New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-26
CITY HALL AND 7ILDLN IIBRAR

CITY HALL And 1ILDEN LIBHAH1.
The plan for dem0Shing the City Hall in
order to erect upon and around the site OF II
a new municipal building is one with which
TIE TRIBUNE as is readers know. has never
had particle Cf sympathy. We have re-
garded this scheme Is thoroughly tainted by
Tammany politics. AZ unnecessary and ruth
less and Our opinion has MT changed. We
should rejoice = see some taxpayer Bringing
the matter into curt, and we still hope that
such an Interference with the Tammany pro-
gramme may come about. But there is little
advantage in refusing To admit that the City
Hall will probably be sacrificed 10 crafty the
ambition of Mayor GIlroy and his advisers
| If that is 10 be the result Of a long contest
between public opinion and the rulers Of the
city shall the materials which compose the
structure be sold 70 the highest bidder for
Junk or shall they be reunited rs nearly as
may be in their present relations Oh me other
site? That is question which has aroused
considerable public interest and attracted the
attention of the Legislature. Mr.. John Bigalow
has taken il mp in letter 10 AsScmblyn
Farquhar, which We print this morning. Mr.
! BigelOw speaks for the Tildcn Trustees, who
want 10 have the City Hall reconstructed on
the site Of the reservoir, with IFS front 10
Fifh-ave. and its back to Bryant Park, and
! 10 establish in it there the Tlldcn Library.
! This interesting contribution - the debate
contains no argument for or against the taking
down Of the City Hall, and no direct appeal
for its restoration in another place. Bat if it
is to be removed and set up elsewhere the
Trustees Of the Tildcn Trust would be glad tn
/ nil in fha ~. b.,,
never advocated the preservation Of this in
| terosting building As a souvenir, amid unnatu-
raj surroundings. II belongs where i; is and
ought to be left there. Removed to some other
spot it would lack a great part of all that now
makes it valuable. The proposition has always
I seemed to us rather fantastic. But if it is not
only to make way for a successor, but also 10
pr0tract more or less MANNED existence on
another site then il is worth while II find the
best possible place and use for il. And we say
frankly that the Tidcn Trustees have mad the
most sensible proposal which has been heard
thus far. The fact is especially worth CON
sidCrlng that under their charge the building
would not be a mere idle. displaced monument
of cid days and modern folly. 1t would serve
an extremely important purpose to which, as
we infer from Mr. Bigcow's letter. he and his
col 'c5gues deem it well adapted Its aspect
would certainly be appropriate, more than
an entirely new design might prove to be and
if reconstructed in accordance with Mr.. Bigc-
lows suggestions it would greatly ornament a
| locality which is now dl.fismed by the useless
reservoir
| 1t should be borne in mind moreover, that
if this scheme is not carried ont the Tildcn
Library will probably not come into existence
for good many years. The expense Of re-
moval and restoration would be large without
a doubt; but presumably it would be less than
the cost of a new building equally commoIi-
Gus. Information on this point is mcagrc, and
before any decision is reached careful csti-
mate ought to he made. This city is in urge Mt
need of great free public library, AID under
the circumstances this plan for fastening the
partial realization of Mr.. Tilden's expectai ions
is untitled to careful consideration. We say