The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-24
PARKBOARDB ARSTHE WAY
UNDERGROUND RAPID TRANSIT HITS
ANOTHER SNAG.

prevail or the Original Plan to Grab hat.
terry Park Defeated for the Present at
B~oast-Patched Up DrawtnEs Turned Down.
The Rapid Transit Commissioners struck an.
other snsg yesterday when Chief Engineer Par
sons and Mr.. Ogden OF tho firm Of Shepard, Par
sons & Ogden, counsel for tho commission, APP
peared before the Park Board and asked for it's
approval Of the lower Broadway route. which
includes the loop around Battery Park, Bowling
Green, and Whitehall street. During the dis.
cussion which followed IL was developed that
what the Rapid Transit Commissioners wanted
was not the Park Boards approval Of the plan,
which they intend to carry out finally IL
tho scheme to build the road ever goes
through, but its approval Of the plan which has
already been passed upon formally by the APP
pellate Division of the Supreme Court and
adopted by the Board Of Aldermen. When this
plan was first presented to the Park Commits
sioners they refused to approve it because II 1t
was carried out the roof Of the tunnel would not
be moro than two feet below the surface where
It ran under Battery Park. Their refusal to
approve the plan was based on the belief that II
the tunnel was SO built it would be necessary TO
sacrifice a great number of fine trees.
The action Of tho Park Board put the Rapid
Transit Commissioners in a quandary. They
could not alter the plan without reopening the
whole matter before the Appellate Division Of the
ouplShiO Nouib ohu a. oooiu u <hiuN CIV
failing thereby a delay Of several months at
least. Engineer Parsons, however, was in.
structed to go ahead and make q plan showing
the alterations desired by the Park Commission
ers and he presented the drawings at yesterdays
meetings of tho board. According to the
amended plan the roof OF the tunnel will be
from four to four and q half feet below the sur
face in Battery Park and only two large grass
plots will be affected. The route of the road
around the loop was also slightly altered. These
alterations. as indicated in the plan. were only
tentative and they wero made in pencil. While
Engineer Parsons was explaining their effect
President Mcmillan interrupted him.
There is no use OF your talking any further
on this matter" he said sharply. 1--WE have no
power or authority to pass on plans until they
are complete. We cannot act on a half plan. 1
told you that several times before. You have
got to bring In a perfected plan II you want us
to act. In any event. the plan which we will go
by is the one now on Ale in this department"
But this is a perfected plan" retorted Mr..
Parsons.
rs it the same as the plan filed in this depart
ment q asked Mr.. Mcmillan.
Mr.. Parsons evaded a direct reply, and when
Mr.. Ogden came to his rescue the Park Com
missioners were enlightened concerning the in
genious scheme prepared by the, Rapid Transit
essarily follow II the Park Board insisted on al
t~erations in the original plan.
file as you desire said Mi. ogden. but II you
will approve it as It stands we Will promise to
Villa viii have to wait until next spring, and a delay
now may imperil the whole scheme for rapid
My duty as q Park Commissioner demands Of
me that shall know just what am doing be-
fore ! vote on this mater" persisted President
other srurthoritisss firsi. That Was not our fault.
Why, as long as three months ago wrote 10
your commission. both as a Park Commissioners
Ididn't get it This plan which Mr.. Parsons now
presents is not easily understood. he could
have given us three cross sections and we could
see at once just what you want"
But did give you the cross sections said
"You didn't give them to me- retorted Mr..
them. We want no mystery in this department.
s @s T %isan 10 asss ih'R%Si se 30 t Rihaa 'a ale no 2 sds
plain 70 US we act promptly
tackled him next on the subject Of the location
q stations In and about Battery Park; Mr.;
ha 1edo as y et.' Wen. IL ] suppose ipSassSy You at viii Be conn d
ing, here fol. that afterward. too said Mr..
t asM ot Stations Ms' e osHfn not etPbt Be- tsod 'n until in It 'S %ss
finally determined that the road was TO be quilt.
station sae&r at Tie end me Of the route. bun she t viii I'LL not se be- q
sidewalk, near the entrance TO the ferries"
am ready to vote on the plan now on file in
this department" said Mr.. Mcmillan, -
Commissioners Cruger counselled delay. Il
Il has first been submitted to tho Corporation
Counsel" he said. Il move that Mr.. Ogden
referred to ISr. Scott for an opinion" The mo.
tion was adopted.
ture Society advising the board not to accept
the equestrian statue Of Gen. simon Bolivar. u
clay model OF which has been made by Sculptor
Turin. The statue was intended to replace one
Of the same subject now in Central Park. 1t is
the opinion Of this society; ;" said the letter" that
var. as seen in the studio OF the sculptor. fails to
reach that standard OF artistic excellence that it
the public grounds or parks of this city. There.
fore the society does not recommend its accep.
the statue OF the same subject now in the Cen.
tral Park or for ERECTION In any other public
fersd ,ior, the Improvement Of 81. job ST Park i
and the building OF the new southeast wing OF
the American Museum OF Natural History the
key of the box containing the tenders. could moi
be found. Secretary Leary turned AL his pocket.
ceiling carefully and swept the asphalt walks in
the zoe outside with a ~pieScing gaze. But thu
su~ltation in which Mr.. Leary. the assistant Sec
rotary. and the head bookkeeper took part, bu,t
nal yf Pr s@Gdea mi %c n h1aRe sent ihf for e q sere%Srlr ra
Office of superintendent Parsons. But 70.
can open 1t only In the presence OF the board, y
said Mr.. Leary anxiously. Mr.. McMillan smiled
Suddenly there was a crash and the Presiden'
Of the board appeared with the box open. Their
he announced that owing to a technical error
In the specifications OF the st. Johns Park con
tract all bids would be rejected. Secretary
/ Leary was ordered to readyertise the work. Thu
lowest bidders for the Natural History Mu
bid was 36t,5OO. and tho contract will b
i, awarded 10 them.
, A. communication was received from tn,
Geological Society asking the Park Board tt
: make 3 Typographical survey OF the southern
end Of Bronx Park, 80 that the society can ar
|, range Its plans for the geological garden which
Z Is TO be located there.
q The request was filed. A protest was received
2 from tho West End Association, of which Cyru
Clark 10 the President, against dumping refus
, along the Riverside Park water front. The pro
test stated that the dumping was done unde
permits granted by tho Park Board. Secretar
Leary stated that no such permit was ever Is
sued by tho present board. He was instructe,
r to find out whether any such permits issued b.
q previous board were still in existence.
Superintendent Parsons reported that the pip
q system In Central Park was In bad order, and h
a IeGommended that Z complete new system Q
Q adopted and the scheme Maa referred To III