The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-13
TO REPLACE THE sPHINXEs.
Park and Tree Commission Reverses
Its Decision.

After much discussion ii has been de-
cided that the park sphinxes shall be re-
turned to the former posts at the en-
trance to Forsyth Park. provided 1t is
feasible to put them back. This decis-
ion was reached yesterday afternoon by
a majority vote in the Park and Tree
Commission, after the subject had been
discussed by the commissioners and the
Committee on City Lots, to which the
Mayors communication on the subject
was referred by Council.
The three commissioners who voted to
restore the sphinxes, if feasible to do so,
were Messrs. Macean, Solomons and
Theus, Chairman Dafin and Commission
er Ellis voted in the negative. The
sphinXes were removed by Commissioner
Ellis, who has charge of Forsyth Park,
with the approval of Chairman Datfin.
1t developed subsequently that the other
three commissioners had not been con-
suited in the matter and knew nothing
of the removal of the figures until they
read the announcement in the neWspa-
pers. However, when a meeting was
held TO consider a letter from the Mayor
in reference to the matter, and after an
examination of the figures by the entire
commission, Messrs. Maclean, Solomons
and Theus agreed TO stand by the other
two members, it being evident that the
figures were somewhat damaged and the
feasibility of restoring them was doubt
full. 1t was then that Chairman Daffin
wrote the Mayor informing him that the
commission was unanimously OF the opin-
ion that it was impracticabie to restore
the sphinxes
All five of the commissioners were
present at the conference yesterday af
ternoon, the members of the Committee
of Council being Alderman Wells, chair
man, and Alderman Tiedeman. The con-
ference was an amicable one throughout.
Alderman Wells stated that he had in
spected the figures and his conclusion was
that il was practicable to restore them.
To satisfy hims If on this point he had
obtained a bid from a tinsmith who Of
fered to restore the images at reason
able figure. Mr. Wells was also backed
by an opinion by the city attorney, Mr..
S. b. Adams. II the effect that the con-
sruction placed by the Mayor upon the
section of the act limiting the powers of
the commissioners, was legally correct.
With this before them Messsrs. Mac
lean Solomons and Theus adoDted the
view that the removal of the images with
out first obtaining the consent Of Coun-
ell was an error and that if feasible they
should be restored. Messrs Daffin and
Ellis dissented from this view, but sub
mitted to the opinion of the majority.
Commissioner Theus was accordingly APP
rOin ted committed OF one TO secure DDS
for the work of restcrat on
Alderman Wells stated, after the meet
ing, that he thought the result of the con-
ference would be entirely satisfactory to
Council. He was satisfied, he said, that
the commissioners had no intention of
showing discourtesy to the Mayor in their
replies to his letter and would so report.
The action of the commission in deciding
to restore the images If feasible to do so,
was all that Council Cbuld reasonably eX-
pect, he thought The incident would, of
course, serve to prevent any repetition of
similar errors by the commission in the
future.
1t is possible that the sphnxes may not
be returned to their original positions
even if capable of being restored. The COM
mittee having in charge the matter of fhe
erection of the Barlow and McLaws monu-
ments has had under considera tione for
some time the advisability of locating
these monuments on either side of the
park entrance instead of on the main
avenue at Laurel Grove Cemetery, as at
first proposed.
Capt. d. G. Purse who has been very
active in the matter of the monuments,
said yesterday that the idea of lodating
them at the park entrance is still under
consideration and appeared to meet with
favor Should this be decided upon, Capt.
Purse said, it would not necessarily in
terfere with the replacing of the sphinxes
as the monuments might appear to better
advantage If placed 20 The east and west
of the sphinxes, or it might be decided 10
set them further back in the park Should
the space formerly occupied by the
sphinxes be desired, he did not think there
would be any difficulty in finding suitable
locations for these representatives of an
cient Egyptian mythology elsewhere.