New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-16
NEGLECT AT RIVERSIDE.
THE PARK IS IN a DISHEVELLED CON
DITION.
WITH PROPER ATTENTION 1T WILL BECOME Oh
WORLDWIDE CELEBRlTY-WHAT Is TO
BE DONE WITH THE APPRoPRIA-


TON NOW AVAILABLE.
The possibilities Of Riverside Park have been
dwelt upon at such length. the reasons why that
part of the city which lies within the limits Of the
mark should be one OF the most attractive places
Of New-York have been made clear so Often that
It is only natural that people should grow i'm
patient at the Park Departments apparent
neglect and that they should ask: What about
our West Side park-when will 1t become some
thing more than artists dream?
The Tribune In speaking of the park has shown
that no city In the world possessed a place so
thoroughly fitted by nature for pleasure park ana
that in no other large city does a waterway give
such OPPORTUNITIES for artistic well as beneficial
public works. The people were not fully alive TO
the results which might be obtained along the
water front in the way Of permanent artisuc
decoration and landscape gardening until 1t was
shown at the Columbian Exhibition what the
hand Of a skilled architect could do for the Dor
ders Of a body Of water. At Chicago there
nothing to look out Upon from the shore
except the lake. which stretched monotonously
to the horizon. At the Riverside Park there is all
the beauty Of the water. together with piano.
rama Of the opposite shore which is a source of
delight to those who come within It's range.
When. after much delay. the park began to re-
ceive attention at the hands of the authorities.
there was much rejoicing among the residents OF
New York particularly among those who lived In
the upper West Side and when. year ago last
winter, a large sum OF money was appropriated
10 developing and laying out the park, the people
had good cause to think that before long another
place Of interest would be added to New York and
that the park on the river would be a park IN
reality. In their minds eye the park advocates
saw great broad walks along the river-bank on
which men and women and children from the hot
tcnement-house districts walked. or near which
they sat drinking in the refreshing breezes that
came across the river. They saw artistic boat
houses and swimming baths. bicycle tracks and
graceful pav'lions. in which children danced to
the tune Of merry music. Winding paths were to
lead through the groves and shrubs and from the
top Of Mount Tom the ong-contemplated Jefer-
sonlan statue looked down upon park the IKE
of which could nowhere else be seem
T. any Of the park enthusiasts are still troubled
with such visions they have but to go to River
side Drive T. be disenchanted. on arrival there
they will naturally ask What has been done
with the 81 900 900 which was appropriated by
the city toward building the park; where is the
evidence Of It's expendlture?" The answer de-
Ponds on the person 10 whom the question Is
put. A Tammany man would say the boys had
- have someihng' the plain. everyday citizen
who does nothing but obey the laws and pay
his taxes would confess that he knew nothing
about II. while the indignant West Slider would
possibly say some hard things about the former
Park Board and. paraphrasng the inscription on
the tomb OF the great architect, he would point
TO the dirt heaps and say: That is their monu-
meni."
Viewed from almost any point, the park pres
ents a sorry spectacle. At Eighty-sixth-st
steep stairway leads TO the retaining wall which
has been pierced. end through this temporary
portal one may 60 To- the Columbia Yacht Clubs
house The view from the street is anything
but poasnr. The bathing pavilions which are
placed on the river bank at this point are marked
For Ladies and Gents" At Eighty-seventh-
ST. there are great piles Of powders which were
evidently put there for some purpose. but the
purpose II a good one was never accomplished,
possibly because the appropriation was exhaust
ed Further down the hill toward the water
unsightiy lumber piles offend the eye. At Eighty
ninth-st George Washington turns his back on
the ungany spectacle and grasps his cane as II
intent On walking away from place Of beauty
which shows unmistakable signs Of neglect.
The lighthouses and floats further up and the
fringe Of all sorts Of floating stun are eyesores
70 those who appreciate what the river front
might bee under proper conditions. The scene at
Eightieth-st. Is one t. discourage those who have
the welfare OF Riverside Park at heart and who
know It's possibilities II resembles canal basin
AT the end OF the boating season-ful Of truck
and rubbish. on the house which stands on the
waters edge there are signs advertising pies ana
cakes and other signs On which the words boats
and yachts" are the most conspicuous. ana signs
again which tell all about wall paper and what
not while about and around are scattered empty
hotties and cans which are more eloquent than
signs could be. \ of shanies stand with
their whltewashed backs to Eighy-fourth-st.
They are disgraceful-looking. ramshackle struc-
lures and. according to a popular superstition in
that neighborhood they are lighthouses.
The big knoll at Eiehty-third-st is a redeemng
feature OF this place. The huge rocky mass has
not been desecrated yet 1t stands out conspicu-
ouslv and seems to invite the artistic attention of
Father Knickerbocker and say: WAS there ever
a finer pedestal for a monument than this?
IIalf-nnished roads and paths between Seventy
eighth ard Elghty-hrst SITS. tell Of exhausted APP
propriations or lack Of interest From seventy
nfth-st up for a distance OF several blocks. there
IS strip of well-kept park which ends at the rail-
road track and beyond this are piles of sand and
brick and lumber and dirt. and further on docks
and dcrricks. From Seventy-ifth TO Seventy
second Il. the whole wafer front is taken up with
logs That Is what the park looks like to-day.
The Park Commissioners say, however that
ther. is no need to despair and that the Riverside
Park will yet be the thing of beauty which the
dreamer elmed OF. The secretary of the board
said To a TRIBUNE reporter that the money which
was appropriated last year had been used with
good results II was EXPLAINED that the retaining
wall has been finished from Scventy-second 10
Nincty-siXih st. The Legislature has authorized
the expenditure Of s4O0o 900 on the park. OF which
5000 600 is now available. This amount. or about
slT5o 900 Of IT, will bc used 10 carry the wall up to
one hundred-a nd nineteenth- from which
point To the northern limits Of the park the wall
is already finished. When this is done there Will
be an uninterrupted retaining wall from one
end of the park 10 the other. Grading. building
walks planting, erecting shelters and cottages
will cost II IL estimated. about $4,000. toward
which the Board VIII have about 5000 when
the wall is finished. When this work IL fnisned