New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-11
COLUMBIA'S NEW SITE.
EXTENSIVE WORK BEING DONE IN LAY
ING OUT THE GROUNDS.
PLANS THAT ARE TO BE CARRIED OUT IN TIL
ERECTION OF BUILDINGS SUITABLE FOR
GREAT, BIG. ALI~ARoUND INsTrTu-
TON OF LEARNING.

TON OF LEARNING.
An admirer of Seth Low. president Of Columbia
C,oeee in speaking Of him the other day. ex-
claimed earnestly: Il tell you. President Low is
a great big al-around man, and he will make Co.
un,bia College a great big. all-around institution
Of learning.
II was not a graduate OF Columbia who used
these words and so he was not necessarily preju-
diced To one who surveys the new Columbia
College grounds. observes the work In progress
there and listens TO even a cursory statement of
the plans to be carried out for new buildings. the
words thus quoted seem judicially uttered. Their
significance is peculiarly pertinent at the present
time since within two or three weeks excava-
ton has been begun for the foundations Of the
library building. for the erection of which. as
memorial to his brother. A A. Low. President
Low gave $,0OO,0OO
The grounds of the new buildings for Columbia
College occupy. is we'll known. the site of the
old Bloomingdale Insane Asylum. These lie be-
,uean One hundred and sixteenth and One-hun-
dred-and-twentieth SITS. north and south. and the
boulevard and Amsterdam-ave. east and west
4 visit to the locality cannot we'll be made under
happier auspices than attended the writer. when
IA had the superintendent Of the grounds. e. A
Darling for guide and expounder few days ago.
Mr. Darling is intense, and he throws off facts
and figures at a furious rate He is a graduate In
mechanical engineering and watches every phase
~ the work with scientific eye. To get into the
crounds one must have pass The entrance is
close to & little sentry-box at Amsterdam-av ave-
and Northumberland sxteenth-st. Near by, In
tho southeast corner Of the grounds. still stands
tho Macy villa, a two-story brick building. where
wealthy patients once had accommodation. When
the new site shall be occupied this attractive
structure. surrounded with trees and fowerbeds
will be temporarily used for classes In Latin and
Greek.
THE COURTYARD OF THE BUILDINGS.
lust west Of this one excavation work 60
ing on for the courtyard OF the buildings. This
court fronts upon hundred-and-sixteenth-st
and is TO extend $50 feet east and west across the
north and south axis Of the grounds, and will
have depth Of 100 feet. The outlines have al
ready been dug out. The court will be paved
with granite and will be ornamentally treated
with colonnade and other accessories. This form
the entrance court 10 the Library Building There
will be ten gates at the entrance from One-hun-
Observation-Disclosures, and these will be swung
wide open during the day. That this VIII be the
most magnificent and attractive entrance in the
city seems wholly within reason. The college au-
thorties have given forty feet off the southern
end of the grounds to the city. so that One-hun-
dred-and-sixteentn-st is now 100 feet wide in
street has been graded and is a fine, broad ave-
nue. therefore, between the Boulevard and Morn
ingside Drive.
In laying out the courtyard. 1t mas peen
necessary to sacrifice some of the choice trees
in which the grounds abound. The plantation
Of trees. 1t may be noticed here, is one OF the
finest in this country for variety quality, pct
uresqueness and beauty. The asylum authori-
ties have been gradually making the collection
throughout the seventyfve years or the IN
stitution's existence. There yew trees, lin
dens larches. tulips. frs. Norway pines, all va
rieties Of naples, laburnums, horse-chestnuts,
willows, sycamores, two fine specimens or molly
brought from the Smithsonian Institution. oaks,
sweet gums ash and fruit trees Of every kind
that live in this climate OF these, some larches,
horse-chestnuts and oaks have been of necessity
cut down. There are two yew trees said TO be
the only two really worthy the name or trees
standing at the extreme southern end or the
grounds and just west of the court. special
appropriation has been made for the purpose
of saving these. If possible. After the ground
freezes the trees will be "balled' taken up ana
transplanted to the courtyard
WORK ON THE LIBRARY BUILDING BEGUN.
The Library Building will rise Immediately at
the north Of the court. from which the southern
entrance to 1t will be reached by flight OF
steps The excavations for the foundation are
about completed. The building will be In the
form of the Greek cross. and will be $50 feet
square Those who saw the Administration
Building at the Worlds Fair will be pleased 10
learn that this s1000000 structure is upon the
same general plan. with large dome GROWING IT,
The base Of the building is to be or PINK NIL
ford granite and the structure proper VIII De OF
Indiana limestone, which is Of light color. feat-
ures of the building will be a colonnade on the
Of
n feet high surmounted by an entablature upon
which will be the inscription Of the building
the Precise designation of which has not YET
been determined.
II Is Interesting to bear in mind that while the
old ASYLUM authorities chose the hghest point
of the grounds for the site or their main puiio-
ing the Library Building centres upon the same
spot although the position was CHOSEN "i'hou'
reference TO the location Of the old structures
but simply with view to harmonious arrange
pent for the entire group OF buildings
All that remains standing here of the old
buildings ia the extreme western wing, once
known as the John c. Greene Memorial Duho-
ing Its broken southeastern wall WHERE ~
connected with the others. has been repaired
snd Z, will remain indefinitely to serve tenn
porary purposes.
AN IMMENSE RETAINING WALL.
Tho mos, striking feature In the work thus FAR
,,aar,aLon for the new buildings Is the I'M
rense retaining wall, which runs nearly across
the grounds east and west. about opposite one
hundred and hteenth-st. This wall Is Gun
s,ructed Of masses of rock and is from Ten "
twenty feet thick at the base, and ten lee' ''''oN
at the top 1t is twenty-seven ieet hie" 40
built for the purpose of carrying 'he p'a'.aa
On which the Library Building STATUS ~ w.,
northern limit and at the same time II wa"
serva m ,ha southern foundation wall OF the