New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-22
LAY SAYS DISORDER
RE|CNS IN THE PARK
New Landscape Architect De-
CIares Everything There
Looks Neglected.
WORKING FORCE TOO SMALL
Opposes Having Parks and Play
grounds Combined-Will Fol
low Maynadier's Recon-
mendations.

mendations.
Although he had heard and read much
about the poor condition Of the parks
OF the city. especially Central Park. II
was not until he made an inspection that
Charles Downing Lay, the recently ap-
pointed landscape architect, found the
parks even worse than he had supposed
them to be.
Everything looks neglected. said Mr..
Lay yesterday and there Is disorder
everywhere The amount Of work to be
done is appalling. and l think IT will take
wears to put Central Park in the condi-
ton it should be If New Workers are ever
again to think that it is a magnificent
park and wonderful creation.
Mr.. Lay has been put in charge Of the
restoration Of Central Park as outlined
by Gustavus b. Maynadier the soil ex-
pert Of the Department Of Agriculture.
"T have read and approved Mr.. May
nadier's report" said the landscape
architect. and his recommendations VIII
be followed in the work Of restoring the
North Meadow. work which Commis-
sioner Stover has ordered To he begun
next week. To restore il. it will be
necessary to fence il off for perhaps a
year. This will cause Inconvenience and
grumblng. but believe the public VIII
endure much II Il can be seen that there
will be improvement Of the park
Calls Park Force inadequate.
Mr.. Lay has told Commissioner Stover,
as did Mr.. Msynadier. that the force At
work I'm Central Park is totally mad
equate.
There are 120 employees in the park.
said Mr.. Lay. who are required 10 take
care Of 700 or more acres. excluding the
reservoirs That is one man for six
acres Of park. including roads and drives.
on a private estate one man to care for
two acres Of ornamental grounds Is not
4 large allowance II is strange there
is a blade Of grass or shrub or a tree
left i'm the park when it is considered
that the small force Of laborers has to
take care of all the roads and paths, and
must attempt 10 clear UP the litter on
the park lawns. II shows i'm what re-
spect the park is held by the people and
how little damage is really done. II
the park is 10 be reiuyenated it also
must he better poticed. because only
through that medium can the trees and
shrubs be protected from destruction"
Not even the poorest estates, according
to the landscape architect, arc very often
found in as run down a condition as Cen
tral Park.
ANY owner Of small place. even
though he had no interest in gardening
or trees" said Mr. Lay. would be dis
tressed if his back yard We're in a con-
dition approaching that Of Central Park.
He would at least clean it up and cut
out the weeds and dead trees The beauty
of the whole park design is obscured by
its present rough details The southern
end is particularly bad
Mr.. Lay says the elms in Fifth avenue
would be a disgrace % any city.
such A state is unnecessary.' he
maintains. because spraying and fer
tilizing would keep them in good condi-
tions. There should be at least a hun
dred men looking after the trees in the
parks Of the city. instead Of the mere
handful now assigned 10 such important
work
Park No Place for Playground.
Mr.. Lay is emphatcaIly opposed TO
such a combination.
Parks and Fairgrounds said Mr..
Lay. are like east and west. and can
never meet. I shall not countenance the
destruction Of a beautiful park for the
sake of making a playground. \ park
il for the whole community; a play
ground. on the contrary, is only for one
class-the children. Decreasing the size
Of the park for a playground would de-
crease its enjoyment by the whole pub
lie. 1t would be just as wasteful 10 take
our new public library FOR a gymnasium
and swimming pool The value Of the
park 10 the community is not 10 be
gauged by its success in developing
muscle
The plea Of expediency, Mr.. Lay said,
vas always raised when such an attack
was made on park but it should never
have any weight. New York needs parks
and Fairgrounds and is amply able TO
tax itself and posterity for both.
Il am beginning work on the planting
plans for Colonial Park said Mr.. Lay,
the Improvement Of an addition 10 Riv-
erside Drive east of Grants Tomb. the
Broadway planting above HON street
the development Of Silver Lake Park
Staten Island. and several other matters
L should like. if sucn a thing be pos
sible. 10 formulate a scheme for the plac-
ing Of monuments so that they might
help To decorate the city. If We could
say to applicants for sites for monu-
ments. Such and such a place is next
in order and you can put your mOnu-
nent there but you must make IL con-
form 10 the needs Of the site. that would
be a great gain and 1t would prevent
much III feeling"
RIDING 100 MILES TO PARTY