New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-08
PARK CORNERS COME HIGH.
. GREAT AMERIcANso ONLY ARE ELIGIBLE.
THE PARK BOARD HAS ITS DOUBTS ABOUT RIOS

THE PARK BOARD HAS ITS DOUBTS ABOUT RIOS
CoE CoNKLING-CoHTRoLLING FIFTHAvE.
Three members of the Park Board went on record
Yesterday as being opposed 10 the placing Of stane
OF Roscoe Conking In Union square. because h" was
not sufficiently great man. Commissioner Gray
objected 10 the erection Of the statue. and his OBJ
lection was asscnted 20 By Commissioners Strauss and
Happen. Commissioner Happen presided In the
absence OF Mr.. Dana. Mayor Gilroy sent letter
which he had received from xvice. President Morton
and c. A. Seward. Offering In behalf Of friends Of
Roscoe Conklng to present 10 the city bronze statue
OF Mr.. Conking made by J. Q. a. Ward. They said
that II proper they desired to have 1t placed
IN permanent position in Union Square. opposite
the southwest OF sixteenh.st at its junction
with Broadway. This location Is selected II was
said because II was the of Mr.. Conkng's
last struggle with the elements on the memorable
night of March IL. 1888"
Il do not think that Mr.. Conkings statue should
be- placed ut OF the corners OF Union Square,,
said Mr. Gray "The four corners OF the square have
been reserved for the greatest Americans Washing.
tons equestrian statue Is on corner, Lncoln's
statue is on another corner. Mr.. Conkling's statue
should Think BE- put somewhere else" Commits sioners
Strauss aud Happen Endorsed Mr. Gray's remarks and
the letter was referred to Henry G.. MarQuand
Napoleon Il" Brun and Thomas w. Wood who com
prise the Art Committee OF the Board. and they were
asked 10 report on the artistic merit OF the statue
raul Dana, president OF the board. was not al the
meeting when the letter was read Later he bopced
TO be excused from criticslng the action of the
other Commissioners. but added The greatness Of
men TO whom statues have been erected has never
been the controlling principle in locating statues"
Charles T. Ierkcs. the well-known Chicago million.
ARE, who Is president OF the West Side and North
Side cable roads in Chicago applied for permission
TO construct bay windows to project feet over the
house line In his house at sixty hst and Fifth.
ave. The permission granted and he was charged
Tba of tho Matr
politan Museum Of Art gave notice that the Museum
would he closed until April 10 for the annual spring
cleaning. letter received from the president
ciety would take further action toward placing
statue OF Nathan Hale in the City Hall Park until
the location Of the municipal building was de-
cidcd.
Mr.. Gray submitted bill to he presented TO the
Legislature, which Is designed TO give the board
troll OF Flfthave. frola Washington Square to One
hundred andtenth-st. 1t gives the Park Board CON
troll OF Fifth-avc, Riverside-ave and all i'm
mediately adjoining the parks and all public buildings
belonging to the city, excepting those In the City
Hall Park. 1t also gives 10 the board power to reg
ulate the traffic the thoroughfares controlled by IT,
Mr. Gray asked the board TO indorse the bill before
sent to Albany.
Mr.. Dana came In during the discussion and asked
Mr.. Gray what he wanted y accomplish by the bill
Mr.. Gray replied that he wanted the board to have
the same control over Ffthave. that 1t had over
Central Park. II the board had such control
Fihh-ave: trucks could be kept ont OF that thorough
fare, and the present inadequate means OF trans
portation of passengers might be improved. Mr. Gray
trolled the avenue and regulated It's traffic, would
place a line OF buses Fiftlave. that would be-
handsome and comfortable. Mr. Dana wanted time
to consult with the Corporation Counsel in the matter
and 1t consequently laid until Wednesday.
The board accepted an invitation from the swedish
Society to attend the unveng Of the Ericsson statue
Oh April %.