New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-01
KILLS COURTHOUSE BILL
Mayor Gaynor Vetoes Third
Measure for Selection of Site.
ALL OPPOSE CITY HALL PARK
Gaynor Takes Shot at His Adj
versaries in Subway Affair
Touching Lack of Funds.

Tie now and third Stilwell bill which has
come down from Albany In the endeavor to
settle the dispute over q site for the New
York County Court House suffered the
same fate as It's predecessor at the hands
Of Mayor Gaynor yesterday. 1t was We
| toed
| It took William y. Guthrie. vice-president
Of the Bar Association. and Robert ;. Bin
/ kerd, secretary Of the City Club, some MN
utes at the morning hearing 10 eradicate
| from the MAYORS mind the impression that
the bill accorded with his recommendation
Of July 6, when he dsapproved the prior
bill. suggesting that six months be given
/ the Board Of Estimate in which to select
site, the assent of the Courthouse Board
not being necessary.
! Il had supposed" the Mayors memoran-
dun disappearing the bill ran, that the
bill was amended as suggested ! do not
see why It has been put before me in Its
present form. unless to have me refuse to
accept it, which I hereby do"
The Mayor did not let slip the oppor-
| tunity to take a shot at his adversaries in
the subway affair. attributing the trouble
to a lack Of money caused by building the
subway out Of city money only. I'VE had
] Il
money" he wrote in the memorandum
! up to this time that has been rejected
/ II 1t had been accepted the credit OF the
city wonld have been so relieved that we
could build courthouses and do large
number Of other things that are of great
necessity The memorandum continues;
| If private capital is not to share in the
! building of the subways, then many things
purchase a suitable site aud build court
house on II In the County OF New YORK
would cost from So,mopoo TO S@.WN'oV
There is also a necessity for a courthouse
/ IN Kings County which, with the site,
would cost Sl2,OoJJl0.
The home rule principle forbids that the
| Legislature should exclude the city han
/ Park for a courthouse site. The city Of
| fcials should be free to select any site they
! see fit And vet some who advocate home
! rule seem to want the Legislature 10 OK
! clude City Hall Park.
The wish of the Board Of Estimate and
! Apportionment is TO select square in
some eligible part OF the city and erect a
suitable courthouse on 1t. They do not
wish to locate the courthouse in city Hall
| Park. If they wished To do that they
would have located il there long ago.
When this bill was before me a few
weeks ago / had to withhold my approval
/ of IT, but stated i'm my memorandum that
| II II was so amended as 10 give the Board
/ Of Estimate and Appointment exclusive
mower to select courthouse site within
( six months. IN default OF which selection
1 the power should go to the Courthouse
{ Board n select a site I'm the manner pro-
/ vided in the original act. | would approve
/ Of IT, In place OF so amending the bill IT
/ has hccn amended to provide that II the
4 courthouse Board shall not select a site
/ within six months or II II shall not select
a site which meets with The approval or
/ the Board Of Estimate within that time,
! that then the said Courthouse Board may
| select any site II sees Mt
Ny. Guthrie, speaking IN opposition 70 the
! bill ri the hearing, represented the Bar
| Association, the New York County Law
vcrs' Association. the city Club, the Citi-
zcns Union. the American Scenic and His
! toric Preservation Society and the New
! York chapter Of the American Institute Of
| Architects all Of which organizations re-
! Gently agreed at conferences held under
| the auspices Of the CITY club. 10 oppose
| tho bill. lie pointed ont the fact that. so
| far from the BOARD Of Estimate having the
| mower 10 select site without the consent
| Of tho Courthouse Board. its solo function
| under the law was to approve site So
Iected hv the Courthouse Board within six
! months. or. al the expiration Of that time.
70 turn fhe whole matter over TO the lat
ter body
| Tho Mayor remarked that all the op-
moments seemed 70 want was tho Insertion
| If clause preventing the choice of city
| Hall Park Such a step on the part Of
the Legislature" he said, would hN
| against home rule"
Nj Rinkerd explained that all the OPP
! moments did want was to prevent the
! I legislature from putting the choice In the
/ hands of body committed 10 tho park
| site
The BOARD If Estimate said the
/ Navor. doesn't want the courthouse IN
! city Hall Park, and It isn't going there