New-York tribune., 1896-12-06
ANIMALS TO BE ON SHOW.
PLANS OF THE NETWORK GEOLOGICAL
SOCIETY.

APPLICATION FOR \ PART OF BRONX PARK
INITIAL COST TO BE MET BY PRIVATE SUB
scR1PrIoN-ADvANTAGEs OF THE SITE
MR. HoRNADAY THE DIRECTOR.
The magnitude and Importance of the plan pro-
posed by the New-York Geological Society for the
establishment in Bronx Park OF a zoolog!ca pa'A
/ for the city Of New-York must be apparent 10 any
one who has considered the details OF the scheme'
Although the society has been in existence for foIe
than a year and a half and from the beginning
has had as it's prime object the establishment oi
such park the public has had comparatively
little knowledge of the scheme, and until lateiy no
definite steps have been taken by the city au'"o''
! Ties toward cooperation with the society
! Tho scheme itself however is much older tha''
, the New-York Geological Society. The es'aphSh-
meri of a New-York Geological Park has Deen
! talked OF for y score Of years and more It's heen
and Importance have been especially evident 10
travellers who are familiar with the attention p''o
fo such institutions by Of the great European
| clt,.s William r Ho-naday director OF IN" New
| York Geological Park. has made extensive HHeS''
cations on the subject in his absence apro""' anu
he's nropared an elaborate report showing the size
! and general features OF the Zoological sa'"'h'
maintained in the municipalities of Great Britain
and Europe This report shows that OF the tour-
/ teen pubic geological rardens In Europe that were
/ recently visited and inspected by the rcpr'S'"'"'
/ tive Of the Ncw-York Geological Society," an save
two were under the management and con'ro' OF
geological societies and corporations The Jafdl'l
do. plontcs. OF Paris IS a National institution. Oh
! this number eight cardens We're upon lana whic"
had been set apart for that purpose in pubic PARKS
without the cxactlon of any concessions Whatever
as to free privileges for the public save IN the case
Of the National Institution in Paris The zooogicl'
! societies which have thus been supplied oy '"'"
/ respective cities with grounds for thelr gar"e'is
! free Of rental so long as the gardens are su'"piS
maintained are in the following cities: LONDON
Hanover. Hamburg. Berlin. Dresden ana r"''S
/ ,Jardin d'Accl.mltatiom
A. Tolpsir the geological garden now being de-
vclopcd is land sequcstcrcd from the HheS' anu
most accessible part Of public park. and turned
over to q sinsl. privat" individual who mas eS-
tahlishcd The garden. Although all these gardens
occupy ground belonging 10 the public. yet NOT one
of them Is eyer open 10 the public free Of admission
+ even Tor ore day IN each year much less on SIX
/ DAYS ~ each week. as is proposed for the "e"-
! York Geological Park.
/ MAINTENANCE OF EUROPEAN GARDENS
with the exception Of the m"nagerie ~ the Jardl'
G,s Plani,~ at Paris al the zoolog'eal gardens o'
Europe have been established by funds either con-
trihuiod hy members realized in thc payment OF
annual dues 10y the ISSUE and sal" OF sh9r's'
/ Thcy are maintained from year to year by funds
/ drawn from the following sources: Gate receipts
for admission TO the gardens. tho fees and annual
dues OF members Of the controlling society. the
/ lease or operation Of valuable franchises in the
/ grounds ald the sale of valuable animals bred IN
] thr gardens
| OF these various sources OF income the first Is
usually much greater than all the others com
hln.d. In three places. however antwerp. Rotter-
! darn and Amsterdam. there exist rather unusual
| and remarkable conditions Those three gardens
are wholly owned. ground rs well "a improvements.
by their societies. Residents OF thos" cities VINO
are not members Of the geological societies are not
/ permitted 10 enter the gardens even hy payment.
save that two days OF each year the people OF
| the poorc. classes. who financially unable to
become members are admitted at an admission
/ feo of 70 cents. Two OF those societies are very
! large. each having a membership AZ between 800
! md 5"p persons due larg,ly 10 the social pleas
urcs from the privileges Of the gardens. BY reason
~ the different social conditions existing In this
country It is considered Impossible for any Amerl-
/ can geological garden 20 derive any considerable
/ income from iis social features In the manner 80
general in the gardens OF the continent OF Europe.
In Mr Hornaday's opinion the result OF having
: no free days In IN" European gardens IL that the
D b,uoais OF the gardens really Injuries for the
wealthy and well-io-do classes. The really poor
people have open parks In abundance. and enjoy
thcm 20 the fullest extent but the admission Zee
/ necessary enjoyment % the study Of animals
In the geological garden H. to tens OF thousands. an
lnsurmOuniabc barrier to pleasures Of that nature.
Ia Paris the people Of the poorer classes-as well
80 all others -throng the menagcric Of the Jardin
dcs Panics In such crowds that the director Is al
most distracted with the highest and stronges,
barrier In any European garden. Professor Milne
Edwards declares that they not yet high
enough and strong enough fully to protect the AMI
mails from the crowds which Visit them daily. II
IS his advice that the proposed Ncw-York Zooog.-
cal Park should bc open to free admission only two
days Of each week instead OF a greater number.
THE FINAN.IAL SIDE.
\ really great city which has geological garden
at All - expected by the rest Of the world to have
large one worthy of itself and able fairly repre-
sent the kingdom OF zoology. with the facts and
figures now In the possession OF tho Ncw-York
Geological! Society. Mr.. IIornaday says. 1t is pos
+ sblc to plan II geological park or garden Of any
given size. to cost any sum year that may be
nNed upon. In Europe where labor less
than In America. IT Is possible to maintain I,
geological garden for smaller annual charge
/ found that the clcanes; and most heiutiful
! gardens have the most employees. and the largest
/ and finest gardens are those which cost the most
money for annual mantcnrnrc. The following fig
urcs show the annual cost for maintenance OF the
institutions named:
| Garden at Garden
Perrin 800 Antwerp ......... .s38 500
Amsterdam 10000 London .............. 10000
WLiTgin n,s" % %rbisarlphia % 's.
Hanover ......... i2Wo Iarls .............. 2OOo)
/ Enumerated categorcally. in the order OF their
Importance the public requirements for a zooogi-
| cal garden follows:
4 site as near possible to the centre of popula-
| ton.