The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-09

Charles l. Craig. chairman OF the law
committee of the West End Association.
attacked the port n terminal facilities
committee OF the Board Of Estimate yes
teday for making public a report OF
Its agreement with the New York Cen
trail Railroad that he alleged does not
accord with the plans for the improve
ment as accepted by the railroad. He
argued at q public hearing on the pro-
posed West Side improvement that this
report. which. unlike the plans them
selves. was not signed by the railroad
company. has given to the public an
entirely false impression Of what IL to
he done and conveys no idea to those
who have not studied the plans of what
5 not 10 be done,
Calling attention TO the photograph
provided to the press by the committee,
showing the railroad track in "A tun-
mel. Riverside Park extended over them
and n promenade finished along the
waters edge. he declared that nothing
could be more misleading"
The fact is" lie said, that a great
stretch OF the present park east OF the
railroad. approximately 100 feet in
"ibNh "iNi - IIbshtN W
extending from Seventy-third street to
10th street. is cut away thousands OF
trees, bushes and shrubs are excavated
In order TO move the railroad tracks
eastward from their present location.
so as to occupy the present Handicapped
park. widening AT the south end into .
railroad yard OF twenty tracks. over
which rises n roof ~thirty-fve feet above
the rails. This roof north Of Seventy
a..A,A atrAAt ,oy.Igt 80 fDs~ aaI l,A
half acres of gravel six inches thick.
which is called a playground.
, Excavation IN the Park.
ITO accomplish this result requires AN
excavation approximately twenty fee.
deep running from Seventy-second street
to l29th street and extending eastward
into the present park In some places
more than 100 feet and on an average
throughout the park approximately
seventy-five feet.
Outside the railroad tracks from
Scventy-second street to l2?th street. un-
improved In any manner whatsoever
lies a stretch Of broken. barren rock lef.
ugly and untouched. awaiting appropria-
;ion by the railroad company. at the
hands OF some future Board OF Estimate
and Apportionment.
The statements. so often repeated In
the public press. that the plans provide
for the landscapinG and finishing OF this
part Of Riverside Park west of the rail
road tracks are utterly unfounded and
untrue. Not an ounce Of soil. not a
blade OF grass, not 4 single bush OF
shrub. not a foot of promenade. pathway
or steps ie provided"
Mr.. Craig declared that an actual
count tn Riverside Park between Sew
-nty-second and l29th street showed that
there wUIld be- destroyed. according "a
the plans. 1857 trees. Of which 95l are
more than six inches in diameter. and
5000 shrubs and bushes. A report made
to the West End Association by Charles
Downing Lay. former landscape archi.
tect Of the Park Board. which wa,
read at the hearing yesterday by Prcsl'
dent John G. coleman OF the association
fixed the m cost OF restoring the
park where thus injured at S572. 900. go
stockyard and A%irshafts.
Among what may he termed mino'
objections I'd the scheme OF Improvement
as set forth in the plans. Mr.. Gratis
mentioned the possibility that the ROOT
over the railroad tracks Nigh h.
raised that there are to he vcntilatins
, shafts every few blocks tina, thera 1,