New-York tribune., 1912-01-26
FIRE ALARM STATION
FOR CENTRAL PARK
Slower Now Tells Johnson He
Favors Granting Space
Asked For.
DAIRY SITE TO BE USED
Matter of Park Alarm Stations
To Be Pushed in Other
Boroughs - Perils Of
Present system.

Fire Commissioner Johnson made
its meeting Yesterday afternoon for park
sites for central alarm stations in all
boroughs. Commissioners Johnson SAID
he had seen the Mayor about the matter
and that the Mayor had told him to
confer with the Park Board. That body
some months ago turned down the sug-
gestion, but Park Commissioner Stoyer
said yesterday that he was in favor Of
granting the site asked in Central Park
and that the other commissioners would
decide what they would do regarding
their respective boroughs.
The Fire Commissioner also presented
plans. The site desired i'm Central Park
is near the Goth street transverse road,
now occupied by the dairy, an old
wooden structure which is rapidly fall
ing to pieces and which Commissioner
Slower has already planned to have re-
moved. Commissioner Johnson said he
would put up a structure in the park
along the lines demanded by Commits
slCner Stovcr, at a cost of $4,000. Ac-
Cording to the plans submitted the CEN
trail alarm station would occupy only a
small part Of the proposed structure, and
the Park Department would have the
use of the rest of it.
Next to the burning up Of the entire
city" said Commissioner Johnson, 1.-The
destruction of the fire alarm central sta
tion would be the greatest calamity that
could befall New York. That at present
is a possibility. 1t is a crime that the
central alarm station is not situated in
a place apart from other buildings. In
Manhattan there is only one place
where the necessary isolation can be
obtained, and that is in Central Park.
| realize that the Park Commissioners
cannot countenance park invasion. But
in this instance the protection Of five
million persons is at stake"
In speaking OF his attitude regarding
the proposed site Of the station Park
Commissioner Stover said it would mean
that at no cost to itself the Park De-
partment would get a structure of
beautiful proportions" and an un-
slightly. dilapidated building would be
got rid of
Commissioner Stover told Fire Com
missioner Johnson TO submit plans as
soon as possible emboGying the changes
which the Park Commissioner asked
should he made. one of the changes re-
uuested was that the Park Department
should have the use of the story Of the
structure above ground, while the Fire
Department would have that below.
According to Commissioner Stover an
impression Of many citizens is that the
station is TO house fire apparatus.
That is not the case, said the Park
Commissioner.
Commissioner Higgins Of The Bronx
told Mr.. Johnson that he had called
public meeting in his borough to discuss
the advisability Of permitting an alarm
station to be placed in one of his parks.
1t was a meeting of taxpayers" said
Commissioner Higgins, addressing the
FIRE commissioner anu 'h'y "'SO'u''-
~ refused To hear of what they con-
sidered park invasion But something
must he done. Here is problem which
concerns all of us
The Bronx Commissioner did not say
bow he would act in the matter, nor did
Commissioner Kennedy Of Brooklyn or
Commissioner Eliot Of Queens
Commissioner Waldo was at Fire
Headquarters when the board was ap-
preached the first time in regard to the
Iark stations. The board voted no after
the matter had been considered for a
number OF weeks.