New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-30
As TO THE PALISADES.

We are In receipt or letter sleh'u u! a. -
Morrison of Riverside Drive, land most Oh
other citizens asking Where Is me IT'D
tune. that II does not attack the vahua'isih
"and outrage carried on by the contractors
'who are Fastening to destroy with dynamite
"the beautiful Palisades: Why Is The IT'D
.une's voice silent? Let Inc lripune
"6re away every day. until an injunction Is
"compelled. against the vandals. to stop their
"devilish greed"
In reply we beg TO say that we are In exact
accord with the sentiments OF the let'er, GA
cepting that we cannot admit that Inc Iriouhe
has been silent on this subject TN the con-
trary The Tribune was foremost III calling at
toption 70 the detestable vandalism IN q,ses-
tion and in agltating for It's suppression WIN
IN tbe last few days we have given much space
70 the matter. encouraging those who are work
inc for the preservation of the Palisades. ana
telling in words and in pictures. or the aDom-
Unable spollation of one of Natures noDlest
monuments that is now being pressed forward
with feverlsh haste.
II nust however be borne In mind that agi-
alton of the matter has a twofold erect III
serves and has served, to hasten the WORK OF
destruction. Several years ago, when The
Tribune took the subject up and reused the
public and the State governments to the mag
nitude of the evil the contractors got scared
at the prospect of having their work stopped
and made an instantaneous rush Tor all the
finest poInts and landmarks along the Palisades
and blasted them down, in order to do just as
much damage as possible before they were
stoned Thus some Of the most Striking lea'-
ures of the great cliffs were irretrlevapiy
ruined The same policy seems TO prevail 10
day. The contractors are picking out the nnest
noints of rock and throwing them down. We
have no doubt that the publication OF ms very
article will cause them to redouDle their FL
forts. and that within the next few days there
will no some more than ordinarily destructive
blasts.
The destruction of the Palisades Is the more
reprehensble, because it is absolutely uncaneu
for It is sheer wantonness. 1t Is not neces-
sary TO blast off another ton or rock 10 ge' aii
the rock that can possibly be needed Tor gen
erations to come. There are millions OF ions
of it already thrown down. 1t lies at the FOOT
of the Palisades in the form of the enormous
talus which at points rises to half the height
of the cliffs 1t would not be vandalism TO
clear that away 1t would not IMPAIR but
would rather enhance. the appearance, the
majesty. Of the Palisades. But the contractors
let it lie and go on blasting away the hnest
turrets along the summit. They do this be-
cause-to be charitable to them and to impute
to them the least base Of the various conceiv-
able motves-because ii costs them perhaps
few cents a ton less to get rock from the sum-
nit than from the talus. For such consldera-
ton they are willing and eager TO destroy, as
they have already largely destroyed one of the
most magnificent bits OF natural scenery the
world contains. Our correspondent Is not
bit too severe in calling that "devilsh greed.
And the governments Of the States OF New
York and New-Jersey and the Government or
the United States look on unmoved, and let
the work Of destruction go on, just as the local
government complacenty acquiesces In the de-
Element of the city and the pollution of its
crystalline atmosphere by the lawbreaking
users of soft coal "The whole city-the entire
Nation''-says our correspondent. ARE personal
'ly interested In the saving of these beautiful
Hudson River banks before II Is too late
Yes; but we are compelled 20 confess that what
is everybodys business seems sadly like no
body's business. Nevertheless. The Tribune 2
voice will not fail to he raised. as It has long
been raised In denunclation of the crime that
is being perpetrated against the human race,
and in demands that It be- stopped.