The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-03
5 TON FOUNTAIN NOT STOLEN
BUT IT'S EQUIPMENT ~ GONE. SO
IT'S OFT or M SINE9S.
And the TeetoiaIers In Jersey City's nittIe
Italy Are Going Thirsty Where Do Sou
suppose They Found One of the Niss-
ing Cups?-Nhy, In q Police station.

Ing Cups?-Why, IN q Police station.
The mysterious disappearance Of the two
enamel cups and brass chains and the nickel
plated faucet from the Mary Benson granite
drinking fountain in the grassless Mary
BENSON Park in Jersey City's Little Italy
has bafied Police Headquarters more than
anything else since Chief OF Police Frank
Monahan has been sitting on the lid as a
successor to Benjamin Murphy. retired.
The chief was particularly aggravated
over the vandalism. because he had prom
ised the member Of the Woman's Club
when they presented the fountain to the
city az a memorial TO the late Mrs. Mary
Hudspeth- Benson. through whose efforts
the park was laid out. hat he would see to it
that the fountain would receive special
police protection during the heated spell
when the flow Of Rockaway water would be
most appreciated by the swarms OF Italian
mothers who spend the summer season on
the bare wastes of the official breathing spot
which bore a resemblance to a park before
the s~hrubbery was converted into goats
milk by the herds Of nannies belonging to
the junkmen Of the neighborhood.
The club members were grieved by the
retirement of the fountain from the business
for which il was designed. because they felt
hat the city authorities had not properly
appreciated the spirit which prompted them
to erect q useful work Of art on city property.
What's the use OF trying to elevate the
public taste for running water and art IL
the police do not stay the hands OF vandalsp"
wrote one woman from her cottage at Long
Branch to a sister club member whose
babies are keeping her at home.
The mother Of the babies recalled the
dedicatory ceremonies of the fountain on
June 20 at which speeches we're made in
English and Italian and Italian music was
rendered by a real Italian band. Mayor
Mark NJ. Pagan was one of the speakers OF
through Little Italy as ~Marka dag"
the Mayor confined his remarks TO English
and his announcement that the administra-
ton would pledge itself TO appropriate
SIS 900 with which to convert the goats
pastnrase into a bona fide park gave great
1T is indeed disgusting to have our foun-
tain ruined. wrote the stay at home TO her
friend, but we mustn't forget that our
efforts on behalf Of the city will probably
not be in vain. Remember what the Mayor
said. If the park becomes a reality the city
authorities may have enough civic pride
10 take measures 70 prevent further van
dalism."
In the meanw lille Chief Monahan put
detectives on the job TO look for the stolen
articles in p~awnshops and junkshops and
so trace, IN possible, the mean spirited thief
who stole the ten cten cups and the nickel
plated faucet.
Some elaborate theories were advanced. |
The mischievous small boy came in for a
share OF the blame. II was limited that .
saloon keeper in the neighborhood. who
was distressed by seeing thousands Of
persons quench their thirst daily at the
Fountain. hired a man to destroy Its useful |
ness and thus restore the flow OF trade
to its normal channels. A sleuth sug-
gested that the faucet was stolen by an
Italian who sold 1t for old junk. and this
aroused the ire Of some Italians living
near the park" who denounced the propo- |
sition as preposterous and promptly Of
fered to take up a collection for the pur- !
chase OF a new outfit for the fountain
The sleuths reported to their Aiperiors |
that they had been unsuccessful in locating
the stolen fixtures, and the Mayors Office
the Street and Water Board 10
buy another set before the cold weather
sets in.
The first cup which disappeared from
The fountain was u by a rank Outsider
yesterday on a window sill in the CITY Hall
police station. IL was brought in two ,
weeks after the dedicatory ceremonies by
fountain basin. He explained To the SER
geant at the desk that the chain was miss
ing, and he was afraid the cup would In,
il it was left out all night.
Cops have since used the cup in quenoh-
ing their thirst at the station house hydrant.
The disappearance Of the cheap enamel
started the wave Of vandalism and the
next day its mate was jerked from its ~fasten-
and carried away. Then somebody
W renched the faucet from the cupless foun-
tain and vamoOsed.
The eight ton granite fountain was still
holding down the mark ate Iast night