The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-04
A Defence That Was an Exposure.

A Defence That Was an Exposure.
The statement made to the Board of Esti.
mate and Apportionment by the Board of
Managers of the Botanical Garden is a fit
ting crown to the course of this Society
with which the public is already familiar.
Although the application for the money to
build the garden, in defiance of the highest
expert opinion and Of the emphatic protest
of the united press and the united artists
society of the city, was successful, there is
still in the Society's apology som useful in
struction for the public, particularly for
those members of the Society who have been
totally ignorant of the manner in which
their active colleagues have been managing
their trust.
The Board Of Eatimate and Apportion.
ment was informed that 1.-THE Committee
on Plans had always In mind the beautiful
natural features OF the ground. Their
preservation had been determined on from
the very first"
The intelligence with which this purpose
was served is thus described by the re-
port of the Park Boards committee. con-
sisting of Prof. CHARLES S. SARGENT, Mr..
THOMAS HASTINGS, Mr.. JOHN G.. OLMsTEp,
and Mr.. SAMUEL PARsoNs:
IF the land in question was simply vacant tract,
without features OF exceptional natural beauty, and
permission was given the director to choose Q site for
his dwelling. he would probably select q high. com.
manding point well removed from the annoyance Of
the railroad. with broad lawns and nne trees standing
at SUFFICIENT intervals TO AFFORD an extensive view
from his house. He would then. in order to preserve
the view from his mansion. find some secluded spot
for his stable, another for his glass house and garden.
and another for his gardeners cottage. In short. he
would proceed to take possession of all the surround.
Ing land and use It as q country seat. In choos.
ing q site for his museum. he would prob
ably look about for another high, commanding
site. Another commanding site would be utilized
for the great conserv atory. This Is the method
which would be adopted in laying ont a series Of
house aites in an open suburban neishborhood, but It
is not the way to lay out q public park where the
beauty OF the landscape and tho natural features arc
80 great.
"That has been the controlling motive in the selec-
tion Of the land. The most reverent regard for the
landscape should absolutely control every step in the
design for fitting such land for public enjoyment aud
instruction"
From this comment upon the plans as
they were submitted to a committee repre-
sentinR the public, the owners of the land,
one can know how keen was the desire of
the Botanical Garden trustees to "pre-
serve the beautiful natural features of the
ground" 1t is evident that the trustees
deluded themselves if they imagined they
had such an idea, or that they were hope.
lessly incompetent to execute it. The ruling
motive in preparing the plans was to give
all prominence to the part of the work in
which the trustees should have a share in
constructing, namely, the buildings. The
first attention was given to the personal
comfort Of the Director of the Garden.
In the committee Of experts employed by
the Society to prepare the plans the mem.
bers backed by any claim to knowledge of
planning grounds were r. ". GIBSON,
"architect;' JoTN r. BRINLEY, "civil and
landscape engineer" and SAMUEL HEN
SHAW, Landscape gardener" The stamina
of Mr.. GIBsoN's art for resisting the whims
of the trustees can be seen by re-read.
ing Prof. S~ARGENT's words printed above.
Mr.. BRINLEY has 10 reputation which
would justify his employment on a New
York city work in the capacity assigned to
him. Neither has Mr.. HENsHAw.
1t would be interesting to know the name
of the gentleman personally responsible for
this statement: "Supt. PARSONS was fire..
quently consulted and was repeatedly on the
ground" Either this gentleman must have
been misinformed or his thoughts are of
some peculiar substance that can be moulded
at will. Mr.. SAMUEL PARSONS, Jr., the Su-
perintendent of the Park Department, de.
clined a request emanating from the Society
to advise professionally regarding the b.
tanical Garden, unless requested so to do
by the body to whom he was responsible,
the Park Department.
The Board of Managers also assured
the municipal officials, and through them
the public, that it had enjoyed the
"advice and suggestion OF many bot
~anists." The value of the botanists'
advice to the Board of Managers can
be estimated from their appointment as
Director of a gentleman wholly without
experience in planting or cultivation. His
credentials were a professors chair in Co.
lumbia College, of which one of the Garden
trustees, Mr.. SETH Low, is President. A
professor of botany is a very different per-
son from a director Of a botanical garden.
The enterprise up to date. including the
selection of a site without any expert judg-
ment of record or without the hearing of
any representative of the public who's
and was to be taken, has been entirely I'M
der the auspices and at the instigation of
the hodge-podge, irresponsible administra.
ton of the Hon. WILLIAM L. STRONG. A
case of less successful business, or of worse
government, cannot be cited without step.
ping Upon tainted ground.