On February 15, 1847, the Federal Government purchased the premises from the State, and since then has added to them extensively. Some of the purchases have been as follows:

Since the last mentioned date we believe there have been other acquisitions.

When the Federal Government took possession in 1847, the old fortifications were destroyed and new ones built. Since then, they have been greatly strengthened and some of the most powerful coast defence guns erected within them.

As so it has come about that the western head of the Hamels Hoofden, where 291 years ago De Rasieres found 80 or 90 Indians raising corn and where Director Kieft stationed soldiers in a primitive block house, has become one of the most powerful military defences of the Metropolis and the site allotted by the Federal Government for a great monument to the American Indian.

CITY HALL PARK

Reclamation of Post-Office Site Hoped For.

In our former Reports we have dwelt on the misfortune which the City sustained when the southern portion of City Hall Park was taken about sixty years ago for a post-office site, the efforts which have been made to reclaim it, and the hope for that consummation aroused by the opening of the new Post-office building at 8th avenue, between 31st and 32d streets, in 1914. Since then, the matter has remained in statu quo except for a development

which has encouraged the hope that the federal Government may be compelled to abandon the old Post-office on account of insecurity.

The Park Place and Beekman street section of the Seventh Avenue subway line which has been under construction during the past few years and is now nearing completion, runs under the northern end of the Post-office building. On February 13, 1917, the newspapers announced that the building was imperilled by cracks that stretched through its massive walls from roof to foundation. When the cracks first appeared, pieces of paper were pasted across them to indicate whether the cracks were enlarging. These paper" tell-tales" broke, giving warning that the settling had not stopped. When a large iron staircase between the fourth and fifth floors on the Broadway side of the building began to break from its fastenings, the alarm for the safety of the structure increased and the sub-way engineers took measures to reinforce the supports which they had erected to sustain the building. The part of the subway now being constructed below this building is known as Route 48, Section 1, of the Seventh avenue line. It consists of two tracks laid 62 feet below the street level, this depth being necessary to enable them to pass under the Broadway subway. Mr. Robert Ridgway, engineer of the Public Service Commission, who is supervising this work, declares the enterprise to be one of the engineering marvels of the world, and has taken many distinguished visitors down into this excavation to show them the seventy steel piers on which the weight of the great building rests. Some of these piers are placed to support as much as 1,180 tons, others 780.

Several officials have expressed the belief that if the damage continues the Post-office building will have to be abandoned, at least temporarily. Such abandonment would necessitate finding new quarters for Federal District courts and United States Attorney's office, as well as several departments of the post-office. Newspapers and individuals have expressed the hope that if the building is evacuated, it will be evacuated permanently and the site restored to the City Hall Park.

Removal of Kiosks and Other Structures Recommended.

The promise of the early restoration of the streets and parks of New York City which have been in a distressing state of upheaval for several years on account of the building of the new Catskill aqueduct and new subways directs attention again to the desirability of remodeling City Hall Park so as to make it a convenient and dignified Civic Center and place of ceremonial. On November 16, 1916, Mr. Carl F. Pilat, Landscape Architect of the Parks, recommended to Park Commissioner Ward an important step in this direction. He said:

"The superstructures of the underground comfort stations in Mail street and the kiosks at the subway entrances are unsightly and detract very much from the appearance of City Hall Parkand of the City Hall. It is my opinion that these superstructures are unnecessary and that they should be removed. I therefore suggest that this matter be taken up with the Borough President and the Public Service Commission with the view of having the superstructures removed and in their place to have constructed suitable copings and simple wrought iron rails to form the entrances and protect the stairways.

"In addition to the above structures, there are also the elevated platform and stairs leading to the elevated and bridge trains which project impertinently into the park. Would it not be possible in some way to hasten the removal of this unsightly temporary structure?"

We are heartily in accord with these recommendations.

