New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-02
MIR. DANA'S PLANS OPPOSED
SIDEWALKS IN THE NEW HARLEM RIVER
SPEEDWAY DISCUSSED.
THE PARK BOARD ADOPTS SPECIFICATIONS AMI
RECOMMENDS THE APPROPRIATION OF

THE PARK BOARD ADOPTS SPECIFICATIONS AND
RECOMMENDS THE APPROPRIATION OF
100000 TO CARRY THEM OUT.
The question of sidewalks for the new Harlem
River Speedway. and the exclusion OF the pubhc
from two miles of the river front. came up sgaih
at Yesterdays meeting Of the Park Board Presi-
dent Tappen presented report detailing the acton
of the board on the subject In which he referieu
"a the fact that he and Commissioners Straus ana
(,lausen had decided to build a sidewalk on the
land side of the speedway. although Commissioner
Dana had entered a strong protest against IT,
The report said that it was a question OF safe'?
and avoidance Of all accident and collision on the
driveway. between drivers and their tfEhs Gnu
foot passengers, that led TO this decisonVts rea-
sonableness is further apparent because we kno"
that the landscape and other views OF the 'hiies
of the upper Harlem can be quite as WELL ana
indeed more safely enjoyed" Mr.. Tappen addtd
that in time a walk higher up on the CHI might
be provided for pedestrians. The report favored
the construction Of the speedway on the plans
provided by the engineer Mr.. Kellogg WITH one
sidewalk on the lane side.
In reply Commissioner Dana said that ne wouiu
not discuss President Tsppens report at length
Ia tbouobt many of the points not sustained by
the facts Mr. Dana said that the rights OF the
nublic to the waterways were abridged by 'his
decision. -
"'rbis river" Mr. Dana said. lis higa"ay.
There
shores 1t has been suggested that an OUTSIDE
walk which involved bridges. was not feaslDle
Bridges were objections that could not be 1housht
Of The fact remains that in the speedway lh'ehuou
for Central Park two years ago. INTENDED LOT uo'-
ting horses solely there would have been twenty
bridges over 1t, and many or those prloses' Hi'
stead Of being fifteen feet wide like the two or three
bridges which would bespan this speedway, would
have been from forty to sixty feet wide; they wouo
be practically tunnels. Moreover these bridges pro-
nosed for that speedway can be so treated 'ha'
nobody can over loiter them, nobody can ever
drop ANYTHING on the horses beneath Ihose are
the facts in regard 10 bridges proposed for TINS
road or which would have been over the Ceh'rai
Park road"
Mr. CLAUsEN's VIEWS.
v. Commissioner Clausen here asked the clerk 10
red a typewrtten statement which he had pre-
nared giving his reasons for the position he had
token in the controversy He said that his action
had besn determined largely by the utter I'M
practicabity OF a sidewalk upon the easteriy sue
OF the road as such a sidewalk couid only NC
approached by means of boats on the river anu
would be vaueless for the great mass OF the
neonle As to the construction of bridges MT
Clausen thought with equal proprety the Com Com
mission might be asked TO provide for pedestrians
along the equestrian paths IN all the PARIS anu
President Happen took MI Clsusens sbo NsS If
would be great mistake to build sidewalk OF.
the riverside when there is no sucn lmptSn
0 Dn any Westst had such sidewalks ana there was
no precedent authority for walk or promenaue
II II should be found desirable useful or
such a sidewalk might be constructed /" '"e
future.
o, MR. DANA CALLS IT AN OUTRAGE
coror,ssoner Dana. replying to his colleagues,
said that If when the proposition was Deio'e
the Legislature the people had KNOWN "ia' '"e!
were not only to be shut out from the ne" ia'u
to be acquired, but that the Waterfront Vi Inv
two parks which they already own was 10 pe
Waterfront should be made inaccessible, the Ia"
could never have been passed IL was an h,i,tasS
to wneh ine Pe sTsus said Whenever public
shall demand that we have siGewaA s On I Vote for
side If l am fs'A '''''','' u,,..r
side Walk. Mr. Dana said that there was the
same unanimty about II as there was Soous ~ 80
eXer the preservailon of the ctys parks was in
voived the people would be likely 10 De unanimous
aG dawson y Fuller spoke favor Of the S wsss
on the rysrsds Ike a s1d on me tSe onsGe President
Tappen ried to stop Mr. Fuller he not
to say ~, 1 n3 Outrage Denounced
III bring down enough pretesian'S 10 swamp ell"
Dir Danas resolution declaring that the pn 13n
Tg gsre q PARK aEce and %ahnson Bridge Park should
not be abridged but should be maintained the en-
Harlem River Driveway was voted down by to
Explaining his vote Mr. Tappen said tn S,r,c ,ne
observed in all the parks. a., -, .,
When the vote was declared Mr. Dana said
"This is the beginning of a harmonious and we'll
considered scheme. and II you are going TO buld
that road and establish that standard the
whole thing is going to be q jugged botch' Com.
missioner Dana look I'd if he meant to get out
of Tarnmany Hall 1t once. but he did not say
in words
THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED
President Happen then offered a resolution adopt
ing the plan prepared with one sidewalk, approving
the specincations and form of contract and direct
ing advertisement for bids to construct the hrst
mile Of the speedway The resolution also recon-
mended the appropriation Of 100000 for the work
b., the Board of Estimate This was adopted,
Messrs. Happen. Straus and Clausen voting aye
and Mr.. Dana voting no"
Mr. Vaux, landscape architect, reported against
placing the Bryant hemicycle In Central PARK be-
cause It would occupy too much space Ex-Minister
John Bgelow said that John La Fargo the sculptor,
had no authority from the Century Club to repre-
sent IT. regarding the location Of the hemicycle
Secretary Burns reported that the Edison Com
pany declined to undertake the lighting of the
Central Park drives at present as II cannot extend
its system through the, Park until it enlarges its
plant