New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-03
THE PARK AND THE FAIR.
GENERAL GRANTS PRESENT OPINION.

GENERAL GRANTS PRESENT OPINION.
HE is CONVINCED THAT 1T CANNOT BE OBTAINED
AS A STR FOR THE FAIR-THE SUBSCRIPTIONS.
The Executive Committee of the Worlds Fair
Commission met at No. 317 Broadway yesterday.
General Grant presided, and among those present
were Frederick L. Talcott, Charles Schlesinger,
Henry G. Stebbins the Rev DIR. j. T. Newman,
James Talcott, W. A. Cole Douglas Taylor, George
A. Crawford, ). HI. Rutter Meyer Asch and Thomas
McElrath.
General Grant in calling the committee to order
said this would probably be the last meeting ne
would be able to attend during the spring. lie
would be absent for two months or more, but during
the summer he would be at Long Branch and would
come to the city to attend meetings of the commit
tee whenever desirable. He thought there was no
doubt that the Fair would be great success if the
necessary money could be raised. 1t not SO
much question of site as Of obtaining the neces-
sary subscriptions. He then called for report
FROM the committee appointed at the last meeting
10 consider the advisab,lIUv of changing the site
from IDwood to Central Park or elsewhere. No NOM
Der OF the committee being present report was
not fort Incoming
Frederick l.. Tacott said the feeling of the people
would be against the action of tho committee II it
sho aid change the site to Central Park. Ii would
be considered interference with the lights OF the
people of this city. He thought lnwood was IN
every way desirable as a site for the Fair. SIX
eminent physicians of this city had reported II 10
be the most healthy place around New-fOrk. AS
to the of the fair he would say that If sub
scrptious should come in during the next ten days
as they had come IN during the last ten daVs the
$1,000. 900 required 10 start with would be ralseh
letter read from the Governor of wyoming
stating that the Legislature OF that Territory would
not meet until 1882. Wien he would lay the matter
before it. similar report wasrecelyed from LouiSI
ana. Colorado, 1t was stated, had APPROPRIATED
$4,000 and would add $4,000 more. Inc Slls-
souri, Legislature had bill before 1t approprlatlng
$4,000 tor the fair, and it was advocated by the
leading Journals
Mr.. 1alcott moved a resolution, which was adop-
ted. thanking Congress for passing the bill author
iZIDg the President to invite tOrelgn nations 10 par
tcipate in the fair.
The committee then went into executive session
and remained closeted for two hours. General Grant
however, remained but rev minutes.
After the committee had adjourned Secretary McE-
said that motion was made i'll execu i've scs-
sion to appoint committee oil seven u assist the
committee Oh subscriptions, but after discussion
the motion was laid on the table. He said the ques-
ton of u not further discussed, hat
that General Graut had remarked that he was salts
fed that Central Park could not be obtained AS TO
the subscriptions obtained be sad 10 report had
been made but he understood that INCLUDING the
conditional subscription made by Mr. 'anaerDht'
between 500, 900 and $S00.O00 had been pledged:
If the Vanderbilt subscription were not additional
be SAID there would not be S5O,O 900 vet 10 raise of
the 81 600, OU0 the fact tnat II was conditional
kept back some other railroad subscriptions. One
member OF the committee said that he had obtained
So. 900 from three persons YESTERDAY. and another
member said that he obtained $4,000 in three
blocks of retail stores IN Grand-st. The TAX oil
changing the had kept back some subscriptions.
William A. Cole when asked about the subscrp-
uious, SAID he was unwilling to make any definite
statement but that he could say the hgures o1 Mr.
McElrath were about correct. lie SAID there was
number of unconditional subscriptions OH red bv
corporations, which they had not yet accepted be-
cause they wanted and expected more. tie said the
whole amount would he raised IN ten DAYS now that
the question of site was regarded a. settled.
+. l.. TalcOtt agreed with Mr. Cole IN this state
Aent.
PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE RESTRICTION.
SENATOR AsToR'S OPINIONS Oh ENCROACHMENTs
IN CENTRAL PARK-sHALL PARKS NEEDED.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oHTHE TRiBUNE'I
ALBANY, March Ex-senator AstOr, III view
General Grants advocacy as president OF the Worlds
Far Commission OF the scheme TO erect The ExhiDi-
buildings in Central Park, New-iork has
determined pass his bills deprivng the Park Comnis
sioners any power to surrender The park for Such
purpose relation to the scheme MI. Aston SAID to-
day: introduced these bills early in The session. but
after the Park Commissioners had shown their unwilling
ness to grant any portion Of the Park to the Worlds
Fair people the InwOOd site hal been selected.
refraned from further thinking that the
was ended. But that General Grant seems deter
mined TO re vve the the necessity OF having
laws protect the Park seems clearly necessary. The
Park Commissioners be subjected to tire
mendous social and financial pressure 70 give
their consent the invasion OF the Park.
received letter from August Belmont
this morning teInDg me that there danger the
Park anead aud that had better get my bills cut Of
committee and drive them through the legislature Onr
OF the bills up bv SELL prohibits the Use OF
the PARK Tor a exhibition for purpose OF hat
kind The other bill was dawn w by Frederick Law
Omstead and was meant to accomplish the same pur-
pose my own"
"In it," continued senator Aston, tn" Park Comnis-
souera are forbidden 10 structures than
already exist IN the Park. This would enable the
trustees Of the Metropolitan Museum AMI OF the MI
scum of Natural History to enlarge those structures.
Even these buildings should never have been permitted
In the Park / am opposed to their being enlarged
although / am OF the directors OF the
Metropolitan Museum But shall oppose the
propOs enlargement Of that museum by. adding four
wings 10 It, consider thai II II eXravaGanty manage
The money gwen for its support and creation has
been wisely spent. think II should have been modelled
on the art schools OF South kensngtOn, England,
aud then would have been Of decided use III adj
yanclng culture this country. Instead What has
been A lot OF antique jewery has been bought,
only interest TO sllversns AS for the Museum oi
Natural History, its trustees have ttl worse
scheme in view. They propose TO add wings nclosng
Why with the space outside the great building
that vii! be required TO show II of the entire thirty
acres OF Maihattan-square Will De consumed
We have altogether too little set apart for parks ia
our city now. ! am opposed t0 taking single addi-
I ona inch OF the parks for any buildings And thuk
il ia msforuBe that 90 NOT have far more small
parks scattered about the CITY,"
TuE NJ III pRODTCE EXCHANGE plans