New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-04
TO SAVE CITY HALL PARK
Societies Begin Fight on Bill for
New County Courthouse.
ARCHITECTS VOICE PROTEST
lone of the Worst Grabs Ever
Attempted Says Edward
Hagaman Hall.

Attempted, says ho~ai"
Hagaman Hall
r.reusd wave Of protest on the par'
q. citizens and organizations interested !"
The preservation Of City Hall PARK mas
.-,ser as the result OF the passage OF the
s,nlveu hill in the state Senate which
n,ac.s an arbitrary power in the hahoS u
.bs sunrene Court justices 10 supervise
~. .r.c.,on Of a new county courthouse
a. ~. ,art without restricting them as 10
,b. .Y,ent 70 which the pax land may ue
used for that purpose 49,
While all interests are agreed that 'he
courthouse should be erected oo""to""
IRE neighborhood OF the Ci'Y ran tle
expected manner in whlch 'Iis u,,-
si,nr.a through the Senate at Nonoa.
righ,'s session. providing Tor the u'ii''ii''U
use Of the park property ltsei' 0aii,e q"
shock 10 men and Organizations WIZ
s.ronslv opposed 10 any further ehc'
roen, on mark property for the cons'ru''''''
of public buildings ,,1agre
A., roeeting Of the Architectural League
=, the Fine Arts Building on TUESDAY me-
= united voice Of protest was idlseu
s,sannroval Of the Sullwell bill Inc mem
b.rs ~ the league were very mucn alarm
. .ha rau.s from Albany that such OH
Rad nassed the Senate. The naVei
x...rrad ~ William A Boring. presldeh' W
TIE league. and immediate STEPS viii
,aLen nv the architects 20 do all theS Ooi,
~ h,ook further progress OF the propose'
legislation. .rors
THE Hill was characterized by members
If the league as vicious lesislatoh' anu
Z, is likely the architects VIII SEND 0o.''
yni,tee 70 Albany 10 lobby against ~ me
architects explained that they rad no aNes
70 grind in the matter, and were not an
,,oinatine the candidacy Of any OF the"
r,erobers 10 draw the plans for the ne"
courthouse. but that they felt impelleo 10
nrotest against the spohation Of CITY nan
Park.
Other Available Sites.
7, was pointed out that there were o'he'
available sites in the immediate neiehoor-
hood which the city would he WARRANTED
in acquiring. even at oonsideraole eA-
pense.
William A. Boring is also secretary OF 'He
Fine Arts Federation, ar organization
which is likewise strongly opposed 10 tne
Use Of the park for the new building
.r have not Vet seen the stillwen bill
Mr. Boring said Yesterday. but II II places
The arbitrary powers in the hands OF the
justices. as reported and literally FORCES
-bs BOARD Of Estimate 70 appropriate the
funds for the construction ~ The nulld-
.rr I, is certainly vicious legislation. ~
nuts the matter IN the hands OF men VINO
are entirely inexperienced in such matters
and gives them absolute power ~ pass on
the things which should require expert
1,no1.iedee Of building construction, real
estate values. etc II Is 4 duty that they
viii never be able 70 properly perform.
ON the first place. they must have A
..u brudine-for one reason 10 get the
courts IN out Of the noise as much as pos
sible-and If they bund " in city Hall Park
81 will crowd the park and absolutely spoil
(, from an artistic point of view. besides
obstructing light and air At centre where
:, IS much needed II NAV he that most
Of rs NOWADAYS do not take kindly 10 the
artistic matters but beyond that is inc
fact that our streets were laid out 20 house
reopls IN buildings ~ FIVE or six stories
ard our buildings have reached height
which already makes congestion keenly
felt
There are other places available where
q tai building would be an advantage in
stead 81 disadvantage Sufficient prop
ertv could he acquired by the city in the
block between Chambers and Reade streets.
adjoining CITY Hall Park. or in the block
between Reade and Duane streets. II would
not ne necessary to purchase the property
in eft
money would he saved IN that way.
Cost Would Not be Greater.
The cost Of providing temporary quar-
ters for the courts, the expense of reorgan-
izinr afrervard. the danger 10 which valu-
able records would be submitted and all the
other Inconvenience attendant upon build
ing in the park would more than offset the
extra exnense Of acquiring desirable prop
ertv for proper building site. II would
take four years 70 construct any kind Of a
building 70 be desired
The American Scenic and Historic Pres
ervation Society intend 10 fight the bill
WITH all the influence they can command
The society recently sent printed appeal
10 zach member Of the Legislature request
ing him 10 oppose the Stlwell bill. which
Included Ist OF zen apparently s''N iNo
sons WHY the building should not be placed
IN the park The society pointed out that a
few years ago the city might have acquired
the whole block on the north side Of Cham
hers street from Center TO Broadway, at a
reasonable price. The erection OF the costly
building Of the Emgrant Savings Bank
makes that site now economically imprac-
ticable
There are. however. facing upon or
within few blocks of City Hall Park, the
statement read. available sites which bear
the same relation 10 the present situation
that the Chambers street block bore 70 the
situation a few years ago. and upon which
there are no large modern buildings or
costly structures comparatively speaking. "
Edward Hagaman Hall. secretary Of the
preservation society. characterized the Still
well bill yesterday as one of the worst
grabs ever attempted.
If an aroused public opinion can defeat
the measure the bill will never become a
Law" he said.
Edward VI. Groui. former Controller and
member OF the new Courthouse Commits
sion. said yesterday that the commission
had done its duty in reporting 10 the Board
Of Estimate last January, and would vel