The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-27
C. T Y N E w S /.

purchased for three or four hundred dollars cannot
now be procured for as many thousands. The boun-
daries Of the city have been extended, within q
comparatively brief period, from Union square up
as tar rs Forty second street. During the past
year, nearly three thousand buildings have been
erected and from present appearances we may
safely state that this year will far exceed any
other in the extent of its building improvements.
From the Comptroller's report, presented few
days ago to the Board of Supervisors, it appears
that the total Increase of the assessed valuation
Of real estate, for this year, exceeds that of
1851 by $3l ,595, 1887 so. This increase is attri-
but able, in o great degree, to the growth Of
the upper part of the city. The total amount Of
taxable property in the city and county is
estimated at 1851 706 1875 70, Of which 1898 Ol9
73, is within the city limits. The increase In the
value Of property in the First, Second and Third
wards, which may be regarded as the most business
localities, during the past year, amounted to
So 675. There is, however, besides this, great
improvement going on silently, ut present, which,
if carried oSt to the extent contemplated, is
almost certain to be, will not only increase the value
Of real estate along the north side, but will also
make q great addition to the extent Of the city.
We refer to the filling in Of docks, and the conse-
quent enlargement Of our boundaries by encroach-
meDts upon the present water limits, This improve
ment, as we have intimated, has been going on 81
lentIy for some time past, and but little public at
tention has been drawn to the subject. Dock after
dock has disappeared. The dry land has usurped
the domain of the river; and when the whole extent
Of the work proposed shall have been accomplished,
Of one hundred and fifty acres will be added
TO the city.
"a - ,,@o c. - n.
sion was fixed by act Of the State Legislature,
&C. ing TO the provisions of which owners of pro.
ordering upon the North river, and extend
lily rom One Hundred and Thirteenth street rs far
as Hammond, are entitled to certain water
privileges, which give them right to fill out into
the river to distance Of between five ana six hun
dred feet. considerable portion of the river be-
tween Hammond and Twenty. ninth streets has al
ready been converted into valuable building lots by
the proprietors. Bulkheads have been erected from
Nineteenth to Thirteenth street, out about six hun
dred feet, and the intermediate space which, some
months ago, formed sort Of dock for lumber boats
is now worth three thousand dollars per lot. This
desirable charge has been effected at very little
than 0nethird the present value Of the ground
The work of filling in between those streets is
going on rapidly still, under the supervision Of the
contractors, who are, at present, engaged in closing
up the space extending from Thirteenth street to
Troy, with a bulkhead, preparatory to filling in.
Judging from present appearances, the work, as fur
as Hammond street.-the extreme limit fixed by the
act Of the State Legislature-wll be finished within
two years, at the utmost. This, however, may be
regarded as the beginning only, as it has been pro-
posed to carry the line Of extension far that Of
the Battery enlargement, with which it will connect
report containing proposition to this effect was
presented, about year and a half ago, in the
Board Of Aldermen, by a committee Of which
Alderman Griffin was chairman; but action
taken upon it at the time, and it has not been
acted upon by the board since. Meanwhile the ne.
cessity OF this extension is, in the opinion Of
large number Of persons, becoming more obvious
every day. The lumber merchants, limited for
room in the present narrow condition of West
street, have already, in many places, taken in o
considerable portion of the river, by the erection OF
temporary platforms for their timber. This ha;
been rendered still more requisite by the recent con-
struction Of the railroad through West street, and
in two three years more it will be found impera
lively necessary, for the accommodation of vessels
dscharging their cargo, to make the proposed ex
tension. These are only few Of the reasons that
are urged in favor Of the work.
1t is proposed to increase the width of West
street from seventy feet to one hundred and twonty
and 10 take in two hundred and fifty feet altogether
from the river. Thus, after extending the width Of
this thoroughfare, there will be sufficient left
for six hundred and seventy eight lots each averag-
irg about one hundred feet by twenty. The amount
which would be added to the taxable property Of the
city by this enlargement is estimated at 672 900,
81 $50 900 Of which will be owned by private indi
viduals, and the remaining 1888 900 by the corpo.
ration The cost to the private owners would
amount to u 1897 50 and to the city Sl46 1884 53,
leayinga profit Of 81 s65 662 Al to the former. and
Of 1856 l5 AZ to the latter. The sums which should
be paid by private owners as Communication money,
or cense, for the privilege Of filling out to the pro-
posed line would amount to 81 ,465, SSl 81. This
would increase the actual amount accruing to tho
city to t2,l52,4 1917 co.
By filing out to the distance indicated, 200 feet
would be left for building purposes, as already
stated, after the addition of fifty feet to the width Of
West street. Thisspace would be occupied not only
by stores and warehouses, but would present
desirable location for foundries, machine shops,
and packing houses for beef and pork, OH ac-
count of the great water convenience afforded
for the benefit and delivery Of merchandise,
SC. In the event Of this improvement being car
riod out, the water privileges would become very
valuable, for the East river is at present crowded
and cut up with ferries, that large portion Of the
shipping interest must finally seek for accommoda-
tions on the docks of the North river. In addition
to this there is another strong for the belief
that the water privileges win increase in value,
which is, that the commerce and trade Of the North
and West has strong tendency 10 place itself on
tie north side OF the city.
Among the many arguments employed in favor Of
TIE extension is the fact that many Of the docks
al present filing up with the mud deposited BY the
wash from the city. In fact, the greater part con.
tain only depth Of nine feet Of water to twenty
seven of mud, and in every dock the depth Of the
Inter Gar exceeds that ef The former. This is, to