New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14
RAVAGING THE PARKS.

1t is to be assumed that the magistrate who
last week imposed a fine Of only 81 upon q
hIppant scoundrel who had been caught shoot
ing robins in Bronx Park thought he was
making the punishment fit the crime" or was
doing so as fully as he was able under the law.
Certainly it is to be hoped that when the same
fellow is brought before him for having re-
peated the offence-as he probably will be if
the police are properly vigilant-the MAGISTRATE
Will see his way clear to the infiction of q
far more severe penalty. To fine fellow a
dollar for cunning in a city park seems much
Ike lining some automobile "scorcher" S. for
running down 5th-ave at forty miles an hour
ana smashing vehicle or two. There are lots
OF men who would gladly pay a dollar apiece
for an afternoons cunning in Bronx Park
This seems an aggravated case and there
may be those who will regard it as exceptional
The fact is, however, that several of our city
parks have been ravaged by vandaIs until
irreparable injury has been inflicted upon them
and the general public has been made to suf-
fer serious loss. Time was when parts of
Prospect Park and even some portions Of Cen
tral Park, not to mention Bronx and Van Cort-
landt, were fragrant in spring with the ex-
quisite mayfower or trailing arbutus. Now one
might as we'll look for edelweiss 1t has sim
ply been exterminated. A few years ago the
woods in Prospect Park near the music stand
were purped with violets Now Won myv
search for hours without finding single flower.
Why? The Tribune called attention to the fact
that the flowers were being systematically torn
up, wholesale, by organized gangs. for sale
at so much a bunch in the New York markets
The warning was UNDECIDED. The vandalism
went on. The volets, and many other wild
flowers, have been all but exterminated A
few days ago gangs of boys were busy in those
woods, with trowels and big baskets digging
up or pulling up the picturesque Indian turnips
which there abound. In a season or two doubt
less those favOrite flowers will be known there
no more. The practice of letting dogs of all
characters and conditions run at large in Pros
pect Park has already banished the rabbits
which once had their habitat there and is rap
idly making the squirrels scarce and shy. In
many other ways that and the other parks are
being ravaged and despoiled
To some sentimentaIists it may seem "a
shame" to forbid boys to gather wildhowers
or to deny fond dog owners the privilege of
letting their canine pets run at large in the
parks. But it is a far greater shame to deny
to uncOunted thousands the delight Of seeing
the woodland carpeted with purple and white
and of seeing the graceful little denizens of
tree and thicket dispOrting themselves freely
and without fear. For every one person who
is permitted to get some selfish or sordid pleas
ure out of the despOilment of the park the I'M
selfish and legitimate pleasure of a thousand
is impaired. In justice to the people, for whose
benefit and enjoyment the parks were made
and are maintained, there should be q strictar
code of rules for park protection there should
be greater vigilance in enforcing those rules
and there should be heavier penalties imposed
upon those who break them.