New-York tribune., 1908-11-15
Plan TO SAVE GARDEN.
Suggested That City Take It
Needed IN the Community.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir 1t is with great regret that one who has
lived all his life IN New York learns that Madison
Square Garden is to be sod-that the present public
spirited management has found it's maintenance a
too excessive drain upon its resources Tor Ine
last twenty years The situation OF this well known
great hall is most central II is adjacent to one Oh
our most popular parks, and not far from the ueIS
population or from many OF the great hotels Al
the same time 1t is easily accessible from al pal -
Of great city by the vaslous means OF transit
Indeed may say that this building mas Oeeh
almost Indispensable when it was necessary 10
assemble a great multitude. and, therefore serious
consideration should be given to the question OF the
advisability of tearing down this unique and spa
Cious structure.
The present management has maintained tle
building at a heavy pecuniary loss for many years
and this must be regarded as most coIiiiileilu :
act. but cannot expect that few citizens shoulu
continue to bear such heavy burden The nuhlel-
pality Of this great city should be the owner Oh d
place such this. A rental could be charged for
1t except when it was used for patriotic and Hu-
nicipal purposes, for at such times 1t should be
absolutely free Drills could be held here foT the
Police and Fire departments. and such eXhloluohs
would be sure to attract strangers who Woud SpeHu
money within gates, that directly or hldI-
recty, the city would be ultimately Undermined IoI
the cost of maintaining the building
Why will not the city of New York reaIize' as
does the city Paris, that its greatness consists
in its attractiveness? What be Of more value
place. forum for its people? We need place
where anniversaries such the birth If washing
ton, of Lincoln and of other great men can De
celebrated by the children in the daytime and by
their elders in the evening, a place where muhlcl-
pal services. questions Of the hour horse shows
exhibitions OF horticultural products or OF works
Of art and of industry popular indoor ta4l ana
winter concerts. be held for the purpose OF
educating the Such a hall is absolutely
necessary for the holding of such political meet
ings as greeted the return of William Jennings
Bryan from Europe and welcomed William II.
Taft the Saturday before his election to the
Presidency. The complaints from those who were
unable to and hear the latter. who could not
reach the Garden at all. have not yet died away
although nowhere else so many people be
seated at time in Madison Square Garden
For this reason. instead Of tearing down the only
large building Of this kind have, it would
rather be advisable to reconstruct the edihce. so
that ii would hold even greater number OF peo-
pie than at present-something after the fashion or
the bulldght ring in Paris where twenty-five
thousand spectators can be seated IN numbered
seats and every one can and hear perfectly.
There be doubt that IL Madison Square
Garden should be torn down OF remodeNed for
other than its present uses the people OF New York
would regret, when too late, that no CO.. tied ef-
fort had been made for its preservation. Ne must
not forget that long delay and heavy expense
would be- incurred in the construction OF a new
building OF the same class indeed 1t is uncertain
whether private enterprise could again be inter
ested in a similar venture.
Cooper Union 4 large enough hall for New
York city a time when the population NUM-
bered only 10000 but with a population OF 401O00
all OF which have a keener interest In the welfare
I OF the city than in 1865. need every inch OF
space in Madison Square Garden
New York. Nov. Il. 1905. GEORGE +. KCNZ.