New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-17
THAT PARK BOND QUESIlON
COMMISSIONER WOODRUFF
TREASURER TAYLOR WAo
LITTLE HASTY.

WHY THE MAYOR DECLINED TO ALDo" r'N
NUNS on BONDS TO GO TO THE PAM"
r,-xD-sENAroR BRUSH SAYS OTHER M
pRovEMENTs ARE NEEDED FIRST
,s,,othv 7. Woodruff. Park Commissioner yee
10, vrote letter to Mayor Wurster III VIII"
- s.vs In relation TO two letters adoreS"u ~
49, >Iavor nv County Treasurer II. C. Ia!ioi
ono on February 20 and the other on MAR"
that he Is willing to give bonds ior ho 49,
roason than to establish a precedent loi '
which commends itself to his judgment
In speakng Of the bill mentioned III 'a'
,or,s second letter Commissioner "o'ui" ''
that the bond premium was eliminated az ~
Mayors request from the original oi os u -.
heen prepared by the Park Department. I'm
Woodruff had solicited the preparation " A..
which would devote to the deVeioFnie 49,,
mark and parkway properties recently f,
the premiums which the bonds issued io' P
nurnoses had sold for, and when, the No,
s,oner said. naturally belonged to the pa' -
az much as the par of the bonds anu "e nc
also asked that any surplus existing ai'ei
last piece Of land had been paio LOT 'e"
the park fund for improvements anu "''
to the general county fund as an uheNPeN'
balance s,,sd
w. xvoodruff said that the Mayor had refused
J.. ravorab,v consider the premiums as part OF
~, ...L funds on tha ground that the condition
% ,ha countv treasury would not warrant H. ou'
-, aar.ed that whatever surplus gould be saved
,ror, the sums granted under the various ac'7
for tho purchase OF park sites and roadwaSS
nronerlv belonged to the respective tunus ioi M
rrovements and development Ihereioie' '
Woodruff had requested Corporation Co"",
purr IN the presence of the Mayor, to strike rhe
o,,,,,n c,ause out Of the bills and leave in only
those paragraphs granting the parS oii'''a''
re of such surplus as they might create o' vi"
wise and economical use OF their ruhus i'll pun
chasing the remaining pieces OF properly 70 co.''
nIete the parks and drives laid out by CoHiifiis-
e,onar Woodruffs predecessors ana lhe sPe0'"'
commissions cooperating with theW
Commissioner Woodruff said that ne thousn'
Mr. TAYLOR should have talked WIN the may
and himself before. In a manner tryi's :" "a"
ru,l,c condemnation upon them. He said that
the County Treasures assertion that the p"'"
funds are to be raised by the sale Of bonds Is
correct; that the money was placed IN '"e
hands Of the Park Commissioner In compliance
n,,,h ,he law and the Commissioner was not
r.ouired by that or any other Ia" 10 iu'
bonds. He said that the law was prepdreI ~ -,
a local Democratic administration, passeu -.
1892 by Democratic Legislature anu "pP'
by a Democratic Governor , .h,.
The Commissioner continued by sayihs ma
the vouchers for every dollar eXpenue ,;on a. We
nIa In his Office and open to Inspection ne
agreed with Mr.. TaylO. concerning the "e0e'
sty for publicity Of official acts ~ 90
In speaking of Mr.. Tayior's criticism as =,
tho selection of parks ana their Location ana 10
,ho,r distance from the centre of population
Mr. Woodruff said that the same criucism Wa
made against Mr.. Stranahan wheh ne se''''
the site of Prospect PARK 49,. o,a,,,
public takes every means OF showing us graz, a.,
tLde to him. and has raised bronze statu. ., ~
his honor. while the critics OF the ,otnos
-, ~. s,ta have ceas d TO raise their voices
oxcept in Apologize tones. The new parn'
have been placed where they Will serve 'he pun
lie the best 49,, ,ho
Mr. Woodruff asks # it is Just 70 take the
money obtained hy sale Of bonds for PARK
PURPOSES and apply 1t TO other purposes, as ~
bonds issued specified the use 70 ,a savs was
money should be put. The money, he says Mas
given by the county, and the county hot ohis
agreed 10 IT, out by special acts approves y.
An hav, asked the Legislature to DO con,
cluded Mr. Woodruff. lis 10 allow me 70 sApenu
r,r improvement such little money as ma!
have on hand after concluding the Pun ch"Ie VI
the property. and even with TINS an l can NY
IN do h, 10 properly fence In and other" so pro-
toe, from destru,tio what the County OF hiiiss
has purchased. and execute slmp;e pan 10y
which the parks may BE- made intneu'a'e' ''e
full and beneficial 10 the people ~ 49,.
senator Brush. In speaking Of the bill which,
as originally drawn, allowed the premiums on
park bonds to be usei FOR ,he iproset, 81, him
nv Assistant Corporation Counsel Sperry' put
that the premium clause objected TO was
stricken out. and the bill introduced as amend
ed He agrees with the Mayor and the County
Treasurer that no money should at present De
/ expended upon improvements that can walt.
1T was well enough perhaps, said the SEN
ator 10 purchase .n-ee lands for parks now,
as later a much higher price would have been
eXacted but until new bridge Is putt our
school accommodations are adequate, ana our
streets better paved. these outlying parks can
wait