New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-19

Executive Committee Of the Worlds FAIR
Commission comprises the green, the ball
ground, and the square on which the Museum
of Natural History stands. Much opposition
to the use of any part of tie Park for this pur-
pose is manifested. The Park Commissioners
saw that Their consent will not be given
and that Legislation must be secured before
the Park can be used. There appears to be
lack Of harmony among the members OF the
Fair Commission.
VIEWS on BOTH SIDhS OF THE QUESTION,
Three If the four Park C.mmi s.ouers expressed
themselves Yesterday as determined 20 oppose the
use Of the Park for the purposes Of the f'lr. ana
even among the Exhibition Commissioners them
selves there is difference of opinion to the Wis
dom of the step which the Executive Committee
has taken Ii j. declared by some that site IN
Central Park is the only one that can be adopted
with any hope of bringing the Far to successful
issue and if thi, site nOJ granted there seems to
be a doubt whether any further efforts will be
made for holding the Exhibition, at any rate at the
time proposed. -
The President of the Board of Park Commission
ers, j. f. Wenman, has always contended that the
Board has night to authoriz' tho use OF any part
of Cenra Park for any purpose other than those ior
which it was established. He said Yesterday TO
TRIBUNE reporter: am of the opinion that the
sentiments expressed in the Worlds Fair resolution
will not be favorably received. As fact. 10 part
of the Park can legally be used for any such
purpose and "a the Words Fair ComIDis-
sioners cannot but be aware of this
fact and also of the sentiments OF
majority of the Board OH the subject. | suppose
they are relying upon being able to obtain some
legislative enactment The Park Commissioners
viii not yield aud although. OF course, 90 not
know what The Legislature NAV 49, mere Is no
doubt thai majority OF the people OF the cry ID
opposed 10 the of Central Park as the site OF the
contemplated Exposition or Tor any other purpose
but that for which II was lntcuded."
Commissioner Smith f. Lane expressed similar
views apd when asked what he supposed the action
OF the Worlds Far Commissioners wO1ld be, SAID
"I suppose their first step VIII be TO come 10 us
and apply for our permission u use tae fdtK'
hardly think they VIII, because they already
know views upon the subject. Then they VIII
seek some legislative interference. and here 1t
seems to that they will be met by the cOnstltu-
roual objection that public property can ever be
taken for the use OF private corporation. Ihey
will also be opposed bV strong public sentiment,
and believe by the whole press of the city. There
are two good reasons against taxing Central Idrk
as the site of this Exposition. Ihe first - mat
it is not just to the people and to The property
owners adjacent to the Park ana the second is That
IL is not an appropriate site. Ii would be difficult TO
obtain proper facilities for reaching It, Ii moi mpOs-
sible Then il would cost large sum 10 prepare the
ground, and its restitution to It's present condition
would DC exceedingly prob sInateal. Inc Tx
position, for instance, might result IN bankruptcy:
Il
res storing the properly TO Its present coudltlon-
winch could only be done Intellectually at best
would be thrown on the city"
Commissioner ConOyer SAID that he would rather
not give an opinion until the matter came before
the Board. and he knew what the WORLDS Far
Commissioners actually wanted.
CominisSO ner Andrew ii. Green expressed his de-
cided hostility to the proposition 20 hold the Far
in the Centra Park and SAID that he ana not believe
that the Legislature could be induced to grant any
permission Tor of the Park, III the lace OF the
strong pub lc sentiment against IT,
Colonel Stebbins, the president Of the Worlds
Fair Commission. who Is one OF a committee OF
'I~ee appointed TO wait upon the Park COmmls-
regard TO the site question: said Il am
a very delicate position. As the chairman
'lmnission shall of course carry out the
osed me, and shall write 10 the Park
Commissioners to-day or tomorrow, asking them to
appoint a day when may wait gvOn them. But
before do wait upon them 1 must have the opn-
ions OF engineers, f experts, 10 show that the
site asked for IA The best one possible
either IN the Park Ut out OF it, ana that II viii not
interfere with the Park materially l was for
iug that time stroHuOusly opposed every attempt
to irespass upon the peoples rights n them"
Then you were not IN favor Of the Central Park
do not say that exactly because do not at
present fully understand what he committee wants
There IS Thought N my miud, ana y Is tins II
by gong into Central Park could stimulate an
interest III those two ed dcaioDal bindings for which
the city and STATE have already done so mucI, !
think ought TO go There. Bc,ldcs tins, what Is a
Worlds Fair without an objects All such Fairs
have had a, deep underlying senllii
was held to celebrate great epoch IN our history
all its predecessors had some such object. Why
not make the thought have expressed TIE Object
of ours " do not need a Worlds faIr for trade
purposes, when everybody IN the country already
has as much business as he can manage"
W. l.. Strong. chairman oi The Executive Commit
tee OF the Exhibition Commission. sad " The
main object in holding The Far III Central Park IS
to assist the Metropolitan Museum of AIT and the
American Museum of Natural history. Nedo not
want to benefit private spectators IN land. Ana
why should we erect buildings at cost II millions
OF dollars that Will have to be torn down 7 If there
any benefit to result from the Exhibition 1t should
90 TO fhe City Gf Newly 1rk.'
suppose the Park Commissioners refuse 10 allow
Won To- mold The Fair IN Central Park =
~ his committee would then take such action as
il deemed best"
Would 1t 20 10 the Legislature ~
"No do not think IT. would but do not know.
think that would rather decide the question that
the City of New-York did not want The Exposition
Are you prepared 10 give up the project, then Z!
We'll, II the people don't want an Exposition, why
not But than is a subject for the committee to
decide. believe however, that II would take that
How does your subscription list stand =
IL have MOI heard to-day. Bur we DO not expect
aDv subscriptions until the site Is fixed"
Samuel a. HalneS, chairman OF the Committee on
Sites, stated how The committee came t. propose
Central Park the site, and SAID: " The portion OF
the Park propose 10 use we shall benefit instead
OF njurc. Tor every $1,000 worth of Injury We
shall do 81 900 worth of good To The rark aud the
publc before 1853 comes Will see this
Ii the Park Commissioners do not assent to your |
proposal what VIII be your course !"
We do not know. 1 think the Park Commits |
sioners will assent They do not know what we
going 70 ask of them and what going 10
promise them. You know there is some ground III
that Park that totally useless az present. and that
mlght be very MUGS improved"
what portion 90 you ask for
That cannot say. We have decided, of course
but we do not deS gnatc what portion at present.
L. l.. Iacott, wee president Of the Commission,
SAID As far situation is concerned, Central
Park very good T; but there Oth,r cOnsidera-
tons, and before any proper idea OF its appropriate
ness can be gained the reports OF skiliul engineers
must be had. The site selected is tie Background |
and the green, t. take Manhattan S0uare and a |
portion of the Harlem flats. The Com
mittee's idea also includes the Mu- |
scum of Art and the Museum of Natural |
History. No reports of men qualified to report