New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-21
WOULD LEARN WHY
MACMONNIES LACS
Commissioner Ward Wants
to Know Status of City
Hall Park Fountain.

Cabot Ward. Park Commissioner. be-
gan an investigation yesterday to find
out what progress Frederick Mac
Monnies, who lives in Geverney-Ner-
non, France has made on the An
gelina Crane fountain for City Hail
Park, for which he was awarded a
contract almost five years ago and on
the signing of which he got a retainer
of almost $1,000. SO far as could be
learned. not even a drawing has been
! received by the Park Department in
| that time.
In the last two years frequent IN
auires have been made as to the
status Of the work on the fountain,
which is to cost approximately S6OOOo.
In 1912 Commissioner Stover tried to
find out what NJ. MacMonnies had
done since May 3, 1909. when he got
the contract After much delay he re-
ceived word that the work was pro-
crossing. The matter was brought to
Mr.. Wards attention yesterday.
81 shall begin an investigation at
once" he said, ito see what data and
correspondence the Park Department
NAV have on the matter. When that
is done I shall at once find out what
Mr.. MacMonnies has done"
According to the contract on file in
the Finance Department, no time limit
was set on the completion Of the foun-
I oIya 1n rail a n
one now in the park. On August -.
according TO the contract, MacMonnies
received S9,177 60 as a first payment.
He was supposed TO get $1,000, but
$500 40 was deducted to pay the first
premium on a $4,000 life insurance
policy which the contract stipulated he
| should take out in favor Of the city in
case of his death. A like amount has
been taken out OF the bequest -1ch
year since then to pay the premium.
which is charged TO the sculptor
When MacMonnies delivers the models
he is TO get an additional $1,000. on
the completion of the stone work and
| basin in City Hall Park he is TO get
$40. 900. and on the completion of the
bronze work ar1 its acceptance he is
TO get $4,000 more. on the compile
ton and acceptance OF the entire foun-
tain he is to get the remainder.
| The Angelina Crane bequest turned
over TO the city amounted 10 500, ,439 2S.
This was increased 10 100000 by ac-
lion of the city authorities. provision
being made that the balance was TO
come out of Sinking Fund Redemp-
tion No. l." In this fund the interest
has been deposited.
Mr.. Ward was surprised when he
learned that there was no time limit
set in the contract.
MacMonnies has spent many years
I'm France. His studio is there and he
signed the contracts for the fountain in
Paris. II was to Geverney-Vernon that
Stover directed his letters. which were
answered in a way the former park
head thought far from satisfactory.
In March, 1912, the aldermen lost
track OF the fact that the present foun-
tain site in city Hall Park had been
set aside for a new one and gave II for
a statue Of Thomas Jefferson. for which
purpose Joseph Pulitzer contributed a
large sum. Mr.. Slower showed the
board the error of its ways in this con-
| nection, and it was decided 10 place the
Jefferson statue just west OF the main
entrance Of City Hall.
Mrs. Angelina Crane died on Septem-
ber 20, 1901. Her will was contested
by relatives. but the city won.