The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-11-26
The Decay of the Central Park.

OF the employment OF five architects, four
OF them gentlemen well known and more
or less distinguished in their profession, the
fifth an architect by courtesy, probably be-
cause it is said he was his own designer in
housebuiding or made scrolls and other or
namcntal work in the pursuit Of his business
rs plastcrer. This last one, appointed a lit
tie over year ago, has the scif-imposed
function OF rcmodellng tho design OF the
Park, and has accomplished his purpose in
great measure, so far as his treatment Of tho
plantations Is concerned. In this direction
he has succeeded in his comparatively short
period Of service, by his misdirccted zeal in
directing the use OF the pruning knife and
the Ratchet, in doing such damage and in
flicting such wounds upon the plantations Of
the Park as no expenditure OF time and
money can remedy or heal. or the other
four architects, one, from his long service in
the department and his intimate acquaint-
ancc with the various constructions above
and under ground, has the duty of keeping the
Commissioners straight in respect to the cost
and cxpedency Of proposed improvements.
Another architect is kept busy preparing
innumerable coored illustrations OF his
magnificent ideal OF the treatment OF Morn-
ingside Park. A third seems to have no du-
ties to perform; or, If he has any, they APP
pear to have been transferred to some one
else who stood ready to perform them more
promptly. The fourth architect was en-
ployed to lay out Manhattan square and to
design and supcrintcnd the construction OF
the massive bridge that forms part Of the
approach to the Museum Of Natural History.
Without this explanation, any one ac-
quainted with the abilities OF these four
architects and the tail piece who is counted
as the fifth, might suppose that the Park
Department was about to undertake the con-
struction of grand hotel, metropolitan
church, magnificent museum, IN immense
bridge, and COW stable with plaster front,
or that it was in contemplation to divide the
Park into elegant villa plots and erect series
of noble mansions for a grand real estate
speculation. But this is so far from being
the case that in reality there is no building
going on in the Park nor has there been
enough to explain the employment OF SO
large an architectural force.
From the very beginning, the design OF the
Park intended that its architectural struc-
lures should hold a place entirely subordinate
to the requirements Of its landscape. This
principle has so often before been stated that
most persons who take any interest in the
Park are familiar with it. Its first and most
important requirement is that the Park
should furnish to the visitor the most COM
plete antithesis to the ordinary conditions OF
city life, and this requirement is best sup
piled by the exclusion, so far as may be prac-
ticable OF oil the elements that suggest
the heat and glare and commotion OF
the streets. To this end the absence Of
buildings in the Park would be most con-
ducve. In all parks, however, that are so
much visited as tho Contra, Park, buildings
for the purposes OF administration and the
convenience Of the public are necessary. To
meet this necessity, certain structures that
were existing Mt the time the Central Park
was laid out were retained but they have
always been considered as serving their pur-
pose temporarily.
Tho ugly old Arsenal is one OF these, and
the struggling collection of buildings that
once crowned tho heights OF Mount st.
Vincent is another. The necessity for
economy that has generally existed in the
affairs OF the Department of Parks had al
ways prevented the removal OF these build
ings, and the transfer of the business,trans-
acted in them to other and more suitable'lo To-
cations. This difficulty was solved In the
case of the Mount ST. Vincent buildings by
their destruction by fire in January, 1881, but
the Arsenal will probably remain until like
accident removes temporary structure
which has become quite permanent in the
estimation Of almost every one who is not
intimately acquainted with the design of
the Park. When tho demand for sites
for the Museums came, one of them was
placed On Manhattan square, and the
other on part of the grounds that
lies at the isthmus. so to speak,
between the north and south Park, in re-
gion where it least interfcres with the pre-
vailing motives Of the design. Every other
edifce that has been built in the Central
Park, with one exception, has. been designed
and constructed with especial reference to
keeping it from interfering with the purpose
for which the Park is intended, the only pur-
pose that justitlcs its existence al its great
cost, the purpose OF affordng recreation Of
rural character to the people of New York,
the great mass of whom have little OF no
other opportunities for such enjoyment.
The one exception is the shcepfold which
was erected in 1871 on the west side of the
ltIh, HUoul On INC lluc VI olAly-SlAiH Sllttt.
This building is the monument of the cx-
travagance and vandalism of the SwEENY
administration. 1t was built at great cost it
does not well serve its purpose, and it is
placed on a slight elevation, just where it was
designed that one OF the long-distance views
in the Park should terminate in grouping
of trees that would serve to carry the imagi-
nation to n still greater and indefinite dis
lance. The other principal buildings
are tho work shops and stables, which
arc so well screened from observation that
their existence is hardly known to the large
majority of visitors, and the Dairy
and the Casino-tho Dairy erected as a
necessary adjunct TO the childrcn's district
and the Casino as an accommodation to the
throng of visitors that frequent the adjacent
Mall and concert ground. Tho sites for both
Of these buildings were selected and their
designs planned with the purpose Of adapt
ing them to be readily shut out from the
public view by screening woods and shrub
berry. They were made inconspicuou5 by
their low elevation and their quiet colorins
whiln sipb plimpsp; of thpm rs pDilll hp OH