New-York tribune., 1911-04-04
LAYS BLAME ON ST0VER.
Landscape Architect Ignorant
Why His Pay Is Held Up.
WILL APPEAL TO PARK BOARD
Let Him Talk" Answers Com
missioner; Il May Have Some
thing to Say Later"

Sanuei Il. Parsons. 1r, landscape aT'nl-
tect Of the Park Board said Yesterday that
his pay for the month Of March had been
held up and that his elimination from the
payroll must have been at the order OF
Park Commissioner Stover as no one
else i'm the Park Board knew anything
about the matter BY no one else Mr.
Parsons meant Commissioner Higgins, vi
The Bronx. and Commissioner Kennedy,
OF Brooklyn. In well Informed circles IN
the Park Department ii was said that MI
Parsons had made a good guess, and that
Mr.. Slower had taken the action after
the Bureau of Municipal Research had
submitted its report on the work of Mr..
Parsons.
1T all seems so strange to me- said
Mr.. Parsons. for commissioner Stover
has been unusually pleasant 70 me of late
The first | knew Of any trouble was when
the Bureau of Municipal Research called
for my time sheets Then when March 81
came around ! did not get my salary ana
learned that | had been eliminated from
the payroll"
When Commissioner Stover was in
formed that Mr.. Parsons had laid the
affair at his door saying that the other
members of the Park Board had advised
him they knew nothing of the cause MI
Stover said: Let him talk. | may nave
something to say later
Mr.. Parsons explained In his Office in the
Arsenal yesterday that he was going 10
write TO Mr. Stover at once 10 find out
what was the trouble He also intimated
that he was one of a number in the Park
Department who could not tell where the
and that he presumed some Of his criu-
csms Of certain features advocated ny
the Park Commissioner had led the latter
to believe that he was an obstructionist.
Perhaps Mr.. Slower did not IKE my
stand on the matter of the playground In
Central Park" said Mr.. Parsons Il am
absolutely opposed TO II. and always nave
been That is only one idea ! advance as
Il reason why commissioner Stover should
take action against me, for ! don't kno"
of anybody else who has found fault with
how ! spend my time. Then last year
also made public my views regarding
Morningside Park, which was going 10
ruin However ! shall take the matter
up with the Park Board to find out why
my pay is not forthcoming and 10 learn
the nature of the charges against me- II
there be any"
According To the views of the landscape
architect. IL is only the Park Board when
has a right TO hold up his pay or 10 tell
him what he shall do or when he shall do
IT, There has been no action taken so
far 10y the board. according to the park
commissioners. and therefore Mr. Parsons
intends going right along with his work
and will wait. if necessary. for the pay.
Il shall not let It interfere with my
work. said Mr. Parsons. for. as ] nm
derstand it. my place is one whicn can be
created or abolished by the Park Board
and my salary will continue until am
relieved Of my duties by that body"
Mr. Parsons said that Commissioner
Stover was not in the habit Of taking the
numerous heads Of his department into his
confidence regarding his plans. As il was,
he added some knew Commissioners
Stover To he in favor Of one thing and
some Of another.
In speaking of the trouble in the Park
Department an official of long service
therein said yesterday that IT had been
more or less believed that Mr.. Parsons
had strong preiudices and in holding up
number Of projects had caused himself
TO ne known as an obstructlonlat II was
also said that The holding up of the plan
70 rebuild Bull Bridge in Central Park
had been lald at the uoor of Mr.. Parsons.
Two Years ago, IL was pointed out by this
official. plans were submitted for new
bridge 10 supplant the old patched up one
now standing. Mr.. Parsons. 1t was sdld,
did not ike the design. and the bridge
hos never been ele lected. other instances
Of opposition TO the purchase of trees
and shrubs We're also charged against MI
ParsCns. -,
Al present the Park Department is by
the ears owing 10 the presence oI 'oh-
missioner Fosdick's examiners, the recent
resignation of Howard Bfddstreet. 'le su
nervision If recreation, and the tension OF
the Parsons matter. There has not been
SO much doing" in the department Tor
years and not few In the service naNe
given up trying to solve the rumors that
are constantly sprinSing up III the dliereht
hureanS