New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-11
ASSEMBLY INVESTIGATIONS.
pNcpoAcUTNG ON BATTERY PARK.


TESTIMONY IN REGARD TO THE ELEVATED ROAD
AND STATION.
The Railroad Committee of the Assembly
met again Yesterday morning to investigate tne cree
s,on Of the elevated railroad station in Batteryplace
psrr Commissioner Wales was the first witness. He
considered the structure Of the elevated roau IN
Battery Park an unnghtly object. and said tnae IL
ought to be removed TO state ." IN" -,
tections 10 the structure IN INC parA
came mainly from the newspapers inc eeVa'eu ra'i-
road woud be less unsighy if were made more OF ma
sn,o, Ue Thought the question should be considered
from all points Of view-from the aesthetic as well as
from Others In 1891 Mr. Whitney, of the Iron Steam
boat Company, asked him about the advisablhty OF
building a station at Battery-place. The steam
boat company offered to build 1t. He
could see no objection the proposition In the next
year formal application came from the elevated rail-
road company for permission to build the station MI
Wales voted in favor Of giving permission when inc
question up in the Board. He believed that inc
station would be great public convenience lie uhuer-
stood that OF his colleagues gave permit 10 erect
the station He was the only one authorized to issue
permits He thought the Park Board had the power TO
forbid the building OF the station, and that under the
lease by which the elevated roads were SLOWED TO oc-
eupy Battery Park the Board had complete to re-
move the structure from the park He could see no need
of legislative interference
Park Commissioner Crimmins, the next witness, did
lowed In Battery Park but, considering the rights OF
the in Safest the structure was oetter
where is Park Commissioner Viele said that the ee-
waited railroad company would not have but the station
IL had not been needed. He believed that the sruc
ture should have been placed in Safest. and should
have been made ornamental 1t was decided injury 10
the park now The station at Battery place might De put
in the Field Building, andi would be as mach OF pup
lie convenience there it would be IN It's present posi-
ton. - . -,
ExPark Commissioner Lane testified that he mad
Offered the resolution giving the New-York EleVaed
Railroad permission TO build s station In Baterypac
He had abOred earnestly 10 get the elevated roads 10
fulfil the conditions of their lease and to ornament me
in the park They agreed to adopt one OF two
plans for the ornament tlOn, which he made with the
6elp of an architect The ornaments according TO one
d an would Rave cost $150,O00, aud by the other
$4,000. The plans were paid for by the
New-York Eevatei Pairoad Company, ana tney
IN the cOmpany's possession Nothing was ever
20 carry ont either plan of Ornamentaon lie had
off red the resolution to remove the structure rom
Battery Park because he thought 1t ougl t. b. re-
moved, but compel the company to fulfil tle agree
in it's lease TO ornament its roadway He acknOwI-
edged giving permit TO erect the station III Bat,ey
place after permission lad been refused bv tue Park
Board. He acted upon his own responsibility,
ard thought he had perfect right to do So
T. E. DCyO attorney Tor the elevated falr'du, te-
tilted that he had entire charge of securing the permit
from Park Board Tor erecting the sta ion IN question
from the Board He had received the notice Tor the re-
mOval of the structure from Battery Park from the
Park Board and cJnsd red the notice legally defective
temporary injunction against removal was obtained ana
question Legality of the notice had never been
deci~ed in the courts.