The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-25
GROUNDS FORTHE NEW ZOO
s61 ACRES IN BRoNx PARK FOR
MLLLY GIVEN TO THE SOCIETY.

The society 70 Ratse 600 In Three
Hears-zoe to Ne Free rive Days n week.
The fnal step in tbe preliminary work of secur.
ing for New York what will perhaps be the finest
sociological garden was taken yesterday afternoon
when the Sinking Fund Commission gave to the
New York Geological Society q tract OF land in
Bronx Park. comprising 261 acres, lying south
OF Pelham avenue. It lacks but q month OF
two years since the act authorizing the Sinking
Fund Commission to do this was passed, and it
q ten months incc the society made an applica-
ton for the tract Of land It secured yesterday.
In the two years that have passed the society
has employed the best equipped experts In the
country to locate q site, and has sent It's
Director, William 7. Hornaday, to visit the
principal geological gardens in Europe. The
pite in Bronx Park was chosen after u most
searching examination Of the uptown parks, and
It was deemed By all odds the best fitted for the
purpose.
For some time the willingness OF tho Sinking
Fund Commission to give the land. under GER
tain conditions agreeable to tho society, has
been assured, and az q result complete plans
and specifications for the improvement OF the
grounds have been prepared. All that il now
needed for the Park Department to begin work
on the grounds Is tho authorization by the
Legislature of the sale Of S125,oo0 worth Of
bonds to get the money for the purpose and the
letting Of the contracts. all Of which will be
done this year. The society on its part
has bound itself to raise 500, 900 In one year
from yesterday. and $4,000 in three years
from the date work on the grounds is begun by
the Park Department.: in other words, It has
bound itself to have the garden completed in
three years, for work viii undoubtedly DO begun
this spring. and vice-President Henry f. Osborn
promised yesterday that by hext spring a part of
the garden would be open to the public.
There was considerable discussion at the meet
ing OF the commission before the resolution
giving the land and stating the conditions was
passed. The resolution was prepared by Cor
~poration Counsel Scott, and. with the exception
OF a few points, was satisfactory to all con-
cerned. The discussion finally narrowed down
to one point, the time within which the whole
amount OF $3.50. 600 was to be raised. As origi-
nally stated In the resolution. the society bound
Itself to raise 300 within . year from the
date Of the passage Of the resolution and $50. 900
additional within ave years from that date; also
the right was given to the city to revoke the
grant OF land II in Eve years from the passage Of
1t was Comptroller Fitch who raised the point.
He said that he was heartily In favor of the
project and was desirous Of doing everything in
oughly in the wise expenditure OF money that
would enhance the attractions OF the city and
af But In view, be said. cot the great value of
the land grant which we are asked to make I
u s4i ibs !. soi L only IRE RfsP Is . i mast We va inS q t hsz aGss
time placed upon It's duration, for the wording
OF the act Is very broad and 1t may run for years.
/ think the resolution should be amended so as
TO read that the society promises to raise the
the sU passage Of the resoiution. and make a mo-
Il do not Believe in giving to any gentlemen
fore they AXE possession Of the land they should
thew the matter sRas t Of he Ha1 Botsniesi garden fSen "a" and 1 sSoa "a
st P50t; 9; s,s a, ssPly Yin s,s e .Gi E Tss sss1 risfh;
fhe men Interested in the Geological Garden"
do not expect to make money out Of it, On the
contrary. they are giving valuable time and
Earien viii b Essentially for the people ~ There
interess for science and scisntists that sur:
surround the Botanical Garden. It Will be prac-
ttcally solely for the amusement and Instruction
s % sas ios1 Ss.s = = t sns e ssrR Isss g a tn,s days sssoi IN Inn
week, and We expect to have 10 open to the
"As to our raising s25o.ooo In one year, con-
think the condition rather unreasonable, In
the 1850, 600 raised by that society becomes an
land only. but our $4,000 s1 instead q 5es@@ins
an od g fund. viii Be sPent Immediately
lection.
museums, the Museum Of Natural History and
are promising to do as much as they did. The
former had q collection worth $4,000 and re-
600 t building @tfEn .Hf The fasi later SesH bad Z e eoile s4d worth
S25O.0OO and received from the city S2OO,OO0 .
year for hye years for a building
guire US to raise this money before getting the
Land viii only result in putting back the project
botanical Society to raise its money. You Know
that when such q project IS this comes up, there
are a few pueTIise.sptrssd men thai are called IN
for the Botanical Garden, and, with the present
state OF finances. it win take some time 70 raise
President Mcmillan of the Park Board had o
essor Brons PREPARED ydui - that fs6m all a., animals nanns and
garden, in other words, that the garden
should be, maintained and owned by the city.
poration Counsel Scott, however, had already
decided that this could not be done under the
Considered. Recorder Con then suggested that
as the limit of the completion of the garden
was placed at avs years from the pas
and two years had already passed, The limit Of
time Tor raising the money Sc made contempt
- l LAo c4plIdllun OI the uullL y u tlL1o
placed upon the completion Of the garden.
Director John l. Cadwalader objected TO this,
saying that the society might, DO subjected 70
unexpected delays by the Park Department In
preparing the grounds. President Mcmillan
said that II he got the money no could do the
Stiles said:
Shoulder"
Comptroller Fitch told Mr.. Cadwalader that in
the event OF an unexpected delay through no
fault OF it's own the society could get an extern
sion OF time. Mayor Strong then proposed that
the society, bind itself to raise the money and
complete the garden within three years after
the work on the grounds was begun By the Park
Department. Comptroller Fitch withdrew his
amendment. and Mayor Strong's. proposition
was accepted as an amendment and Incorporated
IN the resolution. The conditions on which the
grant OF land IL made are In substance az fol-
lows:
F~irst-That the grounds thus set apart and
Appropriated shall be used for no other purpose
rhatsoeycr except for the purposes Of the Zoo
Eogical Garden as these are specified In the law,
and that the appropriation OF lands shall be re-
yo%ed II, after the expiration Of three years
pom the date OF the commencement of the work
ny the Park Department referred to and de-
~ bed in the sixth paragraph Of this resolution,
land.
Serond-The ORIGINAL saufpment and animala