104 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS 



an area as to detract greatly from their usefulness. All the 

 way from the Battery to the Bronx — some twenty miles as the 

 trolley car goes — separated by almost impassable streets and 

 overshadowed by tenements and apartment houses, our institu- 

 tions may be found or at least looked for. Fifteen years ago 

 the city had a great opportunity, but no leader being at hand it 

 was lost. The situation of some of our scientific institutions is 

 shown on the one chart ; what might have been is shown on the 

 other. 



The city could have bought the blocks from the American 

 Museum to the North River for about $10,000,000. These 

 remaining one half park, half the part of Central Park between 

 the American and the Metropolitan Museums might have been 

 used as a site for public buildings without decreasing thg 



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 Station 



amount of open space, while at the same time greatly increas- 

 ing its value for all the purposes of a park. The plan shows 

 what might have been done on the west side. The wasteful 

 duplication of libraries and the rest would have been avoided, 

 and there would have been a strengthening through cooperation 

 for which it is not easy to find words. The site of the^ park 

 and buildings would, of course, have been above the thorough- 

 fares, and all the buildings would have been within five minutes' 

 ride on an underground railway. 



The cross arm of Central Park should have extended to the 

 East River, and there should have been a park along the river, 

 facing Blackwell's Island and corresponding to Riverside Park. 



