The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-12
TURINTS STATUE WON'T DO.
NATIONAL SCULPTURE BoCIETY's
REPLT IC HIS PROTEST.

Unahaken ia Its Opinion That the Artiat's
work Does Not Merit n Place In the City's
Parrs-Tho Plans for the New Bridge
Across tho Hariem River Arc Approved.
The National Sculpture Society, through its
Secretary, Barr Ferre, sent n letter to the Park
Board yesterday in answer to the protest Of
Sculptor Turini. whose statue OF Gen. Bolivar
was rejected on tho recommendation of the So
ciety. Mr.. Turini was commissioned by the
Venezuelan Government to make q statue to
replace the one of Gen. Bolivar now in Central
Park. His model was an exact reproduction Of
q statue made by Tadolini OF Rome, and when It
was rejected Mr.. Turini protested. saying that
the action of the Sculpture Society, of which no
ie not . member, was unfair, and had done u
great injustice to his professional reputation.
Io also accused J. q. A. Ward, President OF the
society, OF bad faith. The answer OF tho society
IL as follows:
"Tho National Sculpture Society is in receipt
OF two communications from the department,
dated Aug. 81 and Sept. %, covering two letters
from MIR. q. Turin. Mr.. Turini's letters seem
to allege, first. that his equestrian statue is not
en- original work, but a faithful copy Of a statue
by Tadolini Of Rome. which statue Mr.. Turini
assumes to DO OF admitted excellence; secondly.
that his work was examined by persons neces-
sarily prejudioed against him and directly In
"The National Sculpture Society Is conscious
of having used the best means possible to ascer-
tain and to present to tho department the true
degree of merit reached by the work of art un.
der consideration. Whether 1t is an original
nent to the inquiry. AS regards the second allie
CATION, the National Sculpture Society would
respectfully urge the well.known and often criti-
cised tendency of artists Of standing to judge
too favorably the works of their fellow crafts
men and the certainty that had the work in
question possessed any notable artistic merit 1t
would have received at least due recognition"
The letter was filed.
Plans fpr thp new bridge across the Harlem
River from l45th 60 149th street were approved.
and as soon as the War Department passes
and bids asked for. The act authorizing the
construction of the bridge was passed in 1895.
and the structure must be completed by June
IL, 1907. Its estimated cost is 81 $50. 600. The
plans for the new bridge to City Island,
proved and sent en- to the War Department.
United States District Attorney Macfarlane sent
the Secretary of War had notified him to sus-
pend for the time any legal proceedings looking
:, ,St th q, removal n mo RiS of the Il, Item 5snpporsry bridges MG M GG5oss
lane recently notified the board that II the
bridge was not removed at once proceedings
would be instituted to compel the Park Commits
sioncrs to take IT away, because 1t was, a menace
to navigation; Thereupon the board ordered
the bridge 10 be sold at public auction. with. q
proviso that the buyer should remove 1t within
ten days from the date of purchase.
vey Of the southern HiaNN portion Of Bronx Park,
where the Geological Gardens will be located,
was awarded to Stone s Thurston. J. Baker
new southwest wing and lecture hall building of
the American Museum of Natural History.
His bid, which was the lowest. amounted to
$685. 500. The opening of the bids for the cree
ton of the Museum power house and greeneries
OF the Botanical Garden in Bronx Park, for
which the Board of Estimate has appropriated
$500 900, was postponed until next Monday, in
order to give contractors additional time to
study the specifications.
Plans for a new fountain to DO erected at a
cost of 81 800 at East Forty-second street and
Prospect place were approved, and the speciti-
cations for the Improvement of the Poe Park
is $ 1868. Plans for the Improvement Of Han
cock square, at St. Nicholas and Manhattan
avenues and l21st street, were approved and
the Board of Estimate was requested to issue
$500 worth of bonds for tho work. The Board
of Estimate was also requested to issue bonds to
the amount of 5000 for the rejuvenation of
Paradise Park. Plans for the Improvement of
the entrance to the park at Eighth avenue and
Fifty-ninth street were also approved. The
work will cost 50. 900. The request of the Ma
tional Horse Show Association to allow the Park
police TO take part in this years Horse Show
was granted.