New-York tribune., 1903-03-10
RAID ON STONE CRUSHER.
BRYANT PARK NOW QUIET.
Commissioner WilLcor and HIS Men
Use Sledge Hammers.

The giant stone crusher in Bryant Park the
bugbear of Forty-second-st. between Fifth ana
Sixth avee. these many moons, has at last peeh
silenced. for yesterday Park Commissioner Will
cox went a-raidng in the most approved style.
backed up by sledge hammers crowbars anu
that veteran and joyous raider. Captain Mics
OReiIly, Of the Tenderloin station. Twas
crushing raid! There were no warrants no
John Does: wheels were carried away but
they were not roulette wheels boxes were oe-
molished, but they not faro boxes. iron
bolts and bars offered little resistance 10 the
br6Wny arms Of the Park Department men, as
they sang the refrain of the police chorus in the
musical comedy. THE Prince of Pinochie'
"A-raiding will go; a-raicing we will go.
The Park Commissioner, weGrying of con-
tinuousy disregarded mandates descended on
the offending crusher and permanently disabled
it by sheer force of arms ten patrolmen under
Captain O'ReiIly forming reserve to cope Win
possible resistance. The assault was carfleo
with complete success. The stone crusher'
which has long exhaled mica dust and grated
thunder to the despair of the district, is GRIP
Pied. Last evening. in the netshborhoou oi
Bryant Park, for the first time in elShteeh
months. relative quiet and clear air prevailed
To a reporter the Park Commissioner told the
tale of the Honleric raid, the climax OF 'hfee
months fruitless diplomacy. as already chron-
cled in The Tribune.
Tuesday and Thursday" said the Park Com
missioner II ,telephoned the contractor NC
Donald, that the stone crusher must cease 10
no purpose On Friday repeated the order oe-
cIaring that the crusher must stop at once Judge
of my surprise when, passing by the pafA
on Saturday morning, I beheld the stone crusl-
er working blithely in full swing. Immediately
called up General Greene. explained the sltud-
tion and asked the assistance of a detall OF hlo
patrolmen to help carry out the scheme hau
in mind. He assented. Accordingly, early TINS
morning a score so of park men mustered d.
the arsenal. With them were half a dozen
wagons containing axes, sedge hammers ana
other implements They came down to the ap-
pointed rendezvous at Fortieth-st and Fifth
ave. and were instructed what to do. Captain
O'Reilly and ten policemen were already on
hand
Then the descent began. No sooner had
Thomas F. Murphy, Assistant Superintendent OF
Parks, advanced with his men toward the stone
crusher than the foreman raised his hand and
shouted:
"'If you lay hand the crusher. you do
1t at your peril
Mr.. Murphy was willing to take the risk
Park men were dispatched to the boiler house
and the fires were drawn from underneath
Then others put the crusher out Of business.
carrying off two wagonloads Of devices needed
for its operation. The complete demolition or
it Is left to the contractor. ID. r.
What particularly antagonized me- said
the Park Commissioner, was the boast OF the
subway men which was brought to me that
they would not make any change in the stone
crusher until April i. They may speak OF the
delay I am causing, but what about the
whole two months grace I have already
given from January /? II the strip of the park
Is not cleared within a reasonable time, say
ten days, and the sod restored. have another
card Up my sleeve
Michael J. Degnon, president Of the Degnon-
Mclean Construction Company, said last night
that his company had been removing its plant
for the last few days. getting it out as fast as
possible. Commissioner Wilcox. he continued,
had only removed-a few boards from one part OF
the crusner, not injuring the machinery In any
way; but as the company could not have the
crusher there. it would have to buy the crushed
stone which at present was hard to get 1T
might make delay in the work. perhaps OF
few weeks, but this delay might be offset by
putting on more men and working faster.