The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-12

ing tho CITY Hall and tho reservoir Il is pro.
than would be needed to purchase the neces.
The Post once should never have been
u its building as now that its location was
How wastoful. with ono hand to DO occupy
Ing With buildings public places SGT apart IN
other to DO spending large sums 20 provide
moro such places. Chapter go OF tho Laws Of
per annum for the increase Of email parks
Reservoir and other existing squares arc
| crowded in the warmer sensDn with children
and those seeking the freshness ~ the lreezes.
Not an Inch Of their spaco should be taken for
the Sroand upon which It stands should be lett
open. thus Increasing It's already too limited
snses The city has been within e0gple, II
open ground within q stones throw Of the city
Hall Park. and now L is proposed practically
used and needed. The great business con-
gegtion in the neighborhood OF the city
Hall Is to be aggravated by the neei
cross the BrooEIyn bridge and foF the 'H S
Space -opon spaco-is what z needed. Tie
| proposed new structure practically closes the
| city Hall lark. leaving scarcely - square rod
The need for small parks about The city for
SH sbnq na sS cannot %e ne disputed
| While several large areas hive been nc
auired by the city for PARIS, it is interesting Ia
| look at the map OF the city as devised by the
| Commissioners who prepared Il under tho act
OF 1897. On It were shown many small omen
buildings Of a more or less public character
were required, and several OF these open
spaces wero seized and appropriated.
For instance. the erection OF the County
Court House and tho Post Ofllce in the City
other portions Of this park the entire occu-
pancy Dy buildings Of Hamilton square. and Of
more than one part OF the Battery and the in
termittent talk about the location OF build
Ing on Madison square.
st. Johns square, though not public
GROUND. has been sold by a corporation, that
by what 1t owes to the public. should have pre-
rho community is frequently startled by
some scheme to occupy by buildings or other
Objectionable purpose grounds bought by the
city with the express and sole object Of open
SPACE.
Take. for example. few projects for invad-
ing the Central Park. The first was by u city
regiment to appropriate a portion Of il for a
parade ground. This was rem n strntcd against
ny the tnen original state commissioners. and
the Legislature passed an act to prevent II.
Next came q scheme. favored by the subso-
quent CITY lark Commi ssioners, OF meaag-
eric on one oil the most beautiful OF the orOn
:, Next the attemp: to bury tho remains of
bqne @e the @OrGs Fair tG' Sn the
ecration. approved by tho Park Com lnissioners
themselves. OF speedway. Later. by consent
OF the military before tho Infanta, which was
stopped by storm OF popular disapprovGl.
ana narsna sameGGhy TePnd
to put building for its PURPOSES in tho PARIS
So t is that tho parks, are preserved 10y the
those EN- poyed to protect them.
1t seems unwise to he expanding much
money to provide open places Tor the deecta-
ton OF the people and at the same time to DO
nmppronriating greater sums to close tnom up
appear to find 1t difficult to see all sides Of the
question.
Whenever ground is needed for n public
hniluinY the mills the, npn NJ
park or square. md II is Inc5ntineutly appro-
p!Einted; forgetful Of the more important need
Oi keeping IL Open. The proposals to use Reh-
eryor square for public building will prob
ably encounter opposition from surroundin:
it kept MS valuable nppurtenRnt to thelg
ownership. md that II the reservoir is to to
removed the space it occupies should remain
1t will also have to meet the objections .,
those who think the square should be Kept
open for public out-of-door use who support
their view hv challenging attention to the
tnronGs which occupy 1t 10 get air in the hot
It will, likewise meet opposition from those
who believe Il desirable to retain tho reservoir
Tor storage oil water to DO used in case Of fire
and claim that ns It liz n structure OF lesser
height II Is not as Objectionable as If 1t were
replaced by lofty ediicc.
Il Is perhaps but nntdrnl that many should |
fail to recognize or fully appreciate the tradi-
tions and the struggles hat made this an in |
dependent republic Ii Is not wiso TO destroy |
the monuments that keep alive these lessons.
Visible historic memorials are objects to at |
tract the attention aud TO crafty the finer
feelings OF every class. No one. however, iilit- !
erato or however refined can SEQ tho ancient |
without having hia wonder excited or his !
One who has Illustrated literature and an |
authority on all that concerns its advance !
Whatever witharaws us from the power Of
our senses; whatever makes tho past tho dis !
tant, or the future predominate over the pros |
beirgs.. Far from me and from my friends 10
such frigid philosophy as may conduct us in
has been diGnitied by wisdom. BRAVERY. or vir- |
tue. That man is little to be envied whose
of Marathon. or whose piety would not grow
warmer among the ruins Of Iona"
delphia well says:
We must glance even at the incidents which
preceded the erection OF tho edilce and recall
those moro prominent events in the history of
the state and OF the nation, which, occurring
under the root or within the .hadows OF It's
venerable walls. give Immortality TO the very
bricks and mortar.
II. in Investigating the antscodents Of the
builders We are led into details OF inanimRio
objects otherwise trivial. We may well point t.
the fact that around them the all potent power
of association has set an imperIshanys halo
whose light 10 now as clearly recognized in
temporal AS In spiritual Illustrations,
to speak, OF our founder, il already losing it, !
self In the mists OF the past; 80 Ions however.
us which those great mon saw. used, or even
touched: The thrill o. Vitality may still lie
Ina letter recently published Daniel Web
stsr writes:
Il well understand how you should feel OK
cited 10y visiting such places as kingsbrid.e
White Plans, Eemis Heights. never knewa
man yet, nor II woman either, with sound
head and n good heart. that was MT more or
less under the power which these local
associations exercised. 1t is true that
place in these things Is originally arni-
dental; battles might have been fpuGnt
elsewhere; as we'll as ut Saratoga.
Or DsnninGton; nevertheless, here they
were fought. and nature does not allow
US 20 pass over the scene OF such events with
Indifference. unless we have "A good share OF
1luntnes' and stupidity, or unless the scenes
hem selves have become familiar 10y frequent !
visits 10 them. For my part love them all |
and all such as they. An Old drum hangs W
"a the Senate chat Der OF massachusetts. taken |
rom the Hesslans at Bennington ami 10 !
rot think | ever went into the room without
turning TO Look at H. And that reminds me 10 |
say that have a pair Of silver sleeve buttons.
Le material OF which my father picked mp on |
md brought away from that sam field Of Ben |
lingtOn. IL thought either of my hoys would
rot value them MY yeAIs hence. il he should !
i've so l9ng believe would begin to dog
EecOgniyiug the notant Infuanca ~ associn- |