The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-03-31
.DAAA's SUCCESSOR UNNAMED.
Mayor Gilroy Won't Discuss the
Commissioners Resignation.
Mr.. Straus Defends the Action of
the Board Yesterday.

Mayor Gilroy said this morning that he
had not yet decided upon successor to
Paul Dana, whose resignation as Park
Commissioner he received and accepted
late yesterday afternoon.
II do not see any necessity for my
making any comment on Mr.. Dana's
resignation" he added, land l have
nothing to say as to whether the Com
missioners did or did not violate the
law yesterday in accepting a bid for
the speedway construction"
In his letter to Mayor Gilroy ex-Com-
missioner Dana states that his resigna-
ton is the effect of violation Of the law by
the Commissioners, despite his protest. He
concluded his communication as follows
The persistence of the Park Board In
designing the driveway on their own re-
sponsibility without the usual profess
sional advice Is bound to subject the
city to discred!t and damage both, and
likewise to deprive the public on foot of
the full benefits to which they are en-
titled. But at the meeting of the Board
this morning 1t appeared that the bids
tor completing the second section of
the driveway were based upon the plan
DIRECTLY violating, the law Of the stale;
on either side for the accommodation
of pedestrians should nowhere be less
than ten feet. BY the plan of work
completed for the bidders this morning
the sidewalk is completely abandoned
at one point on the more important side
of the roadway--the river side-although
at that po.nt the law might have been
complied with and the roadway proper
still remain ten feet wide, under the
law as originally approved and passed.
MY private, affairs make 1t impossible
bors OF a Park Commissioner, to per
form the duties devolving upon MEM
Der of a Board thus ready to violate
the established laws of park manage
and as the most emphatic protest now
available against such practices l re-
specially resign my office"
this sa,n orn
Now that Mr.. Dana is an ex-Com.
missioner / would prefer not to discuss
his actions while a member of the Park
Board. However, as he has seen fit tc
accuse the Commissioners Of violating
the law. l must deny the accusation
He is wrong. We have not violated the
" Very possibly Mr.. Dana was, only
looking for peg on which to
hang his resignation nS and ror TED
speedway construction, because there
was none other available. As
Park Commissioners we are allowed to
use at least some common sense as to
what is most for the benefit of the pub
lie. 1t is true that the law provides for
a 10O-foot width of driveway, and the
plans are made so. But when the drive
way passes under a bridge. where only
sixty feet of space is to be had from pill
lar to pillar, what can we do Remove
the bridge Or, what Is plainly the only
alternative. reduce, for the width Of the
bridge. the width of the driveway?
That is what the Commissioners de.
cided to do, and in order to allow
some fair space for the vehicles under
the bridge, the sidewalks. like the drive.
way, had to be narrowed. From ten feet
the sidewalks under the bridge have
| been narrowed to five feet each, thus
leaving nifty feet for the carriages
! Elsewhere the carriages have eighty
! feet of road width to drive under.
II believe. in thus expressing myself
that voice the sentiments of the other
members of the Board, Messrs. Happen
and Clausen."
President A. b. Happen. of the Park
Board. did not come down to his office
| to-day from his Fordham residence
Commissioner Clausen was not down.
| town to-day, either.