New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-23
'PLEA FOR NEW AQUARIUM
Madison Grant Says the Old
Building Is a Firetrap.
TO PLOUGH CENTRAL PARK
Board of Estimate Likely to
Grant Extension of Seventh
Ave. and Irving Place.

4 Hearings on the corporate stock budget
were begun Yesterday by the specia COM
/ rlittee Of the Board Of Estimate. consisting
o: Controller Prendergast. President Nit
| che Of the Board NJ Aldermen and Bor-
! oush President McAneny The budgets Of
/ the borough presidents and of the park
/ commissioners were looked into The hear
! irgs will be continued to-day.
The present aquarium is 2 FIRE trap, and
great loss Of life might result il a fire panic
deN eloped. Madison Grant asserted in ure-
ine an appropria ton for the construction
Of new building. Mr. Grant. who is sec
Rotary of the New York Geological Society.
which has control Of the aquarium. said
that the present building was made Of plas-
Ter on wire. through which II would lie
pos sible 10 thrust cane At almost any
point The building has only one door for
, both entrance and exit. through which
from three 10 four millions Of persons
Year pass The plans Of the society call
for new building that would cost 81 80
no of which they would Ike 10000 next
year
Henry Fairfield Osborn. president OF the
American Museum of Natural History.
asked for 100000 for 1912 as part ~ s7oS N0
which II will cost to build southeast wing
and a court building in addition 70 the
present structure He said the museum
vas planning 70 CO citrate It's Hft~th ami
versary in 1919 and that they hored 70
have these and other additions completed
by that time
The committee told Or William r. Hor-
naday, director Of the Geological Gardens
IN The Bronx that his request for $4,000
for general development for next year had
teen looked into and approved
Otto r. Barnard and delegation from
the Society Of Colonial Danes appeared 10
urge an appropriation Of soSTN for a build
irg ~ relieve the museum IN Van Cortlandt
Park
Franklin W Hooper. director Of the
Brooklyn institute Of Arts and Sciences
asked for isO.e1O 10 complete and furnish
the fourth section Of the museum in the
Eastern Parkway The money for the
foundation has been appropriated
When President Mitchell ran across an
item in Park Commissioner Stover's budget
reading FOR resoiling and improving tho
lawns Of Central Park ne asked II that
was the resoiling project about which there
had been 50 much fuss. YES. but that
scheme has been buried. replied the Com
missioner with smile "Al We ask for
nov is $4,000 In three instalme Is Of go
o1) year We want 10 plough tho big
lawns and some OF the small ones. seed
them. plough them again. and .hus get In
lime and phosphates
Tina, may be all right. said President
Mitchell but it is a question of nIainte
nance and should 80 into the regular
budget" So II was stricken out.
President Mitchell put Commissioner
Slower on the grill in regard 10 the plan
for putting wading pools and Fairgrounds
in Central Park. for which the Board Of
Estimate appropriated money last year.
The report I'm favor ~ II was signed both
by President Mitchell and Commissioner
Slower. The latter noundered around bit,
saving that there had been some adverse
criticism Of the project.
Then pointing his finger AZ Commissioner
Slower. President Mitchell said, slowly:
Isn't It fact that the Mayor told YOU
that I, was not 10 20 ony'
Must answer such questions" asked
inc COMMISSIONER
Yes" replied President Mitchell and the
Controller in unison.
We'll. I think | shall decline 20 answer
this one" said the commissioner II do
not purpose 30 20 ahead with this I'm
provement'
The budget committee indicated that II
would grant the request of President Nc
Aneny for $4,000 for the extension Of
Seventh avenue and Of Irving Place. This
covers 80 per cent of the estimated cost of
the work the balance 10 be paid FOR by
= assessment on the property benefited.
seventh avenue is 10 be extended from It's
present terminus. AT Greenwich avenue.
through 90 Varick street Irvine Place
will be extended from 18th street two blocks
TO Fourth avenue and Lafayette street
President McAneny asked 5000 for
study Of up-to-date sewer construction.
saving that after this year he probably
would want $4,000 a year for several years
for new sewers.
President Mitchell suggested that there
should he an Investigation % the stupid
business" responsible for putting Il smoke
stack or the park side Of the new munich
pal building which would cut OF all the
light IN that part Of the building.