea-
sons for its selection. The Committee mas
degned on occasions when other sites were
compared, to state what it deemed their es-
sentially good and essentially bad features.
When the BlOomingdae grounds were advo-
Gated the Committee urged against Port Morris
that it was low, and the Exhibition should be
set upon hill. Inwood is low and shut
IN by hills. The members of the Com
mittee who were in love with Harlem
Flats and the Park declared that Port Morris
was too far away. Inwood is three miles fur
Their. Port Morris was rejected by the men
who wanted Manhattan Square because 1t was
not suitable place to erect permanent build
ings. Inwood is worse in this respect. 1t was
objected when the Central Park was wanted
that, in order to reach Port Morris, the Harlem
River would need to be crossed. TO reach In
wood the river must be crossed twice. And
besides all this, Port Morris was undrained,
and therefore unhealthy. But the drainage
problem at Inwood is altogether more diff
cult. if not to all practical purposes insoluble.
Gentlemen with such shining talent for con-
demning a site they do not want ought to be
able to adduce some cOgent reasons to justify
their choice of grounds which present III an
aggravated form all the alleged disadvantages
to which they have objected as fatal.
4 railroad official has perfect right to labor
for what he considers the interest of his cor
poration and a real estate agent to exert him
self for his principals and percentage. But
it will not answer for this Committee to wave
away objections by charging that they are
captious or offered to aid any special interest.
The people and the press are interested only
in having ii success ,iul Fair, if we have any.
The Port Morris site is once more alluded
to, not for the purpose of restating the adj
yantagcs il offers, but to say that no
one has vet spoken against it who has not
spoken incohercntiy, the chief objections adj
duced being that it benefits everybody i'll gen
eral and nobody in particular. The time has
l,.t or,1 n.
are needed. II Inwood is preferable to Port
Morris let us know why. Il Fleetwood or any
other site is better yet, let some one III au-
thority give justifyng reasons for the prefer
euce. The people want to hear from the
Committee and be assured that they are right,
whoever else is wrong.