New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-21
GREELEY STATUE
AWAITS NEW SITE
Bronze Landmark One Of
Best Works of John
@. A. Ward.
CITY HALL PARK
A SUITABLE HOME
Keep II Near Scene OF Great
Editors Labors, the Tribune
Association Asks.

Reports having been circulated with
regard to the removal OF the Greeley
statue In front Of The Tribune Build
ing. the officers Of The Tribune Asso-
citation issue the following statement!
The bronze statue Of Horace Greeley
which stands on q granite pedestal IN
front of the counting room OF The
Tribune Building on Nassau Street Is
generally regarded by artists as one
of the best works OF the eminent scuIp-
tor, the late John Q. 4. Ward. II was
erected with funds subscribed by many
Friends and admirers of Mr.. Greeley.
Horace Greeley died in November.
1872. Soon after his death. IN the
early part of January, 1873, move
ment was inaugurated by Whitelaw
Reid, William w. Niles and other inti-
mate friends and acquaintance OF Mr..
Greeley to secure q fund with which
to erect public statue to his memory.
A committee of sixty-five prominent
different parts of the country in whose
name an appeal for subscriptions might
be made for this purpose. The panic
of 1878, however, coming on soon az
terward, prevented the subscriptions
reaching all amount sufficient TO de-
fray the expense Of a suitable statue,
and the carrying out of the project
was deferred, although Mr.. Ward was
selected as the sculptor and commits
stoned to prepare his designs. The
contribution of James Gordon Bennett
was $1,000.
Approved by Competent Critics.
Some time later Mr.. Reid gave to
Mr.. Ward the assurance that II he
would proceed with the work he and
The Tribune Association would hold
themselves responsible for whatever
sum the cost of suitable statue OF
Mr. Greeley might prove to be, in ad.
dtion to the subscriptions obtained
from other sources. Mr.. Ward was
delayed by various causes for a con-
siderable time in the execution OF the
work, but when it was completed 1t
was pronounced by all competent
critics to be most successful.
1t was the opinion not alone Of Mr..
Reid, but of all other friends of Mr..
Greeley and subscribers to the fund
who could be consulted, that the most
appropriate location for the statue was
public place as near as practicable
TO the scene of Mr.. Greeley's greatest
life labors as the editor Of The
Tribune. The majority did not agree
with General John Cochrane, who was
emphatically in favor of City Hall
Park as the best site.
The whole of Franklin Square, which
includes Nassau Street in front OF The
Tribune Building. was then. as it still
is, under the jurisdiction Of the De
partment of Parks. The statue of
Benjamin Franklin, standing in the
centre of that square, left no room
for another public statue within that
area; therefore, with the consent and,
in fact, at the solicitation of The
Tribune, the Park Commission as then
constituted decided that the Greeley
statue and its pedestal should he
erected to stand partly in Nassau
Street and partly within the house
lines" of The Tribune Building.
When President McAneny of the
Board of Aldermen was President Of
the Borough of Manhattan in the pre-
ccding city administration he issued
orders that all the distractions beyond
tn house lines OF the buildings in
Nassau Street should be removed
These orders covered The Tribune
Building and the Sun Building. at the
extreme easterly end of Nassau Street.
both fronting upon Franklin Square.
Such orders we're executed upon all Of
the remainder of Nassau Street at once.
THE Sum-" however, WAS so soon to
move into its new building at $50 Mas
sau Street and tear down its old build
ing that it was decided - delay action
until that time.
In the case Of The Tribune building,
the pedestal of the Greeley statue was
authorized by the Park Board to pro
ject three feet into the street. much
further than any part of the structure
of The Tribune building itself. so that
nothing could be gained by compliance
with the order of the Borough Presi
dent in the removal of projections IN
front of The Tribune building unless
the statue itself was removed. Ii
was public statue. TO which The
Tribune Association had no title OF
ownership. except RS part of II was