Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-03
FRou AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.

FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
New YORK, AUGUST 80, 1853
How much the New Workers have cause to re-
greet that when the broad -bottomed good-natured
Dutchmen FIRST settled on Manhattan Island they
had not among them William Penn, to have laid
out regular plan for the city, instead Of having
the location and direction Of their streets with their
multitude of obtuse and acute angles, decided BY foot
walks cowspaths and sheep-tracks The first Dutchman
built his house probably just outside the original forest
facing the pebby beach, and looking out the waters
of East river; second would go few rods into the
woods and stick down his rude there, without
any regard his above neghbor third would 60 of and
plant himself in different direction, the three houses
forming triangle Of obtuse and two acute angles
probably all three Of the angles would be of the latter
kind In short time the friendly visits between them
selves and their frows would beaten footrack
to exhibit itself; and then fourth builder would erect
his house facing said path and his example be followed
by fifth and sixth and thus the footpath becomes the
embryo Other stragglers would go of in different
directions and their buildings with the like dis
regard to plan or SYSTEM and footpaths and cow
tracks thus formed establishing the location Of other
embryo Streets until in this all the different
streets below the City Hall located, through which
the countless stream Of population and the vehicles Of
ed succession.
IT, contrary to the above, q regular plan had been
adopted and followed, what splendid city New York
would have been Broadway runs the crown Of the
ridge Of the Island, with the ground either side gra
duay declining to the Hudson and the East Rivers. The
location of this is good though straight through
Il should also have been forty to nIty feet wider
with two parallel and similar wide streets, either
side Of it. and at about equal distances between it and
With
sary number OF Streets none however less than
sixty feet running proper intervals in the drec
tion and oil Of them crossed at right angles by broad
streets extending in straghtnes from river to river and
aordng full and ample space for the throng Of people
and traffic which continually pass the present ir
regular and crooked thoroughfare in such numbers and
to such an immense value With such system Of streets
and broad avenues how great would be the convenience
and facilities to commerce. what additional comfort to
the citizens the merchants and traders how improved
the health Of that portion Of the ciy how much more
Clearly would be the vcintes where the air is
rupted and offensive; and how complete would be the
ventilation by the pure and nygoratng breezes from
the bay and the magnificent rivers which surround the
island which would course unobsructed, and with witty
ing and healthy influence through these broad streets in
every direction.
But the time has irrevocably passed for such plan;
the discovered late for all that portion Of
the city below, and for portion above the City Hall
To great degree the mistake has been corrected in the
per portion Of city, but the in the mode
it should have been; for there irregular and
crooked streets exist and many Of the straight streets
including Of the avenues have been laid out Of in
sufficient width.
After the great FIRE Of 1885 an attempt was made lay
the burnt district for the in regular
ner but il found impossible to reconcile the different
interests Of local proprietors either to the additional
ground which wider streets would require, in the
change Of portions Of neghborng lots in order square
them off, and DO away with the sharp angles and corners Of
these irregular patches Of ground these hundreds Of
and warehouses reconstructed each upon
its former lot with the boundary lines running every
point Of the compass Such would be the result If
st more extensive confagration sweep of every
building below the City Halls for the city would rise from
its ashes with every building Of precisely the
shape as the present ones now have.
When the Croson water was first introduced into the
city land no who not previous resident Of the
city can properly appreciate its comforts and blessing
the supply was sad would be amply sufficient for the
city, even when its population had increased to MD
lion five hundred thousand but already hear daily
plants Of deficiency Of the element Many have told
that their pipes will frequently not to supply the
bathrooms on their second Roor though the summit level
Of the distributing reservoir is higher than the tops Of the
highest houses.
The fact is that not only the people, but the city
thortes, started the idea that the supply was mex
haustibe and they commenced to use ii in the
most profuse manner and waste it and this has
now become such universal habit that the aqueduct
will not furnish sufficient supply Had the authorities
commenced in proper manner and whilst allowing al
those who took it into houses to il in free but
sonabe mode and prohibited and taken early and prompt
measures to check the waste Of it, and fined those who
violated the rules the subject the supply would not
only now be ample for al necessary and reasonable pur
poses but would continue to be when the population
was double what ii now is. know houses in this city
and il IS a common If not pretty general custom
where the water is allowed to fOw from the pipes all day.
if not all night This is the case, in greater orless
titles probably in every hotel and large boarding house
in the city In the manufacturing establishments in the
livery stables and in fact In every part Of the city, the
waste, the absolute and useless waste, Of the water Is