The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-22

in 1875 the effect Of the jewel-like
little structure was magical in quality.
We OF the present may gain much
of the atmosphere of the days when
the payk was not cursed by the mon
grel architecture of the Post Office, by
viewing It through the eyes OF Philip
Hone, once MAYOR of the city, who,
lived in a fne old house now covered
by the site ,of the wpolworth Build
ing. In hig Incompatible diary this
American Pepys gives US many a
glimpse of the City Hall that was. He
laments at times about the unsightly
wooden, fence which inclosed II, but
then he also rejoiced when the battered
barrier was removed. The City Hall
Park Of 1885 or thereabouts. was a
place of refreshment, for the eye. and
although it was sometimes invaded by
vandals. it. kept within itself many q
delightful picture. y
On toe. southern end were graceful
willow l4rees and greensward. The
homes of fashion were near by, and
here were the gay shops and the
hotels. Over near where the Park Row
Building now stands was the, Park
Theatre, where the redoubtable Mr..
Hone went OF first nights carrying his
goldheaded cane and smiling the scent
of the flashlights
Then'the ,Astor House, the last word
in luxurious living, cdfne into being
so ornate q place that the moralists OF
day wondered If. 1t, were mot. a sinful
thing TO dwell where the,carpets yielded
to the FOOTBALLS, and one was. served
amid snowwhite napery and glistening
glass and silver. l.. =.
The Pretty croton Fountain.
From. the windows of the Astor the
quality folk could see the marvellous
fountain. with its. jet of pure Croton,
which rose on high. Mrs. Lydia Maria
Child, the pioneer of the Sisters Of the
Sob, wrote engagingly about the crys.
tai fluid which welfed from the stream
straight into the mains. $50,
The opening. of the Croton water |
supply in 1912 was n fcte unlike any,
thing of the kind which New York
had ever. seem Thousands of persons
joined'fn the procession which swept |
to the, flashing fountain and was
seven, hours in the passing. The Jet |
which sparkled In the sun for twenty
feet was considered of such Importance
that there was appointed by the City
Fathers "a keeper of the, park foun- |
tain,' who for years discharged the |
duties of his office with all the dignity
of cathedral verger.
OF course. as the people grew to ap-
preciate the park the more, no I'm
seemly wooden fence would serve to
delimit it. At great expense a wrought !
iron railing was imported from Eiig-
land, and at the southern end there
was erected an imposing gateway
thanked with marble pillars. So irnpor-
tant was this gateway that it was ded-
icated with ceremonies attended by the
notables of the period
There were placed on the tops of
these posts alta later epoch four can
non balls Of granite said to have been
used In the artillery Of the heather
Moors and brought here as mementos
OF war by Cepmodore Decatur. When
the columns were removed they were
transferred to Union Square, from
which they disappeared, cannon balls
and all. s.a.,
SITE in an Acre and n Half. 1
This iron fence was one of the in
stftutions OF the lower city, and on II
placards and ballads we're posted and
parts Of 1t remained even just before
the civil war;, -.
When the digging for the Federal
Post Once began there was a general
upheaval OF the landmarks. Trees and
fountain and turf all went the way
things do when the Xandals have their
WAY The site radad
or approximately al acre and a haK
Its restoration would raise the park
area, to ten and three quarter acres.
The disposition OF the land to be re-
covered has been much discussed by
landscape architects and artists, and
the general opinion is that the best
thing that could be done with Il would
pc TO make 1t practically. what It was
before the civil war, This would call
back the grass and trees. Very likely
diagonal walk would be provided on
account of the Increasing traffic by
loot. Where Is now the grease and
CHATTER of Mail street would be a path
bordered by verdure.
Thomas Hastings. a well known ar
cnitect eff this city. said yesterday that
as near a return TO nature as could be
maze at the; southern end OF City Hall
fark the better. Such Is the view also
OF Edward Hagaman Hall, the ,secre-
tary OF the American Scenic and His
toric Preservation Society which for
many years has advocated. the RECLAIM
alton, Of the area,
Nations Rights in Doubt.
Those who have gone into the orig
maj grant maintain that the Govern
ment already has forfeited it's rights to
the building. In the original deed the
properly was conveyed on the payment
or 100000, on the condition that Il was
TO revert to the city unless 1t we're used
exclusively for the post office and for
the United States Courts. -
Mr.. Hall declares tho structure has
not been used entirely for the purposes
mentioned for several years, as mart
or the space is rented by a private law
library and that stations and booths
Tor The telegraph. and telephone COM
panies are placed in it's Corridors, Sew.
efal times efforts to annul the deed
nave been considered ."a
The indications are, however. that
such matters will be waived and that
an exchange will be effected" The site
III nu'Y assessed at $4,000 600. or
twenty times the sum at which IL was
neld at ITS original II RI Star The ...,,o