New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-24
ARGUMENTS FOR THE DRIVEWAY.

ROBERT F. BONNER THINKS THAT Ihh fho
POSED CHANGE WOULD CAUSE no INJURY
After the meeting of the Park Board yesterday to
hear argument for and against the Central ParR drVc
way, Robert f. Bonner who is one of the bestKno"h
advocates Of the proposed driveway. was seen by II
Tribune reporter.
Il am not In favor OF a racetrack In Central
Park said Mr. Bonner in the course OF The cOhVes'
tlon &" and have never been. am not pachcior IL
is Mayor Grant but q man OF family Win lnece
little children certainly wish them TO be able 10
walk or ride In the Park with safety. what 90 fiVor
Is soft road for the lghtl arness horse, where nc
can be driven at the rate of speed mt which
the saddle horses are ridden on the road set apart
exclusively for them. We want no higher rate oi
speed or other conditions for the trotting horses
sThe establishment of the driveway adder MT
Eonner is not would not be, class lessIauoh' as
has been claimed for we have already the precedent
Of road being used exclusively for the saddle horses
and wisely. too. II saddle horses had no separate
place accidents In the Park would be much more
numerous than they now are.
=. II has been said that II have the road In
the Park 1t would be accompanied by all the d.
graceful scenes that go on AZ GuVenDuiS' III i
easily seen how false that statement Is, when one
remembers that there Is not a single nght-inrhess
horse on the track The horses are all saddle horses
Now We have saddle In the Park al the present
time on Just us soft roads and under Just the same
conditions as we wish for the light harness
horses This shows that If horse Is driven
by its owner. whether 10 saddle or harness. Tor
the pleasure OF the owner and not Tor gambling pur
poses, there no disgracefu contingehts' IL ble
trotting horses go along at the rate OF speed prescribed
By the Park Board they will not attract tie crowd.
The rough element does not care whether the morse
tr1ts or runs so long 1t has poolscng, drinking
etc. Where these things are not lOdnd Tue rough
element will not co.
What should the Park Commissioners do IN your
opinion?7 asked the reporter.
"Thls morning. the reply, much that was
irrelevant said before the Commissioners III regard
10 te opening Of this third drive II seems TO me
that the fair and right thing 10 do would be to have
competent engineers and landscape gardeners go over
the ground, make surveys and ind ont exactly what
could be done. Then they should give second hear
ing 10 those who opposed 10 the road and those
VINO are in favor Of II. To-day there were many men
each side Of the question who tated positively what
were simply matters OF oelic on their part. We ala
not hear the opinion Of one expert
Those OF H. wis. favor the drive do not wish any
thing that will dshgure the Park. anything that w.li
keep women and children out VI the PARK Neither 20
already for those who nse the saddle horses We think
The heavy vehicles in the Park Will Increase the safety
vcbicles II The Park Commissioner win have the
surveys made the road laid out, rtc we could then
have a meeting and discuss the subjects more intel
gently. think that We would then stand a better
One man 10 day. Continued Mr. Bonner, de
clarcd that the Commissioners might
well allow baseball I'm the Park. Now
schoolboys and amateurs allowed to play
baseball 10 the Park. learned to play ball there.
In the same way want soft road In the PARK
for the trotting horses. We do not wish race
track with charges for admission, pool rooms etc.
II prOfcs siona baseball players were allowed to play
their games In the Park. with grand stands, etc: II
would be ruined racetrck would rum " a.o.
But we do not wish a raceirack. We only wish VIVA
| have described IN.
1T has been reported" said Mr.. Bonner, that
branded one Of the speakers at the meeting to-day ~
liar ! did not do that at all only said that VINO
ever declared that bribery had been used in securing
the passage Of the bill allowing tie driveway He'd