New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-19
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
FREDERICK LAW oLMSTED'S WORK.
Credit for Design Of Prospect Park Due to
Calvert Vaux. Says 4. J. Bloor.

ment." and subtitIed City Abourds in Works e
Frederick Law Olmsted." and have done so with
more interest inasruch as for some time past the
well styled Father Of Greater Nevv-York" the Hon
Andrew H. Green. has been suggesting that should
use my pen in behalf OF some attinc public ne
mortal TO the creators OF Central Park. The idea
OF such q tribute has also been advanced through
the press by Mr.. g r Wiagate the sanitary
sineeT- As controller and other administrator.
during number Of its earlier years. Of the park.
NJ. Green recalled that was for some two years
before the Civil War. its architectural staff.
and that. for about the same length Of time after
the conflict ceased. was closely associated with
Oi1lsted. Naux and Withers in their professional
work a. ke OF building architecture and landscape
architecture And i was only three days sgo that
another public man OF note, aproPos Of the news
Of Mr. Cl-usted's death, wrote 20 me ca the same
subject, as he had before done 7 think most ed
ucated and apTreciaJlvs residents Of the Empire
City Uil corcede the Propricty Of handing down to
posterity the names Of the creators Of the great
pleasure ground which has bee1 such a booa 20 il;
and your article. hope viii prove d lons step
IL the direction OF aCCor1p- iShIoE aim worry
But, all the same I am going 70 ask you for
space 20 say that. though yoGr article evidently
published with the best Interiors. il includes Z
mistake IN assigning solely to NJ. Olmsteds in
ciyidual initiative and general impress much OF
the landscape work in NeT-York City 10 which it
aIudes. As regards the prototypical Central Park,
Il IS simply impossible associate the material
results Of the mental cooperation Of the TWO men
Frederick Law CImsted and Calvert Vaux Nearly
tie same may be said OF the Morningside and
Riverside parks an not speaking now Of River
side Drive, aste-wo-k the designing processes
Of which occurred outside Of nv personal o5ssrva-
ton; but even OF ,aat can aver that II was con-
ceived OF and mOoted by one connected with the
Central Parks architectural service as early as
1850 in connection win bridge across the Hudson
and similar C-ive along the Palisades.
As for the Brooklyn prospect park, I have this
10 say 1or the first time Cnow that both Of these
distinguished LANDSCAPE architects have Joined the
majority in public; On the outbreak OF the Civil
War, Mr.. ClEzted. being appointed general secre-
tary OF the United States Sanitary Commission,
asked ne. as also did the Rev Dr. Bellows. rs
PRESIDENT. quit serving the Contra. Park and
help them. resident washington secretary. in
their work FOR that organization. commissioned by
President Lincoln TO supplement the appliances OF
the medical and coumissariat departments Of the
United States Army. I did so. but at the wars
close rej0ined forces with TaUx who had through
out remained at his professional post in New-fork,
whereas OImsteG-soule time in lists, don't recall
the exact date--esisned from the Sanitary Com
mission and placed in charge OF the great
MariPosa estate in California, where he remained
til some time AFTER peace returned
When, the war at end. got back 20 New
York. Mr.. NsUx conaded 70 me that he had just
come 20 an understanding with J. 5. 7. Stranallan
the first citizen Of Brooklyn TO give him the
title laJer ascrlbel to hiI3-as 20 the designs for
that then separate city Of q park similar ample
and artistic lines TO those OF the Central Park. but
that owing to certain Of those political and per
soual complications which often interfere with
and sometimes wholly prevent operations Of public
UTILITY and wide scope, the preliminary work OF de-
sign would have 20 be done in secrecy. he there
fore asked ne 10 reopen my ot-e in the same build
Ing with his own. that might De within easy
call Tor possibly needed assistance, without the
intervention in his own office Of parties more given
TO irresponsible gossip than 10 professional reti-
ce1ce, IS some young draushtszIen are. without
prejudice in saying so 10 the many who are wholly
trustworthy. I compiled with Mr.. Taux's request,
and the main lines OF Prospect Park, as they now
exist, were 4 am safe n saying mostly designed in
my of1ce-somet-mcs by very late gasAght-oy
none other than Calvert Naux; and when Olmsted
returned from California ana looked-with,
noted, many expressions OF approva-oyer this pre-
tlralnaTy layout o. lac central PARK Brooklyn
10 hin 70 any one OF the general public.
This. If ny memory ser es H.e rgHtly. was g9od
Clmsted began his work upon the Brooklyn play
tae spade, and should nave added as partner with
I remained in close touch with these eminent
artists in the CONDITIONS ana beauties ~ nature only
relations WIN them dDdIng it serious drawback
. health never tco robust 70 spend m thelr behalf
-e1to1 10 my PERSONAL affairs and-w lich seemed
10 ne Of sun greater irapor5ance-ioT application
tte q Arc1-tects. - lie most exlgsnt orIces n
or shortly aete-W1rd elected. and The interests
- eef+a- IsI- t-asra es-is5 yitr 'sSas77
authority as 70 the relative claims q N2uz and
scape arcLite -uGrz done by them IS members Of a
firm after 1867, behalf Of the Central the Pros
pect- or any other park, or OF Pathways or speed
ways connected herewith. But I have above.
regards the principal pleasure grounds OF the Man
haitian and EroCNlyn bgrOuEhs Of greater New
Ny impression Is that Frederick Law OIrsted's
and separate honor as regards his landscape work
-. c. e.. Boston and Washington City. at
E,aSsTa at ne yosemite q, The Columbian
George Vand-rb.t's Bltnore. But ny convic-
perS --i and 5- some degree eXClu-
s.Ve kLOwt lE- IS that calvert NaLX, the pupil, as
regards landscape anG ground decorative effects. Of
A J. DCwnile, vas the soc designer OF TIE guiding
lines and man features q Prospect Pax. and that
bis snare 3D. those. and, indeed. IL every detail ot
ths Central PARK. was et least equal 10 that OF
ore word more as 10 the great pleasure ground
OF Manhattan Borough The beautiful carvings
and other decorations seen CT the stCuGwCrk OF the
terrace al the northern era q the Mall and OF the
f7.1ta p AID The ll-- between that and the
Ran be and srIeaa rho Hike -la-tlt.0r OF tie
bridges ard most Ct The other structures through
our TIE PARKS limits. were almost without eEcap-
detail d.. tr-lt Dt i1e es-HeI2nt genius ot my
fellow assistant architect, Jacob NreE Mould the
aT-E ire.- Cd. what vas once -I-. Believes and is
now che T.s-. ar %lley-- church. th-lsr corner
Same % -ie Contra. Park can Doe complete with
c-L reference 10 The structures rU.-L among It's
trees and bushes or iSc-..- on rs -raS5y sl-CeSE
15 no -ireerl~al production whether In stone or
brick and mortar in iron or Steel or terra Gotta
wood a- whatever else, ard whether Staull1E III
the rl .ll. square ~ la-lrle4 3D. city or among
sylvan surroundings can ue t--t-y Judged without
due c-el.- being given 70 design ID detail crc deco
RATION. es vel as 90 design i'm outline and mass
Slou.uE-or. Conn sept. Q. 1893 A. j. bLCJE-