New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-09
ARGUING FOR THE LIBRARY SIi H.
HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD OF ALDER
MEN ON BRYANT PARK.

HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD OF Ai'ohN'
MEN ON BRYANT PARK
Tho AIdsrmen's Committee on County Anairs'
Nassrs Hall Dwyer Weir, Olcott oahiey' "'
dolph and Cantry held a public hearing yes'e,ua.
IN consider n resolution designating the ia"" ~
present occupied by the reservoir IN fntn-ave,'
Fortieth and Forty second sts.. with the aoJaoe'
lapd living west Of It, known as Bryant ram "
constitute a public park, under the name "a " 1885,,
Park The scheme Of the resolution is 10 ca''s nv
effect the law lately passed by the Legislature a
thorizng the Park Board to turn the lahd o'e' ~
tina trustees OF the New-York Public Library macs
-, of the Aston Tenox and Tilden foundations No
resolution was offered at the regular meeting OF 'ne
Aldermen and was referred to the committee vi
County Affairs. ,,su
The first speaker In opposition was T. r. beuua''
president OF the New-YOrk Board OF flre o"u-'
writer's Mr. Beidall said that in no other Guy IN
tho world was there such an aggregation OF valuable
buildings in the same area In the lower part OF
New-York The best protection the city can pro-
vide should be thrown around H. Inc Danger Vi
fire was always present. The supply III eer'ai"
parts OF the city wofully deficient. Inc reser-
volr AZ Forty -secondet. always more or less IN
Charles Sewall read letter from Chief Bonner.
laying that would be suicidal to remove the reser-
vo.r and that the city needed more reservoirs Inc
speaker presented petition 70 the same erect
signed by seventy two large business firms In the
CITY Colonel W C. Church. Thomas w. Ball. Will
lam r. Webb Samuel McEroy ana fu"au ~
Newell also spoke.
John Bigelow former Minister to France and one
of the library trustees was the first 10 take 'he
floor in favor OF the resolution lie said that pun
lie opinion IL against the conservation Oh t'''
monstrous building" He then added that not feei-
Ing competent to argue question that must ieso'o
Itself into a battle OF experts. he would only adu
N N
and n proposition was made 10 remove one the "a,
surance men would Immediately start scare Oh
probable great confagraton
E,lihu Root was the next speaker. lie SAID that
his experience had taught him .nat eapsfs
be found testify equally strongly on ei ~, ar ,n
OF any question. The natural tennen'y VI s,no
cases they were Influenced by rear, IN some ~
ignorance and IN some by owe OF oos,, "a -,
nnfhing IT il the duty" he added. or the Boatd
OF Aldermen with respect 20 this PUBLIC library 70
,n ,, snt The objections OF the Interested New
York needs a library The people demand ixi'ot
',bi'r linz r1es are established There Is no large
city in the world that - not far IN advance Oh
i5r rheIr maintenance We have expended loss than
one-thrd - what Chicago has spent less tnan m
and even legs than Newark. y. J. The Board o,
Aldermen owes duty IN the premises 20 ~. 49, -,
at large and the people have right 10 expect '""'
TINT duty shall be performed -, .
Jnhn i Crimmlns said that he had spoken 70
many of the leading ehr'hS"Is az" ~, 80 adm,nis-
,raf,ona and all mad cJncuTed In the belief tnst
mo reservoir II no longer necessary
"a ,Mavor Abram s Hewitt referred to his ad
dress AZ IN, dedication OF the now Columbia nj
vers,tv and said that he had seen New-fork trans
,nru-t from A provincial town 10 be a very satse
civ He would call & very great CITY II !, Wei.
moi lacking in certain qualifications The pre-ent
I'm. was a great opportunity. and It was for That
reason that unlimited he attended the meeting 20
extr css his hope that the Aldermen would do thelr
shara In making successful the great gifts Of th~
boneacent founders az The library. NO n"bier s!to
could Doe found than iha one proposed ana II tne
civ had no, owned H. Mr. Hewitt would have sus-
peg, n that II be purchased by the city and pre-
.n.ei ,o tho trustees FOR the erection OF library
building A., ,.,,s.s
The meeting then adjourned until wednesday mex,
AZ o'clock in the afternoon. In the mean Tune the
e,n.r,s az both SIDES will send written briefs on
mir oninons nna Their reasons FOR and against the
removal OF the reservoir