New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-02
HERE'S A GORDIAN KNOT.
THE PRIVATE LANDS ARE TIED FAST.
WORLDS FAIR Committeeman RACK THEIR
BRAINS OVER THE PRoDLEAi-MoRE RES
OLUTIoNS PASSED - MR.. TowNE
SUGGESTS SPECIAL LEGISLATION.

SUGGESTS SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
After more than week of exceedingly hard work
the Worlds Fair Special Sub committee oh Buildings
has been compelled to admit that without special
legislation 1t probably will be impossible to securu
enough private lands IN the neighborhood of Centr.
lark, Mornngside aud Riverside Parks TO form with
them suitable site for the Exposition For ten
days the committeeman have been engaged on this
problem. The result has beon that while number
OF the larger owners have come forward Offering the
use OF their lands at nominal rental great number
OF Others have held back while Others stI cannot be
reached, all Of which brings the committee to an
acknowledgment that the acquisition Of sufficient area
by the voluntary action of owners Is scarcely TO be
hoped for.
Inc committee held meeting yesterday at the
headquarters OF the Committee Site and Buildings
and prepared this set Of resoutions
Resolved That this committee ber.hv recommonas
the adoption of site comprising RiverSde and Morn
nssue parks with adjacent lands including approx.
matey the district bounded by one-hundrei tenth
81, fnthave, One-hundrcd and thirteen th.st and
and PARK the district bounded by ono-hundred
hundred and slxteenthst and Riverside Park. and the
uIsucS on each side Of the Bloomngdale Asylum
grounds from onehundrcd and sixteenth.st 10 one
hundred and twenty ST. the final boundary line
10 De subject to modification may appear cxp1lent
terms OF acquisition IS completed SuilcIent land
2eng thus obtained for the proper accommodation Of
portion Of Central Park be used for buildings for
Exposition purposes II expresses the belief boyyever
mar VIII be found desirable and IN tho tre Interests
OF the public to include in the Fair ncl0srn tbe all
lacent portion OF Central Park to afford amplitude IN
the grounds and the means Of obtaining refreSbment
and repose without stlrrendcrnc the right Of adni
euch annexation Of the Park would extend the EN-
ployment Of It's intended to the millions of visitors
to the Fair, and should not involve any change in
topography or existing features ' "e' IA
-, Ih9t In the opinion Of this committee every effort
should be made to the needed land upon loan
or lease to which end list should be complies, and
published from day to day giving the names Of owners
OF land within said and of the terms upon which
o%er Wi eve tho use of his property for the
That from the information thus far obtained the COM
miee has grave doubts 10 the feaSIb lty of securing
m tnis way me whole OF the needed area in which
event the committee sees but one means OF relief
namely. less stion whereby such land as cannot be-
proceedings by and in beba Of bs CON
5 That guided by tho Judgment of its professional
yicton that the period remaining until Nav 1 s9a
Is short at best for the accomplishment Of the pro-
rose9 WORKS OF construction and that further delay
IN the commencement Of actual preparations wifi
seriously jeopardlze the undertaking and viii tend
oefsiny no 10 impair the quality of the results
weeks to announce the terms Of competitive sub.
mission Of plans for the principal buildings in order
that it IS urgently desirable that Re eomn WSfk sbo ana
re authorized to do this without further delay.
Ihat therefore this committee respectfully advises
that meeting of the full Committee on site and
bulldngS be Immediately called to take definite and
uecIsNe action Tor the inception of active measures.
The resolutions were signed by Richard NJ. Hunt
Henry r. Towne and Charles F. Chandler. composing
inc quorum present at the meeting The absent
members we're John D. Crmmns and John Bogart.
After tho adjournment Of the meeting. Mr. Towne
told Tribune reporter that the committee was more
than ever confirmed in its belief that the site indi-
Gated I'm the resolutions was tho one site in New
York City that could make the Exposition a success
The cooperation of property-Owners he said IS
at present the most important question AT fssue
II all the people owning land within the designated
area VIII Cooperate with the committee, then every
thing can be accomplished promptly But the COM
mittee has examined the records of the property
far enough TO show that the acquisition OF the area
in this way will be practically impossible for tho
reason that all OF the owners cannot be reached.
For example, some of the land bound up IN estates
whose executors have authority to sell: other
portions of 1t are owned by minors, and others still
by people who are inmates of lunatc asylums Thus
you Will see that IL single piece OF LAND in desired
tract is tied up that we cannot get possession
of It by sale or lease II spoils the continuity of
the entire tract am convinced. therefore, that COM
plcte success n the acquisition OF area from private
owners cannot be had by voluntary action. Con.
demnation may be the only resource left, and that
VIII require special legislation. In that event how
ever it will be necessary for the city to take the
land and turn it over 10 the Fair authorities. With
any site the most important consideration is CON-
municatl0n, and in regard 10 the adopted it can
be said that no other site obtanase approaches it In
this respect.
Mr. Olmsted, In his recent letter, offered no OBJ
lection 20, but rather approved the of Central
Park for Exposition purposes. The committee has
these facts In mind in recommending the use Of
certain portion of Central Park When 70 Is borne in
mind that 100000 or 100000 people will want to
be accommodated at once, 1t will be seen that a
vcry great nun Der must have place for rest
and rofreshment. For them Central Park should
DO made available an adjunct to the Exposition
Many Of the visitors will be poor people who will
bring luncheon with them, and who will naturally
seek the shades of the Park for rest and refrsbmen
This should Do available 70 them without sacrl
fcing them their right Of admission again to the
Exposition To accomplish this, portion of the Park
should be enclosed within the area OF the Exposition
grounds That portion Of the Park, however, should
still be under the control of the Park Commissioners"
The resolutions adopted by the committee yes
terday had been prepared In advance and had been
shown to the properyowners interested. The follow
ing Endorsement was the result
"we, the undersigned owners Of property designated
sto for the proposed Worlds Fair, hereby APP
prove the action of the special Subcommittee
buildings, and will give the project an earnest and
unqualified support Hiram Moore George f. John
son. Charles Blauveh, Charles r. Shaw p Ii. McManus.
Simon Waterman, NJ. Llttman, William A. Martin,
William Beaman, William c. Lester William E. Callen
der Isaac Beruhemer, simon Bernie mer, j. o. RhlneS
Timothy Donovan, Moses Ottinger, A. Custig. A. NJ.
Well John r. Foley, John II. Foley IT.. Tn. V. Ebert
Jacob Korn John Donovan, Ferdinand Kingman. Simon
Herman Won DOhsen & BIase'
Other owners have offered their lands. among whom
Robert A. ChesebrouSh, Stern Brothers and Charles
Jay Taylor.
The committee decided before aliO irning TO request
Ownes OF land within the area covered by the rcso-
luton adopted yesterday, and also owners Of any
other proved land Immediately adjacent thereto, 70
report IN writing 10 the Committee on Ste aud Build
ings the terms upon which they will give the use
of their land for Fair purposes together with decrp
ton of the boundaries OF their respective holdings.
The Executive Committee Of the Committee on
Finance held short session at the Chamber OF Com
mere at | O'Clock yesterday afternoon. Those
present were j. PerpOnt Morgan chairman; samuel
IL RabcOck J. Edward simmons. Cornelius Wander
bit and August Belmont. The absentees were
Charles ; smith and John II. Inman. The session
=. L.. Ahnrlh aIf and when ahOnrnel