New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-04
MR.. RORUEN'S IPOLOE ].

On another page appears letter from Park
Commissioner Borden. to which frank re-
.ponsc seems necessary. THE TREtTE has
never suspected Mr.. Borirn's sincerity. and
when his term of Office expired lis re-
aprointmcnt was urged in thc.e columns be-
cause he was esteemed honest and in the main
Trustworthy. |, was understood that he WIS
afflicted with n mo,inmana for Colrnzln2 the
wild beasts in tn" Park. but this was not at
fnbutrd - any dcprayity on bis part The
trouble appeared Ia be rather his inability T.
comprehend the true functions of park and
hi, unwillingncsS Ia list"n to counsel run
those who had the needed knowledge. MIR.
Bordcn's LONG letter demonstrates the correct
nos. Of this view and shows that the efforts
of TIE TEIIuNE and other friends 10 educate
him have been worse than wasted.
There is no need to repeat the arguments
on this subject. with which everybody ought
10 lc familiar, but We may say that while we
agree with MIR. Borden in ID" statement that
the mcnagcric should ho moved. ii does not
follow that it should be removed to a portion
of the Park where il will do irr"Iarahlc in
Jury 1t should j." taken ouf "f th" Park, and
Mr. Borden will perhaps remember that when
the first hill was introduced int, the l~'r>-
laturc 10 remove il he cxcrird himself to So
cure the defeat of that measure. and is. there
fore partially responsible for the fact that the
mcnagcrie remains where il is. Mr. Borden
boldly assert, that the sit" suggested is be-
vond comparison III" best within iii" limits OF
the Park In order to fOrtify himself in this
view he appealed to Mr.. OlmSt"d. In the re-
port from that expert il was stated that this
site WIS practically one Of the worst tia; could
be selected for every reason and AT every
season. For while it i, exceptionally inter
csting as u resort tor city-wWrcd m"n and
women il would be c,n>picuously bad for the
health and comfort Of br,lt''. No one who
has my adequate idea Of the value Of Il stretch
of grcrnsw:,rd in city like this could speak
of that beautiful dell "a unused and useless
1t is really one Of the lVclicst spots IN tho
entire Park. and, as Mr.. Olmscd explained
i'm his letter. the blasting Of rocks and DO
S.rciion of trees which had been growing for
years would completely destroy its beauty.
Mr. Borden is consumed with zeal to glat
iiy the po,r children but he does not seem
to know that the primary value Of the Park,
especially for those who have no cottages ly
the sea or villas at Lcnox, is in it's quiet
vet Mr.. Borden thinks nothing Of celebrating
one IF the farn-t Of them all. The truth Is
that this spot serves better purpose now "a
| ullict stretch of meadow than il could as the
home of a mcnagcric or Punch and-Judy
| show, or any other exhibition, however proper
| in its place. 1t is particularly bad location
| for a mcnagcric because il lacks water il cam
| not DO drained. it is open to sweeping winds
| i'm winter il is shut out from cool southern
breezcs in summer. it has an impcrvious soil
| and an inhOspitablc exposure. And the plan
as presented to the Board of Apportionment
was still worse than the location. Mr.. Borden
| speaks Of a tunnel under the West Drive. but
| he knows that IL, tunnel could have been made
with anything like the money granted in the
apWrtionmcnt.
Now in all this We do not accuse Mr.. Borden
of any impure motive He probably believed
that he was right. and therefore it was per.
fcctly proper for him to help elevate a weak
brother like Mr. Gallup to the presidency in
the hope of forwarding this scheme. This
showed his lack of intelligence. however. for
he might have known that Mr.. Gallup would
desert him for the other side 20 soon as his
voto was needed. But while We do not con.