The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-01-06
NEW YORK LETTER.

The New York Aquarium is at last
open. The question as to the time of
lis opening has been asked thousands
Of times since the historic Castle Gar
den ceased to be Il receiving station for
immigrants iii 1890. 1t has been
asked over and over again by New
Workers who have seen the outside
transformation of the old building, and
II has been repeated by many people
IN other parts OF the country who ex
pect to come 10 the country 10 see its
sights.
Although there were many blunders
N the early construction of the aqua.
rum, and although much money was
wasted on account OF those blunders,
the aquarium will be the finest In the
world when it is completed and fully
stocked. Visitors at first Will see only
about sixty varieties of fish in the
tanks. The number of tanks Is to be
Increased ms the collection of fish In
creases, until there Will be over l5G
which were built after the work was
begun by the rammany Board of Park
Commissioners nearly four years ago,
were so defective that they burst al.
most as soon rs they We're filled. The
inside construction of the large build
ing at first admitted so much sunlight
that II killed hundreds of fish.
hA
by Mayor Strong were obliged to have
the entire interior of the building
changed. and new tanks substituted
for the defective ones. II has cost
about 100000 to make the aquarium
what 1t Is today, aud of that sum the
present Park Commissioners have ex-
pended less than $4,000. The recent
changes have been made under the d.
reetion of Dr. Bean, who was selected
for the position of director on account
of his acknowledged ability, and the
architectural work was planned by
Edward d. Lindsey.
II the foot ball craze continues to
grow in the next few years us In the
past. Manhattan Field and the Polo
grounds together will be inadequate
10 accommodate the crowds. They
Will have 10 fence In Manhattan
Island. The people seem To have gone
crazy. The trouble has been this year
TINT while there have been Mt least
10000 people who were after tickets
at any price, there were only 1880
seats available. and only by II squeeze
f,.f.. q I... Il ff
rush for tickets has been unprecedent.
ed at all games, ana tickets for the
Nale-Prlnccton game sold as high as
$50
One Of the skyscrapers that are 20.
Ing M In the lower part Of the city
never fails To come In for its share OF
attention whenever architects gather
together, and this cdiiicc, when com.
pleted IL likely to be always regarded
as the monument to Il certain well.
known architects enthusiasm In favor
of restricting the height of buildings.
WITT nrT0inted 10 act on a com.
mittec organized by one OF the most
influential architects societies known
IN the country. The committees Ia
wv" "'i' ~ ne preparatory 10 UlScOY
crlng what steps could be taken TO Sc
cure some action on the part OF the CITY
government toward limiting the height
OF city buildings. AZ the outset OF the
work this particular artist labored en-
Enthusiastically In behalf of the com
mittee, ana II was n surprise to his
Fellow members when they received O
note from him asking that the com.
mittee's final meeting be postponed un
Ill after certain date. There was no
explanation for his request, but the
meeting was postponed When lt was
held the reason OF the architects de.
sire for postponcmcnt became an.
parent lie had been waiting for the
decision of "A competition, and had sue.
cceded In gaining the contract to put
up what was about the highest Office
building planned up to that time. The
fortunate architect resigned from the
committee, and his associates agreed
with him that his action In the clrcum.
stances was entirely correct. But they
were SO discouraged that the commit
tee came to nm end after that meeting
and the society has made no furthe,
Efforts To secure legislative action IN
restricting the height of buildings.
CYRUS THoRp.