New-York tribune., 1905-08-14
BENCHES FOR WOMEN.
Men To Be Excluded from Some in
Small Parks and IN Central.

couple OF weeks ago the Commissioner OF
Parks. John J. Pallas. assured a representative
o1 the Charity Organization Society that II the
public would stand for it he would set apart seats
ior women and children in the small parks OF
The city, where at the present time the seats are
very largely occupied by men. Speaking 10 a
Tribune reporter. he said that he was prepared
70 20 even further than this-to reserve seats for
women in Central Park well as n the small
parks. and 70 allow women with babies in their
arms 70 90 on the grass anywhere end at any
time.
This is q pet scheme Of mine" he said. and
an only waiting FOR public Endorsement TO carry
II out can't see how any one could object to it.
but there ere several million people in this city,
AID ii IS hard 10 know exactly what will please
them thought I was doing something that no
could object to when opened the parks 10
the people during the hot spell, but one OF the
papers hammered me for IL However, am per
Sectly satisfied with the support I received in the
matter. and I an ready 10 let the babies go on
the grass with much smaller Endorsement.
NY sympathies always with the women
and children and the working people, proceeded
the Commissioner The rich can look out for
themselves very nicely. They can take their
children TO the seaside and the mountains during
the summer. and I glad they car But they
don't need any assistance from fellow like me-
50 I hope the public VIII let me give the women
and children who have TO stay in the city
during the summer chance TO enjoy what little
eresh air and green grass We have.
The separate seats are necessary, not only be
cause men often monopolize the seats when there
are none reserved FOR women and children, but
because they may be occupied by men who are
unclean. Complaints about things OF this kind have
been sent 10 the Park Department ana. OF course
we cannot help l. The parks are for the PUBIC
but we 60 not need 70 compel mothers ara children
to occupy the seats where such persons have been
sitting"
Mr. PaIas has already put into operation one Of
his schemes for the benefit OF mothers and babies
The pavilion above the public baths in Seward
Park has been reserved Tor them and the place has
been furnished with rocking chairs and facilities
FOR washing the babies These chairs are the
famous Spate chairs. about which there was
such q cornmotion q few years ago. man by
this name received permission from the Park De
partnneut put them in several parks, and five
cents charged for their use, but the public
construed the idea discrimination in favor OF
bondholdeTs and the chairs We're ANONYMOUSLY re-
moved.
They have been stored IN the Park Department
ever since" said Mr. PaIlas, and II occurred 70
ms day that they would make nice rock
ing chairs. I put rockers OF them myself
and liked the result well that had the whole
two hundred treated the same way. The rockers
are short that there is no danger Of a woman
tipping over backward when she is rocking hei
bs bv sleep. and the chairs, instead Of being q
nuisance. they have been for the last six years
q great benefit 10 the people OF the nighbor-
hood