New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-04
FOR HORTICULTURAL HALL.
GROUND BROKEN IN BRONX PARK AND
WORK BEGIN


Work on one Of the finest buildings for plants in
this country begun yesterday when ground
was broken by August Moebus. Park Commissioner
for The Bronx. for Horticultural Hall. In the new
Botanical Garden In Bronx Park The building
which Is to be Of glass and iron. will be finished
and ready for occupancy by October OF this year.
and the collections OF the fora OF Porto Rico.
being made through the generosity OF Corr
nelius Vanderbilt. will then be set up in It. Ths
building is 20 be north Of ST. Johns College.
south Of the Southern Boulevard. and 100 feet
south OF the Museum Building Of the Botanical
Society.
Thirty officials and members OF the NewYork
Botanical Society and persons Interested in the
work OF the Park Department assembled at that
place yesterday morning. gathering around fire
OF logs to await the formal beginning Of the work.
They included Commissioner Moebus. Professor
Nathaniel L. Britton. director-in-chief ~ the So
ciety; DR.. +. NJ Hexamer. Editor Of The Ameri-
can Agriculturst". Professor Rusty OF the Coli
lege Of Pharmacy; Professor Underwood. Of Co.
lumbia University; John r. Sheehan. the builder
OF the new hall, Daniel Ulrch engineer-in-chief
of the Park Department OF The Bronx; Lincoln
Person representing the architects; Professor
Richards. Of Barnard; Leonard Barron. Editor Of
The American Gardener" and Peter Gecks. su-
perintendent OF Parks in The Bronx.
few minutes after II o'clock Commissioners
Moebus seized a new spade and prepared 70 turn
UP A clod Of earth. As he made the first attempt
the spade did not go into the ground. which was
frozen, but a second attempt was successful. ard
he dug up a square yard OF frozen earth He then
delivered a short address. in which he said:
1T gives me great pleasure TO take part. on be-
half OF the Park Department. In the breaking -
ground for the new Horticultural Hall The build
ing which is 10 be governed by officers Of the
Botanical Society. l am informed. will be finished
before the end of the year In this work the liber
ality OF the Legislature in appropratng $4,000 for
the erection OF suitable buildings for the society
is to be remembered. and I we CRATE
full for such liberality. The buildings are 70 be
under the care OF the Park Department and in
this respect will do my best 10 have their condi-
ton perfect possible"
Professor Britton next spoke briefly. He said
that the contents of the new building would be
the finest that could be selected and the arrange
ments would be carefully looked after. The build
ing was destined 10 be a most potent factor In the
progress Of science and in the education and well
fare of the people
DR. Hexamer said that the building would be
very important work in the intellectual develop
ment OF horticultural research. Professor kusby
spoke Of the relation or the work with the science
Of pharmacy and said that when the building was
occupied by what Il was intended 10 place IN ", IL
would then be possible TO show the people waa
those plants were which furnished the drugs ana
medicines of commerce and medical practice.
At the close OF the ceremonies there was
luncheon furnished in a shed near the site for the
new hall. a photograph was taken OF the group OF
the inability OF the writers 70 be present were re-
cived from D. o. Mills William T.. Dodge Seth
Low and ex-Judge Charles p. Daily. >,
The hall will be 52 feet long and 50 feet wide !.
high and will allow palms 10 feet high TO be kept
In II.