NEWS BULLETIN 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



Number J. 



Issued by the NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 69 Wall St., N. Y. 



June 1, 1897 



GRANT OF SOUTH BRONX PARK, 



THE MAYOR AND SINKING-FUND l'< i M M ISSloXKKS UNANI- 

 I \ ACCEPT THE I' KOTO SALS OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL society. 



ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP. 



Beyond question, there are in Greater New York 

 and vicinity enough men and women who are inter- 

 ested in popular zoology to form one of the most 



A CALL FOR FRIEXDS AND FUNDS. 



For the erection of animal buildings, aviaries, and 

 other enclosures, and for the purchase of a fine series 

 of mammals, birds, and reptiles with which to fill them, 



istence. This resolution is very lengthy, and embodies 

 the terms of what is really an elaborate and carefully 

 wrought-out agreement for the future relations be- 

 tween New York City and the Society. Its terms are 

 entirely satisfactory to the Zoological Society, and it 

 received the vote of every member of the Sinking- 

 fund Commission, as follows: Mayor Strong, Comp- 

 troller Fitch, City Chamberlain McCook, Recorder Goff, 

 and Alderman Oakley. 



This result of the Society's negotiations for the past 

 twelve months with the city authorities is most grati- 

 fying. The Society's proposals have, with some very 

 reasonable modifications, been met most cordially by 

 Mayor Strong, his Cabinet, and the Park Commission- 

 ers ; and through these officers the city has consented 

 to bear its fair share of the burden of establishing 

 here a free Zoological Park — founded by the people, 

 for the people. 



From this time forward the duty of fulfilment rests 

 upon the shoulders of the Society. It must not only 

 plan successfully, but it must successfully execute. 

 'The undertaking is a very great one, considering how 

 ranch the Societv desir- s 



cal Park will be what they make it. 



Besides the large sum of money that is to be raised 

 by subscription, the Society must have the co-opera- 

 tion and the financial support of a large permanent 

 membership. Each member will contribute $10 per 

 year towards the Society's work, in the form of annual 

 dues. Three thousand annual members means an an- 

 nual income of $30,000, and the accomplishment of 

 great ends. The membership of the Zoological Soci- 

 ety of the comparatively small city of Antwerp now 

 stands at the handsome total of five thousand persons. 



Among the advantages of membership are, first of 

 all, the satisfaction of taking part in a great popular 

 enterprise of the utmost interest to every lover of 

 Nature and her works. Of direct practical benefits 

 to members are the following : Admission to the 

 Zoological Park on the two days of each week when 

 to the general crowds it will be closed, except by ad- 

 mission fee; the privileges of the proposed library 

 building, the library, and its picture collections ; the 

 receipt of the Society's publications, many of which 

 will undoubtedly possess considerable artistic and 

 literary value, and will be free to members only; the 



rely upon taxation alone, but for the public-spirited 

 citizen to plan and assist the tax-payer. 



Fortunately for the friends of the Zoological Park, 

 there is a rapid increase of public spirit, and of pride 

 in our public institutions. We have already made 

 substantial progress. Twenty years ago New York 

 had little to show. People who wished to see particu- 

 larly beautiful or interesting public buildings and col- 

 lections found it necessary to visit London, Paris, 

 Vienna, or Berlin. Now, however, this condition is 

 swiftly changing. In ten years more New York City- 

 will contain one of the finest museums of natural his- 

 tory in the world. Already its Museum of Art is the 

 best on this continent, and, unless all signs fail, three 

 more institutions of grand proportions will rise simul- 

 taneously during the next five years — the Public Li- 

 brary, the Botanical Gardens, and the Zoological Park. 



The power to contribute and take part in building 

 up these institutions is a privilege not granted to all. 

 In this city there are thousands of men and women 

 who would gladly give money to the Zoological Soci- 

 ety Fund — if they had it to give. But surely there 

 are enough persons who can give, and who are in sym- 



o do, and how it is best to go about 

 it. les involved in the arrangement of the 



-collections are laid down by the laws of experience 

 and common-sense. The various physical features of 

 South Bronx Park themselves determine the uses to 

 which its different portions shall be put. There are 

 ■comparatively few difficult problems to be solved. 



As has already been stated, the key-note of the 

 work to be done is the adaptation of Nature's own 

 handiwork rather than the alteration and emendation 

 of it. Thus far the Society's original intention "to 

 reproduce natural conditions" has been closeby ad- 

 hered to. The zoologists who have examined the 

 .Zoological Park site have been fairly captivated by its 

 wonderful perfection and adaptability to the end in 

 view, and thus far the plans for its utilization have 

 received their unanimous approval. 



THE ANNUAL REPORT. 



