New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-27
TO VIEW VARIOUS SITES.
TWO EXCURSIONS OF WORLDS FAIR COM
MITTEEMEN
THEY INTEND TO GIVE THE SUBJECT CAREFUL
CoNsIDERAuoN-A PLAN PROPOSED BY
JOHN u. cpIMMINS-oTHER Sue
GESTIONS.


GEsTIoNs.
The Executive Committee Of the Worlds Fair Com
mittee on site and Buildings has plunged into work
with most commendable show Of energy and enter
prise. All of tho members with the exception OF
Roswell p. Flower present at the meetingof the
Executive Committee yesterday, In the permanent
headquarters of the COMMITTEES on Site and Buildings
in Rooms SO and so the fifth floor of " The Times
building. George Jones had offered these rooms al
the initial meeting Of the committee in the Governors
Room at the City Hall on Thursday. and they were
accepted.
In the absence of Mr. Flower, the chairman, Charles
A. Dana chairman of the full committee, presided az
yesterdays meeting The others present were Charles
F. Chandler, william r. Grace Samuel Gompers' John
II. siarin, Isidor Straus, Henry r. Towne and john
Foord, secretary. No time lost in preliminary
discussions Mr. Dana calling the committee to order
for business promptly on time at O'Clock
Mr.. Towne offered a resolution excluding Centrai
Park site from the immediate consideration OF 'he
committee. He said that there was strong pubic
prejudice against using Central Park for the purposes Oh
an Exposition and in view of this prejudice some as
surances should be given to the public that all other
stes would at least receive consideration before
proposition to Central Park would be entertained
Mr. Strass seconded the resolution for similar reasons
and IT finally adopted This action haa par'c
ular significance from the feet that at the meeting vi
the full committee Tuesday a resolution excluding
Considerable time devoted to discussion OF the
means by which the several proposed sites could DC
visited and personally examined by members OF inc
committee. Finally, it arranged that Secretary
Foord should organize two committee ex-
cursions. The first Of these viii be by water to-mor
row. for which Mr. Starn offered the free use OF one OF
his steamers The boat Will leave the wharf at East
Thiry.second-st at noon and visits will be made 70
Randalps Island Wards Island. Blackwelfs lslana.
Pelham Bay Park and all the other proposed Sizes
that are accessible by water. The second excursion
will be by rail Thursday in special train, 10 %
furnished free of cost by the New-York Central and
Hudson River Company. This train will probably
start from the Grand Central Station. but the hour
has not yet been decided upon. The committee Will
be taken TO Van Cortandt Park. Bronx River PARK
the proposed Fleetwood Park Site the Inwood site,
and all other sites accessible by the tracks Oh the
New-York Central Company. Other excursions VIII
probably be arranged later so that the committeeman
may personally examine other proposed sites.
Secretary Foord requested TO invite the presi-
dents of the Emigration Commission and OF the
Board Of Commissioners of Charities and Correction
to accompany the committee the excursion TO tho
East River islands to morrow vote OF thanks 10
Mr.. Jones FOR tho free Of the headquarters was
unanimously adopted.
TIE committee received and considered in detail
two new suggestions yesterday, but Of course no
action upon them taken, nor will any be taken
until all the proposed sites have been inspected.
One of yesterdays suggestions came in the form OF
paper submitted by John d. Crimmins, who Is
himself member OF the Committee on Site and
buildings. Mr. Crlmmins wIote that it had boon
customary in measuring distances from tho city 10
fix City Hall as the central point. He preferred to
use Forty second ST. as central point, because it is
nearer the centre OF population, and IS point that
can be well established for the consideration OF
transient visitors. Five miles north from Forty
second-st. he writes. and between what would be
Fourth and Seventh were they 10 be continued
longitudinslly across the Harlem River and nearly
opposite One-hundred- and flftieh-st, is property
comprising altogether about $50 acres, which, how
ever might be extended to an unlimited number of
acres on the north b. including Fleetwood Park If
the needs of the Exposition should require it, Seven
teen and one-hah acres OF this tract acquired
by the city somc five years ior park. TO be
known Cedar Park which IS BONDED on the east
by Mot,-avc. Two hundred and thirty belong
TO the Asor and Morris estates. The entire tract has
frontage the Harlem River, we'll as a frontage
along Cromwells Greek. altogether water boundary
Of nearl. a mile in length. The Astor estate Mr.
Crimmins saws, has recently constructed bullhead
the water frontage of Cromwell's Creek. and has
received permit from the city to build bulkheads
the Harlem River front. The tract extends north
from the Harlem River about $500 feet and east
from Cromwcu's Greek 1000 feet, while from its
northeast corner, at distance Of 700 feet lies Fleet
wood Park.
serts makes it accessible by small steamers either
from the Harlem River or from the Hudson River
provided that the Harlem River improvements pro
grcss with ordinary speed. The small steamers
might carry people from Brooklyn, from points on
the Sound, and from the railway terminals on the
NewJersey side Of the Hudson, directly to the site.
On the site the tracks OF the NewYork
Central and Hudson River road. A few hundred feet
to the east are the tracks Of the New-York and
Harlem road, over which the New-York New-Haven
and Hartford Railroad with all its connecting lines
convey all their passengers. Within $500 feet to the
eastward is the Suburban Railroad continuation
OF the second and Third elevated roads Eighteen
hundred feet the westward the tracks connect
ing the Sixth and Ninth-ave. elevated roads with
the Northern Railroad, while directly through the
tract near its centre is the line laid out by the Sub
urban Rapid Transit Company. People visiting the
Fair could travel over the Second and Third ave-
and Suburban roads to the grounds, when the ex
tension is constructed, which could be done within
year. and passing through them could return by way
of the Sixth and Ninthave. elevated roads to their
homes or vice versa, avoiding necessity for going
over the same ground twice. Mr. Crinmins thinks
the transportation facilities Of this site cannot be
passed The New-York Cenrals tracks already
conveniently laid. little piece Of track could be
laid, he says so to switch the Ncw-York and Har
lon and New-York, NewHaven and Hartford trains
upon the Centrals tracks Another connection worthy
of notice, he says. is known the Port Morris
branch Of the Harlem Railroad. At Port Morris the
Harlem Railroad Company has wharves upon one Of
the deepest basins about the city The largest ocean
steamers he says could discharge their carges these
wharves. The railroad track being continuous from
the wharves q the proposed sc unparal ee fac tie;
for the transportation Of exhibits would be afforded.
He calls attention to the fact that for many the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Rad a connection with and
still shtps freight to the Harlem River connecting
with the Harlem River branch Of the New-York, New
Haven and Hartford Railroad. At the Port Morris
t,terxecton a switch would throw the cars upon the
,r,chs ~ the Port Morris branch and thus make
another direct connection with the site.
From the Grand Central Station the site could be
reached in from fifteen to twenty minutes, and BY
the rapid transit lines in less than foriy-ve minutes