New-York tribune., 1901-03-24
4 CHANCE TO EXPLAIN.

II Is suggested in behalf of the Naval Arch
Committee. whose hope of erecting a mOnu-
mental water gate in Battery Park is now strong,
that il would be extremely desirable TO secure
the removal of tie elevated railroad or, if that
is impossible. its conversion into n thing or
beauty appropriate 10 its future environment.
This is n capital idea. but We fear IT is likely
10 encounter serious opposition. Not many
years ago the management of the Manhattan
company put record the opinion that the
structures which supported its tracks left
scarcely anything 10 be desired in the matter OF
appearance. At that time the Manhattan was
doing very handsomely, so far as profits were
concerned. and therefore its official adoption OF
the theory that handsome is as handsome
does" was not unnatural. Possibly the attract
iveness of the elevated roads has diminished
in the managers eyes since then, but it would
be rash TO assume that they will jump at
chance 10 enhance the loveliness even of that
short stretch in Battery Park by means of
marble piers. colossal bronze lamps and other
artistic embellishments
As 10 the alternative proposition that the
road should be taken out of the park altogether
We should be glad 10 hear from the Park Com
mission, which must have accumulated large
amount of information on the subject in the
eject the trespasser. For several months there
has appeared TO be a relaxation of energy on
the part of the commission in dealing with this
affair. and we should rejoice 10 learn that it
has been merely gathering its resources for
final and triumphant attack. 1t cannot have
been forgotten that tremendous interests were
involved, in contemplation of which the official
bosom was profoundly agtated. This was
case, If there ever was one, where TO doubt
would be disloyalty. TO falter would be sin. We
forget just how long a time was TO be allowed
the company to get out, but our impression is
that it was fifteen minutes The epoch was
favorable TO swift processes, for the people had
been greatly alarmed by the announcement that
| the elevated railroads We're likely to fall down
| at any minute, and, of course would have well
coined any action which compelled them to
walk. But somehow the commissions native
hue of resolution got sickled DER with the pale
cast of thought before the expiration of the
fifteen minutes and the era of negotiation set in
This lasted for about two years if we are not
mistaken, but was rendered less tedious than
it would otherwise have been by frequent an
nouncements that the commissions patience
had been exhausted aud that the liveliest sort
of something going to happen right Off
At this stage of the proceedings the courts be
came implicated. and in consequence public in
terest inevitably declined but, nevertheless. the
prospect Of an exhilarating scrimmage did not
wholly disappear until last autumn when it
was formally announced that the incident had
been closed until further notice
Just how il was closed nobody has ever been
authorized publicly to explain doubtless owing
to inadvertence on the part of the Park Com
mission But now that the Naval Arch Com
mittee has revived the question of excluding the
Manhattan company from Battery Park we
hope the omission gill be supplied