The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-30
PARK BOARD CRITICISED.
PAIL DANA ON IT'S sURRENDER
TO THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY.

Cbfecttone 70 TIE BrouN FnfE Plans Lal0 Hn-
fore the Beard OF ~Rstinafe-Os the Aavtes
Of ire Csrpsrntisu Cssssei the msara ns-
cides nat "a una Ne Power e. nntsra-r~
The Board OF Estimate and Ap-rortionment
gave = public hearing in the Mayors ONCE yes
.eriay morning on the request Of the Park
Board for an appropriation Of $4,000 for the
erection OF = museum and the other buildings
necessary for the equipment Of the Botanical
Garden in Bronx Park The room WA
crowded with citizens who have Interested
themselves in the matter and the members Of
several organizations devoted to art. Several
members u the Botanical Society we're also
present. Mayor Strong opened the proceed
nss By announcing the object Of the hearing,
and ne said that those who wished to speak IN
opoosltion would be heard first There was .
moments silence, after which ex-Park Commits
Eoner Paul Dana stepped forward and said:
Nh. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: I wish to
say that I appreciate the opportunity afforded
to the public Of getting an insight into such
matters as this. l wish to lay before you GER
tain facts which arc vital to the project under
consideration and pUblic business generally.
The original law providing for the estab-
lishnens OF a botanical garden In Bronx Park
was passed in 1891, and it WA amended in
1894 SO that the Park Board could designate
any oI the puu1lC pOIAS uOELn u Inc EATlGtn
River for the purpose 1 Am sure 1 don't know
why Bronx Park was chosen After the law
vas amended. however. . commission ves ap-
pointed 20 examine into the subject of the
establishment Of . botanical garden and to con-
satisr how best 1t could DO done. Charles 4.
Dana WAS q member ot tnis commission, "a were
Prof. Sargent and Mr.. Olmsted- bus for various
Then the uew PARK Board came In, and the
land In Bronx Park was given without any ex-
animation waatsyer; II a trustee. acting In .
would have been tnvAlldAtsd. and he would
have been removed by the court Land Is not
Wiz the other. ono piece . Best for one pGr.
poss and one Tor another. What Is good for .
botanical garden may not be good for a park
den may have to taxa second place.
The PARK Boari not only gave away the
lang a, IN I sTSa. 70 Ian s5s. Sat tr u rave un a01 Ne ne s,5 5,Sndi
which it possessed. Nevertheless. he people At
large are more Interested in this project than
he trustees OF the Botanical society. for the
entire cost Of the garden, except 4 small sum,
will come out OF their pockets. Bearing this in
mind. l ask Is this selection the besti There Il
nothing TO show that " Is. There nas been no
examination into the subject by tho Park
Board, and no expert can be pointed to as re-
spunsible for the seIecIion or this slts. IL u .
grave question whether q garden situated In
the heart Of \ very thickiy settled section and
surrounded by railroads ami factories viii
thrive. Ny own opinion. II you Will permit
me TO Be heard. is that IN thiekly populated
districts, such As this Is likely To be, surround
Cd hy dwellings and tactorieS, o botanical gar
den viii not flourish Everyreens, for instance,
cannot exist in a city. They become chaksd
with SCOT. Even in the famous kex Gardens
safe distance from the city. tue everyreens have
bean seriously injured by the smoke and sooe-
ssk sner do you think it Is proper TO 2l ,ssSs
may not be he best for AL ttust
"A Der Of the board has been quoted as
saying that the experts could not agree upon
what they wished TO do. Let me read to you
he eunGiud1ns Paragraph or the report OF
Messrs- Sargent, 9inated. and hastings, and We
will see whether that statement is true.
Mr.. Dana then read from the report of the ex-
Perts which condemned the locations OF the d-
~rectors residence, the mG$sur- and the power
house, and which offered to suggest changes IN
The plans which might redeem them
i understand, ae continued, 'tnaL me !oca-
fon Of these buildings has been changed but
the amended plans have never been referred
back To these experts. l would ike TO offer also
Of the fine Arts Eeierauon against the approval
df these plans, and in connection with IL /
VIII read to you the concluding sentence Of . let
tor which I received this morning from J. q. A.
Ward, John La Farys. and Henry Rutgers War
shan- They write that thGsa members u the
Fins Arts Federation who wuulG De asle To At
lend this hearing would have no weight against
the wel-knnwn menbers az tho Botanical So
For the best result, cannot this board con-
1ider h1w 70 put this project not only best in
turn hat best in reeordi Is there any need for
800 ss's IN s : sstan,s sIs ra ar nj S = 'a ss an a1 7.
thafa any necessity FOR such o gaftenf Not
whatever. It Is true that these gentlemen paid
what a he plibiie mus must r sag. but @t'a stiI somsShlns
70 show their deem interest in the scheme.
7 ysntnre % say that u ygu you'd submit this
would be almost unanimous IN their protest
against the establishment Of The garden"
John NJ Carrere, President Of the View York
Chaurar Of she tmerican I~nstfrure of Arrhf-
tecta. was the next speaker.
-rhere are quite \ number Of the members
Of the Fine Arts Federation present, he said.
hui we do not teei that we can adj anything 70
that which Nr. Dana has said, eIcept to ask for
: special a. e1nsidsraEi1a ~ II Inc IN me Easers ,i Of this
but the Board Of Managers Of the Botanical So
tory OF al their labor to establish the garden
vince the inception Of the project in 1889. The
snEirs work of the eSmTitts" Of experts w5ics
made q report ad vlsing that The plans be not
approved, was dismissed with = brief para
fhe Commissioners Of Parks referred the
plans 20 . eommIssion, and received rpm that
enmmtssion . report disaPproyinss OF the ioca-
Tne report ~cnnelndes with these words: The
general plan is therefore adequate and salts
factory; it provides for the dne artistic, archt-
tectural, decorative, and landscape effects, for
the satisfactory prosecution OF the educational
and scientific work of The institntion- tor the
preservation OF the natural features, and for
great additions 70 their beauty. 10 permits .
large degree Of elasticity in its development.
WHICH u1uSL require IlAuy JrhEs lbE LLb Scuipbcr
lion, and provides abundant room for modInca-
ttoua In detail as may hereafter be desired
The Board of Managers intend To make the
Botanical Garden the most attractive and uAs-
tul part Of the etty,,s park system; its develop
ment must proceed cautiously, and IT Is i'm
possible that everybody taste can be suited:
bub the assurance may confidently be given
that no hurtful change will be made In existing
natural features OF beauty
AFTER examining the law and after Learning
the opinion Of tho Corporation Counsel, " said
Comptroller Fitch, Il am not sure, Mr.. Dana,
that II we refused To grant this appropriation .
nnAndAmus would not lie against this board 70
epzzpsi as 10 act in the matter. Under the
law the Park Board Is directed TO carry ous
This work, and We have noLhins 10 do but Gp-
pEoprIate tho money
Il have no doubG that Mr.. scott Is right" re-
piled Mr.. Dana The pruceeiings In this mat
ter have reached a stage where any interterencs
q your part IL improbable. But it wa with
The last hope that something might be done that
va came here to-day"
Mayor strong then called Cor the reading OF
the resolution spproprtastng the money. and It
vA1 adopted By the BOARD.