New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-16
DEFENDING CENTRAL PARK.
IRE DRIVEWAY FOR SPEEDING BoRsEs'

QxroHrY RRAsoNs WHY THE MEASURE onOo
ROT BH CARRIED THROUGH THE Lkei'LA =,
!: tnv.o, n. Fuller called on President Borocn' VI
- lark Department yesterday to ask ior - .hs
n ree,rd to the drive for speeding horses .,as
Swners Of fast horses wish to secure On ,no
~ Co.,, p.rh rom Ffty-ninth to Ono hundred anu
Scth-st A hill d to be presented to the Less'as
- IN socurc this road and at recent puono "o0"
~ . committee of twenty-five was appointed " 30
mt in securing II. This commute -
n D. Rockefeller, Robert bohnor, ~
'nfher we'll known horsemen III the OH! VII, o'"N
such . driveway Mr. ruler sA,u aassssu,an,
vii, ado millions Of dollars to the CITY
49, nr,ng,ne borsemen here. 1t Will make driveway
roo feet wide with q Of trees In the cenoe' len
xhousand horses can speed upon IL a once "'ho"'
Saprer. and half a million people can LOOK on ana
enjoy the sight
President Borden set next Tuesday morning 1of
the hearing Of the committee. He said frankly that
IA WAS opposed to the idea He did not think park
In the centre of the city was the place for such
drive and the request was OF the same character ~
that made by tho militia OF the city to drill In Ccn
trail Park This request refused, though the
regiments Of the city had a better right to such
privilege than the horsemen. Mr. Borden received
yesterday an opinion from Frederick Law Olmstead
consulting Landscape architect Of the Park, In which
he takes the same view. Mr.. Olmstead's reasons, 10
Part, follows,
"The first feature Of any plan for this purpose
must be a track of such length and breadth that
large but undetermnsbe number Of spirited horses
could be stirred up to high speed upon It, Inc 'raoA
could not 10 crossed grades by other ROADS OF ny
walks.
NO ADDITION TO the PARKS BEAUTY
3r,s snyface could not be far from level There
eould be no rapid curves. 1t could not be closely
overhung by trees. Large premises "ouId pe TO
euired spacious and skilfuy arranged to admit OF
the ngress and egess from public thoroughfarcs ana
the accommodation Of great throngS. These when
empty, as they would be much of the time, would
present but a dreary waste When this result had
been accomplished at great cost it would not 90
pleasant to find that Chicago Denver or Newark hao
secured result much less cost than can pe
attained in the west part of Central PARK
"If anything Of this description is intended,
cannot think that any man at all qualified 10 form
m opinion Of value on the subject can have exam
ined the ground without recognizing that IL presents
extraordinary difficulties. These difficulties are only
to DO by expedents Of an original Character In
vented for the purpose. the details OF which Will TO
Quire patient complicated study. No such expeoehts
have as yet devised and not certain that they
can be- In short, the scheme appears TO have peeh I'LL
perfectly dgosed be indefinite, uneAaot and pre-
sumptive In such degree that it does not invte Oh
oven admit searching criticism TO he applied TO H.
But supposing 1t to be possible, the question re-
mains whether it is purpose to which any part OIL
Central Park can tudiciousIy be surrendered. Two
Park One assumes that 1t is TO provide means lor
certain kinds OF recreation ~heo"ays ior sJnU,
brdieways for some, walks, tennis courts, achers
and croQuet grounds swings and merIg- goIouhus,
statues and bric-a brac
pIFFE .ENT VIEWS OF THE PARKS USE.
"On the other hand 1t is supposed that the Park
n TO be reserve In the midst of the town, OF BODY
of rural ground within which citizens coming away
nom pay ed streets aud buildings can enjoy In such
measure it may be practicable that means OF
health which Is commonly spoken of as change OF
scene and which city physicians have In MIND ~hen
they advise their patients 10 20 TO the country. IhoSe
TO whom the question has not been one VI renec'ioh
are generally of or less confused mind between
these two views. They find forms Of recreation TO
which some are inclined not only permitted but pro-
yided for large expense aud forms OF recreation 10
which others are inclined prohibited expressly
"If asked, would you have the Park Commission
,rs provide for exhibitions Of fonclng, Wrestiihs
sparring dancing, billiard, racket, ten pms, sktties,
rifle shooting coursing for hunting rstcatchng ana
DOCK fghtlng' they would answer mot all OF these
Somewhere a line must be drawn. but on what prlh-
odple of justcei Each recreation has among its adj
berents large bodies of ctzeus which II would DIS
turb the Park much less to provide for than morse
trotting The Park would be- a capital place Tor the
recreation of hare and hounds If suitable PROVISIONS
se,o made. many would enjoy follawing the game
through the roads and plantations. HOW can schooi
bows be permitted play ball in the Park, While
,thors are prohibited from playing at hare ana
bounds 49, ., .,u
Tho answer to all questions Of this general pur
bort IS that II walking riding ana driving were not
ermtt, within reasonable limits as provided lOr ine
Dark would fulfil its primary pm pose hOauS
And walks s>sry TO make the Change 0l sTeIe
Eith a view 10 which IL has been designed Ban
PLAYING upon certain prepared parts OF the PARK can
Be- permitted long 1t is not harmful 10 the
smooth verdure Of the tranquil areas winch have Deeh
primarily assigned with regard to atmosphere ELECTS
among upright bodies of foliage. Under well,stu'
fed restrictions the ball players are not simply harm
less to the main purpose they are helpful adJuncs,
As are groups of sheep and hOcks OF watcr FOWL III
xonld not be so with the hare and hounds players.
They would create disorder and do injury to i'm
port ant elements of landscape effect