The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-04-17

CITY EHpELLIsHNRNTs.-Am0ng the various
improvements contemplated, or progressing, in
the upper part of the city, is the enclosure OF a
certain number of feet taken from the width OF
the street, in front OF the row of elegant private
houses erected in some of the principal streets
These are, IN all cases, fenced in by iron rail-
logs of the most chaste and appropriate designs,
and are intended for strawberries and grass plats
The addition of these little garden spots in
'front.' of city residences, seems to be prevail
ing taste. They are, without doubt, pleasing TO
the eye, and healthful and ornamental to the
city. There is one subject we would here al
lude to, namely, the erroneous superstition en-
ertained by many, that enclosures which, IN
some streets, encroach on the original breadth
of the street, as laid down, have been granted by
the city authorities to the owners of the houses.
There is, we believe, no concession of this kind,
any more than tacit understanding between the
parties just named, that these enclosures will be
suffered to remain only as long as they do not
interfere with the public interest.
Our observations are here confined to those
streets commencing with l4th street, which, at
judicious intervals, have been laid off across the
island, unusually wide, in order to fit them for
leading commercial streets and thoroughfares,
according as the population and commerce of the
city increase. The streets of this class which
succeed 14th street, are 3d. Saith and AID streets
In the narrower streets which run parallel to
these, the front enclosures are taken off the lots
on both sides Of the way, at the pleasure of the
owners, and less uniformity exists; but in all
these streets, there are rows Of dwellings, of beau
tiful proportions and fine appearance. The
sstreets of palaces" however, which intersect
Union Square and the noble avenues which cross
these at right angles, may Justly be considered the
handsomest part of the city at present. This
vicinity is radiant with gems of architectural
beauty. Nothing can exceed the costliness and
elegance of the private residences in this quarter
of the city. A wayfarer endowed with the most
ordinary sense of the beautiful, will hardly fall
while passing through these streets, to gaze
with feelings of curiosity and admiration
upon the varied succession of beautiful archi-
tectural elevations, which the private resi-
dences here display. If person should view
them for the purpose of deciding which would
be the object of his preference, he would fiud
himself in the predicament Of Tom Moore
when surrounded by galaxy of bright eyes,
and mentally exclaim, "'tis hard to choose"
In addition to the numerous improvements
which every day brings forth, we understand
that the owners of lots along the 9th avenue in
tend to adopt the plan of locating their houses
so as to be able to surround them with shrubbery,
in the villa style. This combination of fine ar
chitecture and beautiful foliage, if generally car
ried out, will give splendid appearance to this
avenue, which will be further enhanced by the
rows of trees planted along the edges of the
side walks on both Sides Altogether, the ra-
pid growth of splendid churches and other mag
uifcent edi6ces, both public and private, in the
upper part of the city, will shortly render New
York one of the finest cities in the world.