New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-10
ROTTEN ROW AND THE PARK.

IMPkACIICAlLE IN NlN -1'At-., ilN i'I-N'''
CONCERNING MIR. OI1isfIDo FO1ilE MANAGE
MINT OF CTNILtL PAEE.
TO the Edftor a. me TrfbNnt.
SIR: Will you kindly allow INC 70 report for ny
self upon a few matters is 90 which my doing an
opinions have hc,l thorg At of ~on" public mt.csi
1t has been stated this ,inng, q it has several
times before in the last two years. that am laying
out large park the s"a-horc near New-l"ih.
Particulars of ~ rian we're at one time given ani
criticised. Tie sole bl~i. of ~ reports Of III" KIM
is that was once consulted uYou such project an"
advised promptly and decidedly against II.
| have several times been asked 10 explain more
fully the objections am understood To have ~ q
proposed Rotten Row in the Centr Park refer
ence being made To statement, IN pint. which, mon"
being ont of town probably. ] have missed seeing.
have authorize 10 ,nch statements | om much
interested in the object WhcI ~ home ridc daily
and few men have spent much time in the saddle
in the Park as / have. have planned. OF aided III
planning fourarraugemcnt> for the pnIqoScSIn view"
which, one after another. the Commissioners have
declined to adopt because of the cost amt sacflc'S
involved.
Iii mistake 70 suppose 'hat tho public want
simply an addition - IN present riding provisions
of the Park Ii has already m,r. than four times
the len4h of riding-vay that j. 10 be- found IN the
largest London park and thu area of ground given
exclusively to riders i about larg. ana III ratio
to total extent double rs much, rs IN the largest
park of Paris What is called for j, something now
to b. fully found in ~ park in TIE wcrld ana the
want is based on two distinct rXPerleuces-one al
London, the other Of Paris. will state few par
ticuars in respect to each, writing m'ly from rec
election but with substantial accuracy. am able
to do 81 because through the courtesy of thr FIRST
Commissioner Of WORKS in London and the Director
of the Public Wcr's of Paris | have twice
thoroughly discussed the suh,c with the Ian Escape
gardeners engineers. supern nd"Hts aud police Of
fcers concerned, and during a residence OF SIX
months in London and veral visits To Paris have
closely watched the of the respective provisions
of the two cities.
Rotten Row." the ride of Hyde Park. is nearly
perfect plane without curve from end to end II
Is about two hundred yards short oil mile III
length and trie less than forty yards IN breadth
IL occupies a district apart from the main park il
is entered only at lis two ends it i crossed 10y no
road and during promenade hours one is allowed
to cross it ON foot The carriage entrances to Hyde
Park are here abreast of the fashionable quarter of
London and are twice as far apart those pro-
yded for Central Park There Is ro carriage road
adjoining the Row it Is separated IN most OF IT'S
length BY the Serpeutine water from Tho fashion
able drive and from the attractive rural parts
of the park No goes near ii except nj tn ends,
unless il is to ride tie riding Owing To these
circumstances great freedom can be allowed N IT.
USE 1t is common to gallop from end to end of it
there is no fixed limit of speed and the police are ill.,
structed only to check at discretion dangerous MD
ing--whst is dangerous depending on the quality of
the rider and horse. Few men women show them |
selves upon the Row who not more ~hiltul in !
riding at high sped than many with ns, or upon !
horses not better trained than aany e our, There
Ire walks on each idc The ride guarded by strong
ratings and furnished with seats. One of thcse
walks is nine yards wide. the other rVe They aic
fashionable prGmeGados Ladies leaving thcr car |
riages for a walk much more in al Eu2pcln parks |
than with us.
In Paris the rile adinirs tl,c drive there Il no
walk alongside the drive, AM none. proposed |
in the Central Park between tie ike and drive. Ii
is hut third a. broad ts TIL ridr H. lly'c Park
md by no means serves tie SAFE Fur1"~' 1t ha~ |
no advantage tie present ri'c H. tn Central
Park except that il is better KIT aad provides a
route 1pOn which the fashionable rd:ag, driving
and walking Of the city. in pr .'"''alc. al bee |
brought together for a distance thr'7' times Tie |
length of Rotten Row. Th' ar,nngr:Ecut for tie !
purpose was at first but half IL pc cu lnltl bur
FROM the constant turning rn1 returning il became |
50 crowded that il le;.-thcned AT considerable
injury to the Park. IL often too crowded |
during pr0nenal H. hour fer any hut very -lnw rid
ing On the drive hcr>es are often pt At 4 walk !
and carriages move o:ly in slew pro e~sion
The improvement now prominently urged for Cen |
trail Park is the inrouctior of half mile of ride
forty feet broad. adjoining tLc present most uscl
drive 1t is not u b.. like kct"n Row III district
apart, but in the nest freIucuted qrertrr. !
On one side 1t i. not 100 yards from the Mall |
and il encroaches the other upon the East Green
which is the special playground OF little children
the ride has everywhere Curving cour~e II has no
where q simple plain surface but constantly vary
ing grade Its length is less than half that OF Rotten
Row a sixth that of the Paris ride. If the arrange
fncnt should be at all acceptable ut first To the pub
lie therefore the number Of 'arfiags horsemcn and
footincn drawn to it will be great that both of
the ways will often be cE0ked The difficulties of
preserving good or Ter and comfort will he much
greater than are experienced in Lemon NJ Paris.
The Ride to be kept in good condition would. he-
cause of its grades and the much greater heat and
dryness of cur snn,rlcrs and the greater depth If
our frosts require much more skill and expense in
maintenance. Failing this the dust from il would
be great nuisance in all the nciGhAGrhcod and
permanent injury t. adjoining vegetation. Whether
il is likely lcng TO have the necessary care and the
necessary police efficiency well 10 serve It's purposes
without oblging serious neglect of the other
interests Of the Park must be judged by eVpe-
rience in the past and prcscut The Commissioners
have never for single year, even when they had
the utmost confidence Of the public when their re-
sources almost unlimited. aud when their or
ganization was most perfect been able To keep thc
present bridle-road IN tOlcrahlr condition. mean
literally so. Therc is no moptl IN In" year when
Rotten Row is net in good order AMI well used.
There not four months in the year when ladies
In any number tie Central Park pads with
comfort and safety. Two years ago "A PETITION,
numerously signed was presented To- tl,e Commits
sioners asking that they might br watercd. 1t was
referred to the superintendent, and he Mr Dawsoul
being called upon, said that the e>p.nse Of the
operation would be great that it was ont of the
question. The narrow bit in the North Park was "A
little later occasionally da,npened III the aft III