New-York tribune., 1919-12-13
Mrs. [. l.. Rice
Offers Million
For a Stadium
Widow of Inventor Desires
Central Park Site; Matter
ill Estimate Boards Hands
By A. C. CavaRnaro

The hundreds Of thousands Of per-
sons in this city who make Central
Park their playground for the greater
part Of the year may soon be pre-
sented with ideal recreation facili-
ties if the Board of Estimate and An
portionment accepts $1,000, 900 gift
for an athletic stadium from Mrs.
isaac l.. Rice, wife of the late sub
marine torpedo boat inventor.
The offer of Mrs. Rice was taken up
6y the members Of the board yesterday.
put no decision was rendered, as the
matter was referred to the Committe
on City Plants and Public Improve
ments for report. Mrs Rice plans
TO- erect the much needed athletic
held as a memorial to her husband.
1T was the original intention of Mrs.
Rice to establish soldiers GONZALES
cent hospital in this city, but this idea
was abandoned, and it was thought that
an athletic stadium, which would tend
toward building up the young man
hood and womanhood, would be more
appropriate.
In carrying out the idea, Mrs. Rice
requested the aid of the Amateur Ath-
letlc Union and committee made up
OF Justice Barlow S. Weeks, Dock Com
missioner Murray Hubert, Gustavus
Valentine Dysert and Frederick w.
Ruben met. Herts. and Robertson,
architects for Mrs. Rice, also attended
the conference.
The space desired for the stadium
is that occupied by the northern of
the two old reservoirs which the Board
OF Water Supply planned to abandon
few years ago. It is intended to
utilize the upper half of the site for
an athletic field and stadium, and this
will in no wise conflict with the pro
posed erection of memorial to Mayor
John Purroy Mitchell, which matter is
now under consideration by the Board
OF Estimate and Apportionment.
To Retain Present Wall
According to the plans submitted by
the architects, the athletic field is to
contain quarter of a mile track,
With a 220-yard straightaway, a con-
crete. stand, accommod dating 10000 per-
sons. running along its side Then
there are to be about forty clay tennis
courts. basketball courts. an open air
swimming pool, 100x300 feet, with
dressing rooms fer men land women:
mothers and children's house, comfort
snd milk station; childrens wading
pool, children's playfeld and fountain
and outdoor gymnasiums for both men
and boys.
In drawing up the plans the archi-
tects provided for the retention of the
concrete wall that encircles the reser-
voir and shuts it off from the remain
der of the park. The entrance to the
field will be through an archway on
the road which crosses Central Park at
Elghty-siXth Street. This will over
come the objection raised several years
ago that the crowds would trample on
the grass and break the shrubbery
when the late James E. Sullivan sug-
gested similar project.
According to the new plans entrance
to the field will only be available via
the traverse street on which the trolley
and all public vehicles run at the pres
ent time.
1t was intimated by some of the A.
A. U. officials that should the city ap-
propriate the necessary site, the com
pletion of the recreation field would be
possible by next October The water
now In the neglected reservoir could
be pumped out quickly and the filling
up process begun within one month.