New-York tribune., 1909-02-03
PLEA FOR PLAYGROUND.
Women Ask That One Be Started
on Upper Vest Side.

me Riverside Branch OF the Womans Municipal
League, with Mrs. Clarence Burns head Of the
1-l1tie Mothers Aid Association; Charles B. Slower
OF the Association for Improving the Condition of
the Poor, and others. appeared before the Board
oL Aldermen yesterday morning. to plead for
playground for the children of the upper West Side
President Ahearn presided.
Mrs Julius Cohen told the board that a site was
picked out and waiting-twelve vacant lots on e9th
street. between Amsterdam avenue and Columbus
avenue. Two Of these lots are owned by the city
Boys must play" she said. land there is no
place but the streets IN the locality Boys are con-
unuay being arrested there for the minor offences
they canot help committing when they play In the
Streets"
Mrs. Burns, who was instrumental in starting
playground IN that locality ten years ago told the
board that since that playground was closed-as
II mad TO be because the owners of the land
quired it-Central Park and Riverside Park were
the only places anywhere about there where chill
dren could go.
Riverside Park is dangerous because Of the
railroads" she said, and Central Park has no
place where mothers leave their children. Cen
tral Park, too, isn't safe place for little girls TO
be alone Many mothers in that part of the city
go out to work and must leave their children alone.
A chila can't stay In tenement all day-and there
are as vile tenements up there in any part OF
New York"
Mrs. Burns said that soon after the former play
ground opened in seth street saloonkeeper
came over and asked leave to contribute to the
expenses. He said it worth something she
remarked. ito have the boys. who used to be
such nuisance. kept away from his place. If the
city Will spend money on Fairgrounds IL won't
have to spend much reformatories.
George G. Marvin, physical director OF the boys
clubs started in connection with the Waring Juve-
nile League. offered statistics to prove the conges-
ton in the vicinity of Amsterdam avenue and s9th
street. IN twelve blocks" he said, there are
lz131 people. Nearly every arrest of boy up
there is for playing in the street, and there are
more arrests of boys there, in proportion to the
population, than IN any other part Of the city
Tenement house boys. young boys. won't go more
than a few blocks from home TO play, and so
they don't go to Central Park. They're told TO
keep near home; generally they are needed to
take care Of the younger children
Mr. Stover who laid Seward Park Play
ground told the board that the East Side had nine
Fairgrounds and the West Side only two,
If there is anything going in New York, he
said, the feeling is to give il to the East SIDE;
but this distribution OF Fairgrounds strikes me as
unfair The upper West Side needs a playground
President Ahearn. who had bee1 asking every
sneaker portentously If he she understood th9
financial condition the city. ended the hearing
! by stating that there money 10 buy the
lots at seth street, but that a report would De
msde 10 the Board Of Estimate in favor OF leasing
the lots That is If the ladies approve ANY
thing the ladies want he said. generously.
IF the Riverside branch equips ano runs t1e
playground won't the city be willing TO buy the
lots after while?" asked Mrs Cohen
The board wouldn't venture any promises III
connection with the treasury, and the nearing
adjourned.