New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-05
MAYOR GILPOYS HAPPY THOTGHE


A brief summary Of proceedings mp to date in
the matter of the proposed new municlpai Duiiu-
ing seems to be timely. Some years ago it be-
came obvious that the city needed addi'iohai
room for the transaction Of its immense bust
ness. and there was no dissent from the pr"po-
sition that n large building for the Use of vari-
Gus departments hitherto Improperly housed
or compelled to pay large rentals 10 private
owners. would be good Investment ii the
project was wisely and skilfuly managed. TAX
ing This common sentiment n basis or opera
lions. the city authorities thcreupon began 10
look for site. Some locations which were
highly desirable they rejected summary. while
10 others which appeared prcpostcrous 10 the
unofficial mind they seemed 10 be- greatly drawn.
The logic of this course was not immediately
apparcnt but after n time II dawncd upon inc
community that the authorities were slowly
but surely narrowing the range OF choice ny
the process Of exclusion. In the belief that soon
cr or later public opinion would be prerar'u
for the announcement that the City Han fark
was the only available site for the new mllnlc-
pal building.
The programme was carried out TO the point
Of making the aforesaid announcement, pu'
there a snag was struck. 1t became evident III
once that the people did not want To lose 'hc
park. and the more earnestly they were as
srrcd that the sacrifice was necessary the NOR"
determined grew their opposition. mus Tor
considerable period they actually saved the
possession which they valued so highly, anu "
seemed as If they would succeed In keeping II
forever But the local bosses had not ADAM
doned their scheme, and when. In the course Oh
n wear or two, they had sufficiently augmented
and consolidated their power by Inert ana
otherwise. they obtained authority 10 put the
lob through as seemed unto them good. Al
first there had been some talk OF uiiilzihS inc
space then and still vacant. together with tha'
occupied by shabby buildings which nobody
cared 10 preserve on any terms. Hut ms WIS
mere skrmishing, and rs soon rs tho scheih'rS
felt their power To he secure they disclosed th'r
purpose to swoop down not only on the cry
Hall Park, but on the city Hall Itself NOM
Ing more was said about The possibility "i put
ting up modest and comm"1ious structure
which would leave that venerable ana pcau'i'u1
bulding intact and unOhscurcd. The "iil'ml
mind was fllol with the vision Of gorgeous
pile crowdng all the space south "r IWc'u
memorial Courthouse aud - max" room Tor
tina, the city Hall Of courSc must be ohlii-
Grated The people had made 4 pretty good
fight. but they had lost, and 50 last year sl'c'lh
cations were published, and architects were in.
vitcl 10 compete for the honor OF replacing Inc
finest building in The city
The plans have been submitted. III Of them.
and duly examined 10y the Advisory Commit
tee who report that six ~ them are better than
the rest but that not even one Of the six i
altogether satisfactory. The report Is there
for. practically a rejection ~ all. AMI az this
point the undertaking might have been clogs"d
cxccp, for the ingenuity Of Mayor Gilroy. The
Mayor is not Il man - be baked when six
architectural designs. each possessing distinct
merits of It's own. are ~ command Where
others were pcrplcyrd he WAS equal 10 The
emergency why not take the best features of
ALL he asked and mix them together In on"
magnificent conglomcratc 10 the glory Of the
metropolis and the wonder aud delight II future
ages? Why not, to be sure! Nothing could De
easier. and. we may say faircr than that. Let
lis have Il roof from one plan, a portico from
another friczc from the third. Il dulic from
the fourth, II wing. or possibly pair Of wings.
from the nth, AMI here and there connect
ing link from the sixth. If anything then ap-
pears 10 be lacking, it will be extremely hard
luck If one or more OF the other lbs designs
which have been temporarily east into outer
darkness cannot supply H. II would be strange.
indeed If every one Of them did not possess
some agreeable feature. Let future generations
say of the people Of Ncw-Iorl in this cnlight-
cned epoch.
They mixed those features up.