The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-05
SLOWER WANTS PARSONS OUT
PARSONS ~ LANDSC APE iR(HI.
TECT WIN 4 VETO on STOvER.
sto,er charges the Degeneration Of Gen.
trai Park 10 Him and Makes an In.
sinuation Against sis Intesriiy--Fric.
tien About Fairgrounds and seiI.

Park Commissioner Slower in n letter
he sent to the Mayor yesterday explained
why he had held up the last months sal
ary Of Samuel Parsons. the landscape
architect Of the department. and he
added that at the meeting of the Park
Board on Thursday he will present a
resolution which. 10 adopted. will mean
dropping Mr. Parsons.
Mr. Slower tells the Mayor that re-
Gently there was submitted to him an
analysis Of Mr.. Parsons's time and SER
vice records and that these showed that
he had recorded himself as Excused for
20 per cent. OF the time that other en-
ployees Of the department were expected
to be on duty. Mr. Slower goes on to say
am satisfied that even such time az Mr..
Parsons had given TO the parks of Man
haitian has been with little profit
In my Judgment Mr.. Parsons has not
demonstrated his fitness to discharge the
important duties Of his position. He has
made NO constructive suggestions: on the
contrary. he has served only to obstr ruct
those that have made. and which under the
law am required to submit for his approval
The present condition OF Central Park il
largely the direct result Of neglect through
out HE long period of service ~ superin-
tendent. Commissioner and landscape
architect. which he might readily have fore
stalled by very simple expedients
In working out plan for the restoration
OF Central Park Ihave not felt il wise to RELY
on Mr.. Parsons either for advice or su z Res-
tions. For this work | employed q. B.
Maynadier Of the bureau OF soils OF the De-
partment Of Agriculture. whose study.
now nearing completion. was conducted
entirely Independently OF the landscape
architect. II Ia my underst anding that
Mr.. Maynadier will report adversely on the
present practice Of the landscape architect
In using an artificial mixture Of clay and
humus FOR restoring small park areas. and
the application OF this principle TO the ex-
tensive work OF general restoration Of New
York city's parks. and that he will recon-
mend that whenever resoiling il necessary
the natural condition Of the soil used shall
be such that II will not require the treatment
and mixture now in vogue.
This expensive method OF soil mixture
has been used for some time by the depart
ment in pursuance OF Mr.. Parsons recon-
mendation in the general upkeep Of the
park. with the result that all concerned
are now under suspicion OF attempting
lby this much asitated and costly proposal
to resoil Central Park to further the
interests OF . particular local company.
which is the principal dealer. both directly
and indirectly. In this commodity.
Charles B. Slower became head of the
Park Department in January. 1910. sue
ceeding Henry Smith. Up to that time
he Vas known - . settlsment worker.
and especially a. one interested in pub
lie play grounds for children. He has
lived for some years at the University
settlement at ist Eldridge street
Early in 1893 Mr.. Stover's name ap-
peared in the papers in connection with
the Chadwick Civic Club. which he had
founded and which undertook to interes.
itself in various public movements, no.
tably the agitation to open the Metro.
politan Museum on Sundays. Mr. Stover
said that he paid the bills Of the Chadwick
Civic Club from his own purse.
People refer TO me as an anarchist
and an alien" said he in 1893. Il was
born in this country and not long ago
] stood by the grave OF an ancestor of
mine who was buried in Bucks county
Pa. in l75s.-
IL was announced at the time he took
offics as Commissioner Of Parks that he
would undertake giving the city more
open spares and TO carry out Mr. CAV
nor's idea OF park in some central part
OF the city where. as in HYDE Park. Lon
don. all sorts of people might. talk freely
as they wish without police interference
Mr.. Stover's deputy in charge of the
up to a month ago was
Howard Bradstreet. formerly secretary
OF the Parks and Fairgrounds Associa-
ton. Mr.. Bradstreet resigned because
he could not get supplies and apparatus
ordered for his department despite
from the Board OF Esti-
mate providing for their purchase.
Since Mr.. Slower became Commissioner
he has been charged with trying to divert
the parks from their original uses His
critics have declared that he had designs
on Central Park and intended to TAX G parts
Of 1t to Use AZ play grounds 1t was
asserted last summer that he intended TO
construct wading pools and swimming
baths in Central Park but Mr. Slower
denied that he had had anything TO do
with such projects.
Samuel Parsons. Jr. landscape archi-
tect to the Park Department, has stood
out against spelling the beauty Of Central
Park He has found himself frequently
at odds with Mr.. Stover in some Of the
latter's schemes. and when the delay was
noticed last Saturday in the matter OF
Mr. Parsons's March salary il was said
that Mr.. Stover's attitude toward him
was owing to these differences Of opinion.
MIR. Parsons was a partner Of Calvert
Vaux and has been president OF the Park
Board himself He has been consulted
by the authorities Of many cities about the
OF parks He has been con-
nected with the Department OF Parks
since 1882. and has been landscape archi-
tect since 1890. He designed a 400 acre
park for San Diego Cal. was a member
Of the Hudson Fulton celebration COM
mittee and is also member Of the Ameri-
can Society OF Landscape Architects.
He studied at Haverford College and at
Yale, He is Republican and Quaker
II was said by friend Of Mr. Parsons
last night that he 10 not interested IN any
fertilizer company The project to re-
surface the parks is still embryonic.
Prendergast has received
from Mr.. Parsons a statement Of what
ought to be done and recommendation
az 10 what can be undertaken imme-
diately,
Mr.. Parsons did not wish TO make Bny
last NIGHT Hn cail tl., L..