CENTRAL PARK

Moving Picture Film Museum Proposed

The past year has developed the usual number of proposals to pervert Central Park from the purposes for which it was created. In former Reports we have given lists of such propositions.

On December 16, 1916, a representative of Mr. William Fox called on Park Commissioner Cabot Ward and said that he was prepared to present plans drawn by Mr. John Frederick Harbeson, architect, for a "mausoleum" in which to preserve moving picture films if Commissioner Ward would approve of the erection of the building in Central Park.

Commissioner Ward promptly rejected the proposition, and had the overwhelming sentiment of the people with him in doing so. He declared in this connection that "the policy of the Park Department under the administration, of not only opposing all encroachments, but of ridding the parks of all buildings that are not necessary and incidental to park use, has been vigorously prosecuted."

Stadium in the Park Proposed

On January 6, 1917, the plan of Congressman Murray Hulbert of New York City for building a stadium in Central Park was announced. His idea is that with the opening of the new Catskill Aqueduct, the two reservoirs in Central Park will no longer be needed and that the smaller of the two could be converted into a stadium for athletic sports. This reservoir, which is between Seventy-ninth and Eighty-sixth streets,, has an area of about thirty-two acres. It is about 800 feet wide and 1,800 feet long and 30 feet deep. Mr. Hulbert argues that with the water drawn off it could readily be made into a good sized stadium at very little expense. The proposal, however, was counter to the jealously militant sentiment of the people which has been aroused by repeated schemes for diverting the park from its original conception of a rural or rustic retreat from the artificialities and noise of the surrounding town.

Political Propaganda in the Park Prevented

In September, 1916, Commissioner Ward took a salutary step to restrict the uses of the park to proper purposes. On September 19, 1916, the press bureau of the National Woman Suffrage Association announced that on the following Saturday tableaux would be given in the park in preparation for the two "Federal Amendment Days," October 7 and 21. A permit had been issued to the organization to give a concert and tableaux at the band-stand on the Mall, as is done occasionally when private funds are offered for public concerts; but the issuing of a permit for the conducting of political propaganda in Central Park was not in the Commissioner's mind; and when he learned the nature of the performance intended to be given, he revoked that part of the permit relating to the tableaux.

The Commissioner's position on the matter meets with our hearty approval. As we said in our Report for 1914 (pages 154-156), the use of the public parks, which are designed for all the people irrespective of political affiliations, by the propagandists of any political party, violates the primary conception of public parks. The parks are provided at public expense for the common recreation of all. They are places in which the park visitor is entitled to as much freedom from importunity at the hands of political or religious solicitors as on the public highway or in the private home. Parks should be refuges from turmoil, contention and controversy or they miss the end for which they are created; and there is no more reason for permitting their use for woman suffrage propaganda than there is for permitting Republican, Democratic, Socialist, or other kinds of political rallies in them.

Central Park West Railroad Tracks

On March 6, 1917, Hon. Albert Ottinger of New York introduced in the Senate a bill "to amend the Greater New York charter, in relation to eliminating menaces to life and safety on Central Park West." In our Annual Report for 1913 at pages 166-170 and our Annual Report for 1915 at pages 193-194 we have explained the problem presented by the proximity of the street car tracks to the eastern sidewalk of the avenue running along the western side of Central Park. There is no doubt but the situation is a dangerous one and should be remedied. Senator Ottinger's bill, in its original form, authorized the Board of Estimate and Apportionment after hearing and determination by the Public Service Commission, to require the street railroad company to relocate its tracks in Central Park West, either wholly or partly at the expense of the company; and provided that

The Board of Estimate may, without determination of the Public Service Commission, relocate the sidewalk on the eastern side of Central Park West, and cause to be constructed a roadway between the tracks of the street railroad on such street and such sidewalk as so relocated, and for the purpose of such improvement may take such land along the western side of Central Park as may be needed for such purpose."

The last clause at first caused some public alarm for fear that it was another scheme to pare down Central Park; but it was set at