New-York tribune., 1900-04-22
A CRISIS FOR THE GARDEN.
ITS OWNERS TIRED OF LOSING MONEY
on THE BIG MADISON SQUARE
STRUCTURE.


OFFERS TO PURCHASE IT-JUsT WHAT ITS vARI-
OTIS SHOWS MEAN TO THE CITY
THE YEARLY EXPENSES.
The story OF the block now occupied by Mad
ison Square Garden goes back TO the early
DAYS Of rairoadins. when the Harlem and the
New-Haven roads were occupants of the prop
erty, the New-Haven being operated from the
Twenty-seventh-st side and the Harlem from
the Twenty-sixth-st. side. on Fourth-aye. The
locomotives. old-fashioned wood burners, were
dismissed from aiding transit az Forty-second-
St. and horses did the work through the tunnel
TO the passenger stations below.
Many will remember the unpretentious sta
ton. with it's narrow platforms and its super
abundance of head humping iron pillars, and
the traveller from Boston had tedious ride of
il going and coming. while the Harlem Railroad
people found their way up into the watershed
district in small cars. modest in upholstery and
incc>lplete in ventilation. The luxury of rail-
way travel did not obtain thirty years ago.
The building Of the Grand Central Station
seemed TO meet all prospective demands. and
1871 was marked by its readiness to receive ten
ants. The idea then was TO make block or
residences on the site Of the old station. But
there was q hitch somewhere in the project. and
in the realization that there was no such advan-
tageously situated property to be had for exhibit
ton purposes attention was directed to it for
that use.
AS AN AMUSEMENT RESORT.
The next prominence of the old railroad sta
tion was early in the seventies. when. with Sher
loan Shook and z. @. Gilmore the hackers of
the enterprise il was transformed into Gilmore's
Garden with T. s. Gilmore and his band the
attraction. A glass roof built. the old walls
were made slightly by interior decorations, and
with the space in the centre converted into a
miniature garden with plants shrubs, fountains
and gravelled walks. and fair seating capacity
in boxes and galleries il was reopened in the
expectation Of a great success.
Popular for a time but not exceedingly profit
able It was of short duration. and the place
then became known Barnum's Hippodrome,
as the home Of the circus when needed, and
withal place where there could be athletic con-
tests. walking matches, pugilistic encounters.
and where the horse shows and the dog shows
were held.
It WAS a matter OF space. NewYork needed
the building: the site advantage. in the
residential Of the city; the avenues were
asserting their Importance traffic up Broadway
was constant; the place advertised itself, and
the organization of the National Horse Show
Association in 1888. With its first show in 1854
had set a pace TO be followed.
Again the idea of tearing down the building
and erecting residences and stores came up. re-
1nained as an idea and not fact, until the
Madison Square Garden Company was talked
of in 1887.
1t required money and nerve 10 carry out the
suggestions advanced. That there should be
place commodous and beautiful. in which there
should be for the big shows was deter
mined upon and arrangements looking 10 the
purchase OF the site and building were under
taken in earnest. Negotiations begun for the
purchase Of the property were speedily focused
toward securing a place that New-York could
be proud OF. Anywhere above the block in ques
tion would be too far uptown. What NewYork
has learned to appreciate was hanging by a
slender thread at that time and in 1889 party
OF men determined 10 erect a building which
should provide the city with arena for
entertainments Of all natures, for gatherings Of
a mass of people for amusement, for political
meetings and for the development of sport and
the encouragement OF any interest which might
come before the public. The company was
created the capital Of which is now S20G9Oo0
with a bonded debt of 81 0000g0
THE GARDEN OF TO-DAY
The demolition Of the old building began in
November, 1853. The first design which in
cluded stores the arcade principle on both
sides, was abandoned New plans speedily
drawn and the present Madison Square Garden,
nearly complete, except the tower, opened
TO the public on Monday evening. June Is. 1890.
New-York was no longer behind European cities
In having a big place of amusement which
should include superb concert hall, a theatre
a banquet hall. assembly room and an arena
N that could accommodate thousands OF people
comfortably
The men concerned in the enterprise were bold
and determined. Edouard Strauss with his or
chestra from Vienna. and an extravagantly
mounted ballet, under the control of Leon Espi-
nosa, from the Imperial Opera at ST. Peters
burg, had been brought over the sea- and until
the end of August the attractions
The experiment costly one to the Madi-
Square Garden Company The attendance
was large during the entire season, but the ex-
penses originally incurred in securing the or
chestra and ballet and the cost of maintaining
the Garden and the entertainment placed
balance the wrong side of the ledger
Anton Seidl and his Metropolitan Orchestra
had the Garden in September and October
The Horse Show a feature in November
and the interest in il revelation. New
encoura cement and life were given to
the National Horse Show Association which
had not been productive enterprise and whose
capital had been impaired. With the facilities
afforded by the Garden. this was completely
changed. and the association became a dividend
paying organization. What was far more i'm
portant, the persons interested in it had an op-
portunity TO enlarge its prizes, and an impetus
furnished for the breeding of fine horses
and the turning out Of elaborate equipages
which has since held the interest of the public
THE GARDEN THEATRE
The Garden Theatre was oiened September