New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-05
PARK DEFENDERS IN ARMS
County Courthouse Bill at Al
bany Target for FusiI|ade.
HEARING HERE is DEMANDED
Board of Estimate Joins Civic
Bodies in Disappearing
Stillwell Measure.

D ne proposal 10 I'd ne a large pa VI 'iAN
| City Hall Park for the new county court
/ house has aroused the active opposition OF
/ civic bodies. OF organizations interested in
the fine arts. OF the great majority OF
/ leading lawyers and Of public spirited cti-
zens generally.
Numerous telegraph messages were sent
from this city yesterday to Thomas E.
Foley. chairman Of the cities Committee
Of the Assembly. a. Albany. requesting
that hearing be given 10 various organi-
cations on the county courthouse bill before
any action is taken by the Assembly.
e. Grant La Fargo. president Of the New
York Chapter OF the American Institute Of
Architects. sent the following telegram 70
Assemblyman Foley yesterday:
On behalf New York Chapter American
Institute of Architects. membership 237. re-
quest hearing on county courthouse bill
before action by Assembly Because OF
great importance Of measure and its ex-
clusively local interes: to this city. suggest
hearing be held here.
c. GRANT LA FARCE, President.
Similar action was taken. IL Is under
stood by Mrs David n. Greer for the Co
lonlal Danes Of America. Mrs. Horace f.
Demng for the City History Club OF New
York, William A Boring, chairman Of the
Fine Arts Fedora ton Of New York. d.
Edward Hagaman Hall Of the American
I Scenic and Historic Preservation Society
Mrs. Everett NJ Rayner. ~ the Daugh-
ters Of the Revolution. r. w B Brown.
chairman Of the New York Historical So
cie,y. and several others.
phiibin Explains Opposition.
Eugene a Ph!lhin. head Of the Parks
and Fairgrounds Association. said az his
home last night that the organization ras
strongly opposed 20 the provisions Of the
Stilwell bill
We hold the parks in trust for future
generations" he said "A public park be-
longing 10 the city Of New York is not the
place for a courthouse OF New York Coun-
~. The city Hall and It's park belong to
the city-to BROOKLYN. Queens and Rich
mond as truly as to Manhattan and The
Bronx.
The people have resisted steadily and
successfully many projects involving the
use Of their parks for srecial purposes
! The instructive popular hostility n such
projects is sound One encroachment
-"uld lead almost inevitably. to others.
The only way 70 preserve the parks is to
( preserve them. and 70 accept the fact that
they have been stricken from the list Of
/ possible guiding sites"
Practically the only argument for such
a plan said Mr. La Fargo. is that it
would involve no immediate outlay FOR
| land The warmest advocates of the Still
we'll bill must acknowledge that II is the
counsel Of desperation YET without prov
ing that no other solution is possible they
would have the city repeat as a bunder
that which Tweed committed as crime &"
Board Of Estimate Acts.
Introduced by Borough President Nc
Aneny. a resolution was passed by the
Board OF Estimate Yesterday disapproy ing
the Stilwen bill. because it would take
away from the board all power over the
use Of city property or the acquisition Of
new property for the proposed new court
house The committee Of the board that
has had the courthouse site in hand was
ompoU cred ~ oppose the bill
President McAneny said that the matter
vas not on tho calendar and required
unanimous consent: but was one that
should he acted on az once Every mem
Der OF the board voted fer II except MAYOR
ground that he would have to pass on the
bill II il We're passed at Albany. He could
have prevented the passage Of the resou-
ton yesterday by voting against r.
The resolution reads n follows:
Whereas Under the provisions Of Sen
ate ain No. ~ entitled An act providing
sor the erection Of q new courthouse In
CITY Hall Park. New York now pending
before the Legislature. tho charter powers
or This hoard with relation 20 the approva
OF - Use Of city property. or the acquisi-
ton of other property. for purposes OF
courthouse site and with relation 20 the
sUpropriation II moneys neCessarv for the
construction NJ courthouse. are nullifed
and said power transferred 70 the justices
~ the Supreme Court. and
Whereas. The passage OF said bill would
directly hiring not only upon the theorr
and purpose Of the charter. bur the prin-
ciplcs Of city home rule. therefore. he II
Resolved. That this board hereby disap-
proves Of the measure I'm question and
authorize IT'S committee on courthouse 20
oppose its enactment or further advance
ment