New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-07

which the collections are kept. but the ART treas
ures belong to the Metropolitan Museum oil Art
Taken all in all. the city owns the frame anu inc
museum owns the pictures
In explanation General hi Cesnola said that
the Metropolitan Museum Of Art was strlctF
private corporation. 1t was Incorporated !"
1870 and the following were the charter me"
bers: John Taylor Johnston, William cullen BY
am John a. Dix. George w. Curtis. NlHiam H.
AspinwaH Christian Z. Detmold. Andrew -
Green William J. Hoppin John f. Kensctt. Ed
win D. MORGAN. Howard Potter, Henry g. STEP
bins. William r Blodgett. Samuel J.. NJ Barlow
George f. Comfort. Joseph H. Choat" FREDERICK
E. Church. Robert Gordon. Richard VI. Hunt,
Robert Hoe. jr Eastman Johnson. Frederick
Law Olmsted George 7. Putnam, Lucius Tuck
erman John Quincy Adams Ward. Samuel q.
Ward Theodore Weston and Russell Sturgis'
THE OWNERSHIP OF THE MUSEUM
! BY a subsequent act OF the Legislature the
! Park BOARD was authorized ana directed to IN
/ fer into a contract with the Museum of Art to
| erect certain buildings where the art treasures
which had been stored and exhibited in -Four
tecnth-st prior 10 that time might be properly
housed and exhibited. In due time the property
Of the museum was removed TO the buildings
which had been prepared for them, and the trus-
tees signed a lease with the Park Department
for the buildings and for all others which might
| be erected bv the department for the use Of The
Museum. Among the conditions Of the lease
were the following: That the trustees shall keep
the Museum open free four days in every week.
| and that two days every week the trustees
might charge admission fee; that the Museum
| should be open and free TO the public all pub
| lie holidays except Sunday and that the trustees
should always have the risht to employ their
rt,i.c a
lions for the government Of the place they
might see fit. /, was also provided in the lease
that the trustees might at any time, by giving
! three months notice to the Park Board 10 The
J city authorities. remove within nine months all
/ the property belonging 10 the Museum and sur
render the empty buildings to the city authori-
| ties.
"While the trustees have ;hls right" said Cen
era hi Cesnola they will never make use Of
it. because it s their object TO improve and de-
velop the Institution; but it must be remembered
also that the city can never divest the trustees
Of their rights a. tenants as long as hey live up
to the agreements which they made with the
Park Board
Since March 80. 1850" he continued. the or
ganization has occupied the buildings and every
| requirement has been carried out faithfully and
consclentously. \ few years ago at the request
Of great number Of citizens. the rules were
changed to permit opening the buildings to the
public on sunday, the city assuming the rcspou-
sibty FOR the extra expense"
As to the amount paid by the city for the run
| ming expenses Of the Museum, General hi Ces-
nola said that Of the $i:9OOO which was ex-
pended last year 10 maintain the institution the
city had paid about $4,000 and the balance came
out Of the pockets Of the members Of the Mu-
scum. The works Of art have all been contrib
uted by friends Of the Museum nothing has been
left undone by the trustees and those who were
interested to make the Museum instructive and
attractive and 10 cultivate a taste for the beauti-
ful in people who would otherwise have had no
/ opportunities in that direction.
THE NATURE OF THE RULES
I'VE made rules which were in Keeping with
those In similar institutions abroad" General
! hi CesnOla continued, and without which
our art treasures would have been un-
safe and those who came to see them would
have been uncomfortable Among the rule. were
these: Children under seven years old viii not
be admitted unless accompanied by parents or
guardians: intoxicated or dsorderly persons and
men without coats wearing greasy or oily
Overas Will not he admitted. The men who are
/ in attendance at the Museum turnstles say that
/ there has probably not been day in the seven
! teen years that these rules have been In opora.
ton that people have not been reminded OF them
Scores Of men have come To the gates during the
and some went away when told that they must