New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
THE PARK CHAIR SCHEME
president. GUGGENHErNER TO LOOK
INTO. Mr.. sPATE's PRIVILEGE
Who is behind Oscar F. spateq ,,

Who is behind Oscar F Spate?"
That was the leading question around the CITY,
Hail yesterday when ii became generally tnou,
that MI spate. who has an office In the st
james hullolng' had secured from the Park De-
paf'iieiit hVe year contract granting him the
right 10 place chairsffor hire in the marks of ,b
city 1t is suspected that Mr.. spate has some
powerful TamrHany friends who are interested
in the scheme
Inc risht is looked upon by thoughtful cit,-
|s "S NO more or less than a franchise. Civ
--e e "oiaer right 20 occupy public property
1or nominal consideration II seems that Nr
Spate is<to pay $500 year for the rich. 20 rar.
chairs IN Central Park and in the parks Of Rich
mond Borough. Five cents will hire an e,e,or.
ehdlp for as long time as the renter wishes to
use it, while three cents will hire one less ole
ssnt.
Inc ioea or paid chairs is borrowed from Euro
pean cities. In Paris II is said there are no free
seats at all in the larger and more attractive
parks. In New-York hitherto the idea has heer
topposeo on the ground of its being a violation
of the spirit Of liberty and freedom which Is sun
iIosed TO characterize the occupancv Of the
parks.
President Guggenheimer Of the ,run,c,na,
Souncil says he is opposed TO the innovation
II is ridiculous thing for the Park Depart
4nent 10 do" said he 70 a Tribune renortar ,as
ferday- There is no eood reason for allowing
private parties TO occupy park ground and make
money through scheme like this The parks
pelohs 10 the people, and they should in the
FULLEST sense be free 10 the people II there are
not suIlclent seats for the people. the city
Shouio proVide them at once. There is no pro-
prletv, common sense or Justice in providing fine
seats Tor those who can pay. and allowing those
who can't pay TO put up with poorer seats or
no ~
tween now and Tuesday. and il the Council has
jurisdiction some way will be found 10 provide
all the free seats necessary for the use of the
people"
It is not much the price of the chairs as
rhe system that is objected TO by those who dis
cussed the scheme yesterday. 1t is argued that
once the principle of charging for park seats is
begun, II Will mean a practical end of free seats
3n the parks. 1t was said yesterday that it
would be comparatively easy thing for the
park employees TO discover that the free seats in
The park were in need Of repairs and hustle
hhem off 10 the sheds without replacing them
with others, thus making il more and more diff
cult 10 get free seats. A. in il urged that
the less attractive parts of the park, all to the
benefit of the contractor who has hired the chair
monopoly.
Mr.. Spate, when seen yesterday, said:
Il will put as many chairs in the parks as the
board Will allow. The attendants who collect
the charge are in my pay. They will wear gray
uniforms. and each will look after about fifty
chairs, from 10 O'clock in the morning till 10
at night a ticket entities the holder 10 sit in
any chair in any park in the city during that
one day. A hve cent ticket entities the holder
20 sit in either three five cent chair. There
are about two hundred chairs in the park now
mostly in the neighborhood Of the Casino They
viii be placed along Riverside Drive by the end
OF next week
Public bids were not advertised for in connec-
tion with the hired chair privilege II is be
Seved TO be matter wholly within the juris-
oiction Of the Park Department