New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-12
FRUITS OF REFORM RULE.
OBJECT LESSONS IN GOOD GOVERNMENT SHOWN BY
4 COMPARISON OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER
TAuMANY AND UNDER LOW
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS.
TAMMANY'S RECORD.

s-,s r.-r,anx edutristration's IDEA OF
mark seer,eo TO be q place where there was
little grass a few trees. fountain In the centre
and benches where the people could Sit ano
gaze on the Keep of the Grass" signs Con-
.eouentlv. as from such an establishment little
revenue could fiow into the oficeholder's pock-
cts. there were no parks made while TAM
many was N power and the ones already In
existence were ignored. II had been a subject
OF public protest for yezrs that the lakes In
Central Park were IN foul condition Nothing
was ever done about II by the .amnany al
rninistration- Accordin1 TO experts, malaria
and fever exuded In damp. dismal streams from
the lake. Finally. the Health Board stepped
n and ordered the lakes cleaned.
The trees were left 10 the tender care OF nat
ure. which. considering that many Of them
were Of the wrong kind for city USE was rather
bad for the park Limbs rotted. fungus and
moths and other parasites attacked the trees,
but the Park Department didn't seem TO mind.
The er1vexays were allowed TO get into bad
condition. especially the East Drive. which had
been surfaced with Marcellus shale as an ex-
pertinent This road was bad that many
would 20 clear around TO the West Drive The
Speedway. too. which had a surfacing Of sandy
loan was badly cut UP. needing redressing
While Mayor Strong was in Office there was
formed a "sman parks commission" Of which
=.
Riis secretary. Following out Mr.. Riiss favor
Ste idea of getting breathing spots for the
r,eople recommendation was made for the city
70 ACQUIRE various small parcels Of land through
the city. 70 lie thrown open for parks and play
grounds Corlears Hook Park, Mulberry Bend
Park and William II. Seward Park were &C.
CURED Condemnation proceedings for De Witt
Clinton Park and Thomas jefferson Park were
begun. hut before they could be completed the
Strong administration went out Of Office. The
condemnation proceedings were continued under
the Van wyck administration. and others insti-
tuted. becf Sc there was an excellent chance IN
them for graft" and real estate speculation for
Tammany braves who got in Oh the ground floor.
ne parks were not laid out however.
The only new park opened under the Van
wyck administration was Hamilton Fish Park
For this. il must be remembered the appropria-
lions had been obtained and all the contracts let
under the preceding officials so Tammany could
hardly have helped opening the park The land
for William II. Seward Park was acquired by
the city In 1897. but II lay idle until last wear
In February. 1890. the city acquired the land
for Themes Jefferson Park. IT One-hundred-
snd-eleventh-st and the East River Before
the city came into possession Of this tract the
New-York. New-Haven and Hartford Railroad
hao been using part Of the waterfront, paying
therefor an annual rental When the city
fathers became the curators OF the land the
railroad continued to use the waterfront but
the rent was not paid into the ciiy's treasury
II was another specimen Of Tannany business
methods II has always been a source Of specu-
1atioo as 70 how mUcn rent-or blackr1ail-the
politicians collected
Another source OF graft" for the political
heelers was the Aquarium. In 1898 Colonel
Jones" was put al its head with the title
Superintendent Of Small Parks" He had moth
ing at all 10 Go with any Of the small parlxs-in
sast nobody under Ta1nTnany did He knew
absolutely nothing about the duties 10 be per-
formed by the curator Of the AQUARIUM and
gathered about him men who knew lust as
much Fat salaries were given TO them for no
work
The most appalling nerve shown under Tam
many, however, IN the contract between
Commissioner Clsusen and one oscar F. Spa te
supposed 10 represent TsmmaHy politicians by
which Spste was TO have the privilege o. rent
ing chairs Ia the public parks A wild burst
o. indignation from the citizens was the result.
The "Spare men," IS the attendants came 10
be called. were assaulted when they demanded
the five cents fee, end indignation meetings
were held, denouncing Spate and Commissioner
Clsnsen. who, finally weakening. withdrew the
permit spate took the case into the courts.
bit was beaten For this valuable privilege
the city was to have received 500 e year
IN Brooklyn. Queens and Staten Island the
Park systems received just as little attention
as they die IN this borough. Seaside Park,
Ocean Parkway. had been almost untouched
Highland Park, IL East New-York was not
laid out Clinton Park and New-Lots Play
ground, II the citys possession since 1894,
were entirely uninproved