The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-28
TURIN SCORES HIS CRITICS
IppEiLS TO THE PARK BOfRD
OTER THEIR HEADS.
lie Say. That tho National Sculpture Society,
which Condemned uis statue or Bolivar.
~ virtually nm Artistic Trust - The Park
Itonrd Hands His letter over to tho society

when NOnueuiNtu HtA Stntug OF bolivar.
~ Virtually nn Artistic Trust - The PARK
Itonrd Hands His letter Over to tho Society
Alexander Il. Orr. President of tho RAND
Transit Commission, sent a letter TO tho Park
Board yesterday suggesting that the Commits
toucrs reconsider their decision refusing to
approve the plans for tho tunnel under Battery
PARK. Tho Commissioners based their refusal
on The fact that rs tho roof OF the tunnel would
bO only two feet below the surface Of tho park
q number OF flno troes would have to DO sac.
rihrrd. Tho Rapid Transit Commissioners
offered TO amend tho plans to suit tho views
uf the Park Board, but it was found that they
could not DO so, rs Tho plan presented had al.
ready been approved by tho Board Of Alder.
mon. This was pointed out to the RAND
Transit Commissioners by President McMil.
Ian Of the Park Board in q letter which ho
wrote 10 Mr.. Orr.
at is, OF course, true, as pointed out by your
letter" wrote Mr.. Orr. that tho Rapid Tran.
sl Board can give no formal Assurances. save
such as arc expressed in the general plan,
as 10 tho details of tho construction and oper-
alton of the railroad under Battery Park. But
as your letter EXPRESSES a dosire to approve of
the rapid transit scheme. and al We cannot 10
lioyo that it Is the intention of your board to
mako your approval Of tho plan dependant
upon conditions TO which you know that the
Jaw 10 W utCCuC, Il All NATURALLY
brought 10 the conclusion that the only ground
oil your refusal to assent to the present plan is
that it presents certain features which are
deemed undesirable by your consulting engi-
nOcr.
President Orr goes on TO suggest that tho
whole question be referred again to Prof. Burr
with a request that he examine once moro into
the subject and report, frat, as to tho amount
Of permanent injury. IL any, which will be done
TO Battery Park by the construction of tho road
upon the present route; second, whether any
objections urged by him can be obviatcd by any
ASSURANCES that tho Rapid Transit Commits
sionors can lawfully give; third, as TO any other
plan which tho Rapid Transit Board can law
fully adept, and which viii obyiato such objec-
tons as no may find TO the present plan.
The letter was placed on 1lc.
u. Turini, tho sculptor, whose statue of Gen.
Bolivar was recently refused by the Park Gem
missioners upon the recommendation OF the
National Sculpture Society, has sent another
protest TO the board against the decision Of the
society. Mr.. Turin wants tho Commissioners
10 look at the plaster Gust OF his statue and
satisfy themselves that tho Sculpture Society
made u mistake III not reporting IN favor OF ac-
Might l ask, as a citizen and a taxpayer of
Sculpture Society has made answer to my
statements 10 YOU, and as TO what action your
nOlUFdDlc DOdru mas taken concerning my llVi-
iation that you view my, competed mode! in
plaster or Gen. Bo!ivari l do not ask that you
at once reject the report or the National Sculp-
ture Society, UNJUST though IL De, but request
most earnestly that you gentlemen see tho
completed model AS an act OF justice TO me,
who have been wrongcd by n committee OF
brother artists, competitors in my own profess
sion. | rest assured that If you view my model
you will readily concede that it is a true repro
auction oil the statue offered to your honorable
board by the Venezuelan Government some
months ago.
1T wa then made known to you that tho
gift was to be a copy OF the statue in Caracas
OF Gen. Bolivar, by 1adoiini OF Rome. Yet the
sculpture Society permits the generous donor,
q friendly nation. 10 30 on with the work until
It is practically completed. and tnen gratui-
tously insults II foreign nation By condeulning
the statue because 1t Is a copy, and no copies
sre wanted in New York city parks. That is
the spo!osy now given to me by the members
Of the society Tor the rejection o. the statue.
My completed model, is a true and cxac:
twin of the statue offered to your board, and I
only ass that you gentlemen see the model for
yourselves, and not be governed by a clique
Of artists whose recent, actions in the art
world astound all who love Justice and fair
play. l am no newcomer in the profession OF
sculpture: have executed statues in this
Pres.dent Of, the NaLional Sculpture Society,
and u man whose veracity l questioned in my
statement to your board ten days ago, thought
the a good enough sculptor twenty years ago
10 ask me To execute III marble u bust OF q
prominent person. He confessed he didn't
think it could be done as well by his own hapda.
Il dislike to enter into personalities, but !!
could lay before your board an abundance OF
eNluouC6 70 prove luhL sOu udNc Dteu wrong
fully reported to by the committee OF the
Sculpture Society. can bring before your
70 this combination In art formed by the Ma
tonal Sculpture Society, at.the head of which
is a man who told me that my model was in
The letter was sent to the National sculp-
ture society; we couldn't do otheEwise i we
law compeis us to abide by the decision Of the
Sculpture Society
The Chester A. Arthur Memorial Committee,
OF which Secretary OF the Interior Bliss and
John H.. Starin are members, sent q communi-
cation 70 the board saying that it was the de-
sire of those interested in the project to erect
the monument in Madison square. The letter
also asked that Superintendent Parsons be
tcct selected to design the memorial, to pick
uat tho site. The matter was referred TO Com
missioner Cruger and MIR. Parsons.
Mayor Strong sent a letter asking the board
70 allow the Vacant Lot Farming mmit OF
the S Of tss POOR fSr inc 10 tinpF 500 aeres OF of the the T Inim.
proved ground in Pelham Bay Park during
lsos. The Mayor said that the late William
Stcinway had allowed the COMMITTEES to use
800 acres belonging 10 him on Long Island for
three years. The term Of tho permit ex.
season they had only seventy acres to cultivate.
FFeGTGtnry Lea Lo"ry was - directed t to notify the
tendent Psrsons on the subject. WIN p0f4
United States District Attorney Macfarlane
notified the Commissioners that by direction OF
the Attorney-Genernl he was about to begin
proceedings to compel the Park Board to re-
pGye the temporary bridge across the Harlem
place in 1892 to traffic during
the erection of the now Macombs Dam bridge.
The temporary structure will be removed.
j. c. Rogers, who has the contract for tho
second section Of the Harlem River Speedway,
reported that his work would be finished by
the last of the present month. The s~pecifca-
tons for the Improvement OF the small park Mt
1884 street and seventh avenue were approved
and bids win be asked for at once. The Board
OF Estimate has appropriated $4,000 for this
work. Bids were opened for the work of max
ing n typographical survey of 265 acres of
Bronx Park lying south OF Pelham avenue.
Stone IL Thurston, who offered to do the
work at the rate Of $3.50 TN acre, were the low
est bidders and the contract will probably be
awarded TO them. The land to DO surveyed
will he used for a geological garden.
Charles c. Fullerton suggested the erection
OF an electrical fountain In tho middle of tho
reservoir in Central Park. Tho matter was
referred to Superintendent Parsons.
MADE THE CHILDREN DRUNK.