New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-22
AGAINST MARRING PARK
Richard Watson Glider Opposes
Courthouse in Washington Square.

The Washington Square Association the AHasrf-
Scenic and Historic Preservation Society and
the New York County Lawyers Association are up
IN against the proposal 10 pI2ce the new
courthouse In Washington Square. and will make
determined fight against the plan at the hearing be
fore the Board Of Estimate at 10 80 O'Clock this
morning. In opposition to the Washington Square
site will be urged the fact that the removal OF the
courthouse to this place would depreciste the value
Of ONCE buildings downtown. now tenanted by
legal population Of one hundred thousand while on
the sentimental and historical side will be urged
the fact that the square Is old bury1ng ground.
and that it's beauty and the imposing quality OF
Washington Arch would be greatly diminished At
the hearing It Is expected that two architects j.
Riley Gordon and J. Stewart Barney, representing
the Lawyers Association. will submit plans show
ing that 1t is entirely feasible to the City Hall
Park site.
Richard Watson Glider. in speaking OF the propo-
sition said The proposed plan. confess, puzzles
me. Some excellent men seem to be in favor OF
1t. but II certainly looks II It would be the de-
struction OF Washington Square as IL has been so
long known and enjoyed The people Of this city
by long campaign Of education have been taught
to fight to preserve every foot OF park space This
new plan Is insidious. because 1t is not proposed
TO diminish park territory; but the other hand.
II does look like the virtual destruction OF we'll
known park hope some desirable solution
may be found Of the courthouse problem.
Frederick ". Whtridge said IF Washington
Square is proper location, the thing TO do would
be to secure space fronting the park and to build
there. Moreover. It il not convenient site for a
courthouse. and would not be until our subway and
elevated stations were readjusted"
George F. Kunz. president of the American Scenic
and Historic Preservation Society. said: IF the
public feeling intense against Trinity corpora
ton for consenting to the selling and closing OF
a small park. of which 1t only owned one-quarter.
what will be the feeling IL the city itself permits
the mutiiation of Washington Square Park. one
OF the most beautiful OF the city's squares?
Joseph L. Delahed. secretary Of the Washington
Square Association said: I'VE are to be repre-
sented at the hearing tomorrow, of course, and
shall fight bitterly the proposal to put the court
house in the square We much opposed to
having this historic and beautiful residence section
made a business district. the section Of Fifth
avenue from 18th street up has become Moreover
many people feel that 1t would be dissertation to
dig the square and build there. In 17ss the city
selected it for the burial of the poor. But in 1871
and again in tbs 30s during the fearful yellow
fever epidenlcs the square became general bury
ing ground. In the height of the epidemic many
members Of prominent families who died Of the
scourage buried there
Moreover tire square is the site Of the city's
monument to Washington, and the plans proposed
for huge courthouse would completely dwarf the
monument and destroy the symmetry OF the square.
The proposal to add two blocks at the southwest
corner to compensate would simply make the park
irregular in shape and open it for two blocks to
the elevated road in Sd street.
r. The New York County Lawyers Association sent
out request for opinion TO seventy-nve hundred
lawyers. OF 42ss who answered only zs favored
the Washington Square site, while SIS preferred
Union Square and the wanted to keep the
present City Hall site.
The Washington Square Association has unant-
u1ously passed resolution saying that the use Of
Washington Square for the courthouse would
be a serious detriment and menace to the neigh
boring district and q dangerous precedent for the
encroachment other public parks This will be
presented to the Board Of Estimate to-day by
Joseph S. Auerbach. Among those present when
the resolution adopted were Cornelius 3.
Mitchell. ]. 8. Auerbach. Eugene Deahed, Pierre
Mali Joseph L. Deahed. Albert r Shattuck. Ed
ward L Partridge and DR.. John ". Brannan