New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-11
living there don't want it; and the man who


the Park.
Az New-York now is, then-ssyi0g nothing Of
the prospective annexation of BroOklyn-she
Park lie the place for the City Hall; and with
little improvement which we shsll suggest,
would become more convenient aad far more
ornamental than it now is. Suppose we clear
away the Brick Church property, cue off Park
row, widen Nassau from Beekmsn to Spruce,
and thus throw the church property aud Park
row into the Park. Then extend Beekman-st.
across the Park to meet Park. place. the other
side of Broadway. We then have the lower
corner of the Park cut off for the United States
Post Office, as already asked for. The eastern
cars and stages would pass through Beeknan-st.
into Park.row, opposite Lovejoys; the cars
would have their stopping-place at the Post
Office: the Sixth, Eighth and Ninth-av roads
would come up into Park place, to the Broadway
sidewalk; the ferries would land their passengers
on either side within three to FIVE minutes walk
Of the same point; Beekman-st. is already
widened, and the order is given for cutting Park
place through the College grounds and widening
Robinson ST., so that there will be broad thor
ouehiare across the City, from river to river,
also passing the Park and Post-Office. The
upper portion of the Park would be nearly
SQUARE and would contain considerably more
space than the whole now does; the present City
Hall would front sOmeehere, and the entire Park
and surrounding neighborbood would be much
improved, both for pleasure and for business.
The fee of the Brick Church ground belongs to
the City, and the purchase Of the lease has been
for some time under consideration.
Here then, is the place 6r the City business;
and of course for the new City Hall. What the
Hall should be s no less important matter. 1t
should be ample in size, comely in style, durable
in material, convenient in arrangement, the
Offices and courtroo protected from dust and
noise, and the whole ventilated in the most per-
feet manner. Ii should also be hre.proof We
need not detail the number of Courts, Executive
Departments and Public Officers to be accomuo-
dated-tbeir name is legion; aud an edifce seven
times as large as the present one, would not be
too large, including such space as the Federal
Government wants. The material is not so i'm
pOrtant, except as to expense. Iron is probably
proof, more durable, easier to build, aud worth a
considerable portion of its cost as old material.
The shape of the Hall is a very important mat
ter Every one who has tried to hear debate in
the Common Council, or speech in Court in any
Of the rooms Of the present Hail. will agree with
us that something should be done to shut out the
roar of wheels, which-wben windows are open
= aha, Of
any weak. voiced speaker utterly impossible.
The only way to shut out this Babel-ke confu-
sion, is to put up quadrangdir building, with
Court Rooms, Legislative Chambers, judges
apartments, and such other as require silence, on
the inside. Such building might be put on the
upper end of the Park, running along the Cham
bers-st 'front.' with wing on Broadway nearly
as far down as the present Hall, and another
along Cent? est to the site of the Hall Of Rec
ords, or thereabOut This would inclose an area
of two acres within the walls; the present Hall
would serve as a sort of portico the noise would
be shut out the public business all centre in
sir Gle place, the records be perfectly safe, aud
the edifce be just as ornamental might be
desirable.
We DO Dot propose to go into the merits or de-
mel its Of plans. There are some that look very
well ON paper; some that are quite absurd, as
we'd as expeDsiye-and therefore the more likely
TO find favor with jobbers. Our object is to call
attention to the necessity of elaboration and due
care. 1t is not this mans marble or the others
iron, that should be the theme of discussion; but
will this plan produce ample and proper accom-
mVdstions-not for this year, or the next, but the
next century The people are entirely willlngto
pay for such Hall.
There are many accommodations much needed
which might be combined in a proper edifce-
such Reception Room worthy Of the City;
decent accommodations for City Library and
Portrait Gallery; large Reading Room, &c.;
but we will not dwell upon them. Our object is
to set forth some general considerations, and es-
pecially to counsel elaboration. Nothing toward
building can be done this winter. There is time
enough for full discussion. There are plans not
yet examined, and may be more and better ones.
The cost of Hall will of course be great; but an
ample edfce, one to give full accommodations,
of character demanded by this mighty City, is
a more important consideration.
The improvements in the form of the Park
which we have suggested, we presume no one
will object to. BY that means, the Post Office
will be brought where it can be found without
chart and compass, and be got to without danger
of being jammed to death among loaded drays
At the same time, the land taken for the Post.
Office will be more than returned by that taken
in on Park-row, and the Park present larger
nd baft