On March 24th the Zoological Society issued its 

 First Annual Report. It makes a handsome octavo 

 pamphlet of sixty -three pages, and is a fairly complete 



the Society's office, No. 69 Wall Street, - 



There is no initiation fee. The annual dues for 

 Members are $10; the Life Member's fee is $200; 

 Patron's fee, $1000; and Founder's Fee, $5000. 



FUND FOR GROUND IMPROVEMENTS. 



In the formation of the Society's plans for the 

 Zoological Park, it became apparent that a very con- 

 siderable amount of improvement work would be re- 

 quired to prepare the grounds for the reception of 

 buildings and to provide for the comfort and con- 

 venience of the public. At present the Zoological 

 Park site contains not a foot of concrete walk, no 

 shelter, no sewerage, nor even a Croton-water hydrant. 

 At one point a sewer opens into the park, and sends 

 a foul stream flowing openly into the Bronx River, 

 nearly half a mile away. What should be beautiful 

 ponds and lakelets are now marshes and bogs. 



It is the unanimous opinion of all parties interested 

 in the Zoological Park, city officials as well as mem- 

 bers of the Zoological Society, that it is the duty of 

 the city to bear the expense of making the ground in 



uses t( 



proper for the Society to obtain desi fs by 



donation whenever it is possible to d< 



It is earnestly hoped that the End 

 the Society may come in for a fair share of sut 

 tions and bequests. In the encouragement of animal 

 painting and sculpture, money for prizes is imperatively 

 necessary,, and it is to be hoped that funds for that 

 special purpose will be offered. 



Coincident with the official action of the Mayor and 

 the Sinking-fund Commission, the Board of Managers 

 began the circulation of papers calling for subscrip- 

 tions to the Society Fund. It is necessary that $250,- 

 000 shall be subscribed, of which $100,000 must be 

 pledged before any work on the Zoological Park can 

 begin. This latter sum is imperatively necessary, and 

 should be obtained by August 1st. 



The plans for buildings and other permanent im- 

 provements will very shortly be submitted to a care- 

 fully selected body of experts, and will finally be laid 

 before the Park Commissioners for their considera- 

 tion. The plan of the entire Zoological Park, and the 

 details of all its various features, will be made as per- 

 fect as human knowledge and experience Can make 



logical (ranb'iis." These are followed by the Treas- 

 urer's statement, various official papers, and a very 

 interesting communication from Mr. Ernest Seton 

 Thompson in regard to " The Privileges of Artists in 

 the Zoological Park." 



Of illustrations the volume contains a fine bird's- 

 eye view of South Bronx Park (from a photograph of 

 the topographic relief model prepared by the Direc- 

 tor), two half-tone illustrations representing "The 

 Zoological Garden Idea " and " The Zoological Park 

 Idea," and the Consulting Architect's ground-plans 

 of the lion-house and monkey-house. There is also a 

 folding map showing the plan of the proposed Zoologi- 

 cal Park, and a sketch map showing its location and 

 present means of access. 



A copy of this report will be mailed to any one 

 who desires full information regarding the Society 

 "with a view to becoming a member or otherwise aid- 

 ing in its work. 



Page and Assemblyman Austin, whointroduced it simul- 

 taneously in their respective houses, and pushed it with 

 special interest. Thanks to their vigorous efforts, and 

 in spite of the very late day on which the bill was intro- 

 duced, it was passed by both houses, promptly received 

 the approval of the Mayor, received the Governor's 

 signature with equal promptness, and is now a law. 



The prompt passage of this vitally important meas- 

 ure, and at this juncture, is very gratifying. It means 

 that the development of the Zoological Park will 

 march steadily forward, provided the Society is suc- 

 cessful in its effort to secure subscriptions to the 

 amount of $100,000 within the next sixty days. If 

 this can be accomplished by the time the improvement 

 plans are completed, and approved by the Park Com- 

 missioners, no time will be lost. The act provides that 

 the fund shall not be available until the Zoological So- 

 ciety has raised by subscription at least $100,000 of the 

 total $250,000 required for its buildings and collections. 



regarding the locations, general design, he 

 ventilation of the buildings and other enclosm 

 every possible precaution will be taken again.. 

 takes. The various buildings must be not only c>_ 

 modious and comfortable for the animals within them, 

 but they must also be pleasing and beautiful to the 

 eyes of the visitor. 



The friends of this undertaking are now invited to 

 aid it by increasing the membership, by raising money 

 for the Society Fund, and by contributing zoological 

 books to the Society's library. Other cities" are 

 watching to see what measure of success we attain in 

 this great undertaking; and there will never be a time 

 when help will be so much appreciated as during the 

 present year. Thus far not a day lias been lost 

 through mistakes or unnecessary delays, and it is to 

 be hoped that this good record may be preserved 

 unbroken until the Zoological Park is formally opened 

 to the public. 



