New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-24
APPEAL TO AMERICANS
"IEATE Us OUR GARDENS"
Protest against Grand Concert Hall
IN Champs ELysees.


Paris Jan 23-The project Of building
grand concert hall OF the site Of the old Winter
Circus in the gardens of the Champs Elysees, for
which four-f1fths OF the necessary funds have
been subscribed by wealthy music-loving Amer
icans has elected a mild but firm protest from
II Andre Rallays. art critic of The Journal des
Debats." and spokesman of the Society OF
Friends of Paris Sites and Gardens. The appeal
takes the following shape:
Many Americans honor Paris by selecting it
rs q favorite residence, and they choose the
quarters near the Arc de Triomphe and the
Champs Elysees. To-day q proposition is under
the consideration of the Municipal Council OF
Paris to build huge theatre in the Children's
Garden which will ruin the beauty of the
Champs Elysees We appeal TO good Americans
10 aid us in axerting this wicked design You
good Americans VINO live in Paris may help us
by enlightening your countrymen who nave
srnpFudentIy consented to participate in this
detestable enterprise.
Persons sought out two Americans whose
opuience lis IS celebrated as their bounty, and
said to them, Everybody complains that there
Goes not exist in Paris a suitable concert hall
To Cooperate in project for such hall would
render service 20 music, to the musical public
and 20 musicians 1t would be glorious TO aid in
such an artistic undertaking.
were told that a site would be accorded for the
purpose in the most beautiful part of the
Champs E1ysees. All this is true. All lovers
Of music would rejoice if such concert hail
were built. But what they did not tell the two
ruulent and bountiful Americans and what
now urge their countryrnen to inform them is
that In order to erect this edifice they about
60 menace an admirable promenade. take away
from Parisiaps air. light and probably trees, and
deprive children of their accustomed play
sroand while there are twenty other sites where
the propesedsconcert hall might be erected. with
out injury TO the beauty and health of Paris
for several years past we have with sorrow
noticed that the finest works of our artists have
been taken away from France to America, but
We know that they will find there ardent adj
,1lirers and conscientious safekeepers- Content
yourselves with these trophies. Pray do not
DESTROY she beauties OF Paris AT least leave US
our gardens which, moreover, are partly yours.
sor SO many of you pleased to live in Paris
Such Is the appeal made by Ii. Andre Halays
TO the Americans who have literally sub
k=cribed TO the project of endowing Paris with a
grand concert house 1t should be noted that
the owners of many houses and apartments
fronting the gardens in question, among them
8 New York citizen, Joseph Montant, have pc
titioned against the erection of a concert house
in the Champs Eysees gardens Meanwhile,
Gabriel Astruc, the enterprising and amiable
musical manager who has established wide
European reputation by his musical triumphs
and who would become head OF the proposed
concert house, is pushing matters forward with
characteristic energy He willing. however
TO accept any other suitable site for the concert
house that the Municipal Council may select.