New-York tribune., 1907-11-12
DISCUSS CITY'S ART.
YEARS. WORK RETIEWED
Mayor Co-operated in Ill Plans to
Beautify Ne7c York.

Many topics of art and municipal interest were
discussed last night at the annual meeting of the
Municipal Art Society in the National Arts Club
studio building. East lStn street Charles r
Lamb. president of the society, IN his annual ad-
dress reviewed at length the work Of the orsaniza
tiou. lie said, in part,
TIL list Of the activities OF the MunieiPal Art
number OF Recommendations TO the Mayor and
gllhtr city 9In,i''S 10 al OF Wn1cn cour.t"GS % Is I
action has been taken.
wrote TO the Mayor in connection with the pro-
posed widening of Fifth avenue, as advocated by
sJoops porIcos. railings etc trespassing on the
street line. and calling his attention 10 the plan
fordng protection or breakwater Tor the yeAicles
corner The Mayor replied that the suggestion
would receive ms caTsIu! onSiderauoh, , ,,,,-
mittee on advertising wrote 10 his nonoT calling
the subway and stating that victory in the mat
@ hahrjy'Ii ls II is i,,,po~tsnt t. mis- a renIT
was received by Mr. Martin. on July 5 the preSi-
dent sent "a public letter 70 the Mayor. urgins n
were issued for the competition for the new ter
minaI buildings, 10 oe started in the immediate
and the end of the BROOKLYN Bridge. they should be-
sent only 10 those architects who represented me
best ability in their profession The Mayor re-
piled Jhat the matter would have his due consid-
The president wrote 90 the Mayor on october q,
strongly urging the desrabllIy ot placing IN Cen
calvert Vaux and Frederic Law Oulsted, landscape
f ,it -r..9r nIe5sure ground Tbr Erection of -
handsome and Commemorative tablet in bronze and
tardy Acknowledgement The Mayor replied that
the matter would have his careful consideration.
and added An improve Inent ol the KIND you Sug-
sest must, YOU doubtless know, be provided for
in that direction must necessarily be delayed until
Under Of January 10. the president wrote
I'm The name OF the society James A. Bensel,
Of the Chelsea mprovement Of the North River
that the society hegged leave to jon n the genera
his expressed determination 20 make the new piers
"a monument 70 the greatness OF the Port of New
York but the society respectfully suggested that
the splendid new head house and pier sheds. as
psrfcIloT th society protested against the con
would shut out the entire vev OF the river and of
twenty hundred feet. in such manner that that
which should BE- one 81 the most n'tutiIn, Snd m
of the dullest and most purely commercial
waterfront without sacrificing the city CONNER
ciaI advantages the society had from time 10 time
cessors bearing in mind that docks the
only breathing places for large area Of contigu-
West side, where the small parks are few In mum
10 ,1se the roofs of the pier sheds IS recr= alton
piers To this the commissioner replied that II was
impossible Tor the city t0 tvrs %
e 2eT&S ia h fouTd pbsoIgteIv 50
that IL Hao pet, sad I,,i tLees iinss tbat tbe
roofs could he used by the public recreation
structures
calvin Tomkins chairman Of the city plan ccm-
r,ittce said thai a memorial had been addressed
IN the Buildn:; Code Commission which had advo-
Gated that the limit Of the height of buildings
should be go feet The contention of the committee
was that the building line of skyscrapers should be
set back after each story.
Mr. Tonkns argued that tall buildings in
row streets depressed values instead of enhancing
them In Nassau street and Exchange Place build
ngs had reached the limit of their street carrying
capacity.
George F. Bisseu urged that the Mayor appoint
a superintendent of decoration of the public
schools who should have charge of the embeilish-
rnent of all the schools with mural decorations.
Albert f Davis maintained that there should he
special efforts made for the acquisition of small
parks for the congested southerly end of the Bor-
ough of The Bronx.
John Martin spoke of fight that was being
made by the society against the huge signs that
were carried on the Fifth avenue motor 'busses He
declared that If they We're not removed cncaurag-
ment would be given. place similar signs on the
streetcars.
Regarding the efforts OF the society TO have tab
lets erected in honor of brave policemen. Deputy
Police Commissioner Hanson said:
Il am glad of the interest you are taking in the
arduous heroic work OF the police. The more I
see of the men the more I convinced that when
they enter the department they honest. and the
great majority remain honest in spite of great OBJ
stacles Neither you nor realize the difficult
ties in the way OF the honest policeman who tries
10 do his duty. He is terrorized by forces in the
department Strong men have control OF the
ganization, but honest realize that they have
q chance II they be honest. The Com
missioner is with them. and be is backed BY the
Mayor.
Il believe the old conditions will not come back
but that conditions getting better and that in a
few years you will have Police Department which
all of you will praise. The "grafters'' In the