New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-19

snsnIu " sJ2 700 PER year ~as Considered n
.1tsvse ant aDo waDoe IN fact at least twenty per
e~rt above .m .faiCS ~ =, 10, %s M o
mains placing lamp pests and lamps and supplying
IA. uDi, instead OF Elk thousand public oil lamps, We
have now but two thousand TWO hundred and tsenty
four altogether, and only about two thirds Of tnem are
suppied with lamps. The engine hoases, markets and
o,hsr public buildings al geher supplied with gss,
and DO oil wbaiever used; but the Controller hse
continued IN draw bic warrant for 3a 10 per month,
favor Gf Smith ID. Bellows on the basis OF 'he con-
tract made in 1884 when more tnan fJur times the
pretent service and equivalent Sere rendered by the
cont sctor. Admitting the validity OF this contract
III I'll March 1855, 1t cen have no Obligation upon
the city since, and n.tead OF s12'o ior s'cn
of the two intervening year,, which have
been raid TO Mr. Below Dy the Controller, making
q total of sl05, 400 it is well kDowo by every
citizen convertant with the su'Jec; thai $O,ooJ
would have been q sufficient compensation tor
the oil sp7 labor furnished. But this lie not ali, for
notwithstanding this Unauthorized outlay OF the public
money, without equivalent every citizen living
wtoID be oil laup d''uct aware OF he aiiHoS' co
tire absence Of light III that vicinity at any time Il i
ae 10 gay that OF tnt fifteen hundred l1mos when
Mr. Bellows assumes light not third of them are
ever touched and amOonligbt night, constactve1y
so otherwise he deems hhDseif entirely exempt iro
lighting at all The citizens OF the upper Tards "nere
the gas lamps have not yet been ntroduced COMPLAIN
and a. | know by experience, for good cause, OF TIE
want Of light. II Is bad enough to pay sucn enormous
Gums for even email part OF what was originally Goa
",
at all in return In my judgment Mr.. Believe has
been overpaid very large sum, and the city has q
valid claim Dst him for restitution. However tns
may be- let me uIge you 10 immedIs'e action 10 zoe
reuses that the pubic as well ~ the private interests
of individual. in the upper onuSts Dxy be protected
The latter are tubjeot to On additional tax npon
their real estste, in consequence OF Its beng WITHIN
What s called the Lamp District, but 30 far ss Den.
eft TO it is concerned, IN ODsequenoe, mSht ds We'll
be in Kamfssbstka This subject il Of paramount im
por,4nce aid let respectfully ask your early aen-
lion TO it.
RELIEF TO BROADWAY.
II apyears TO be little better than waste OF time to
revive this grave ,unect. 1t ha poyed ae thoughts
Of mere than one OF my predecessors, and has been
made the topic of special communications TO previous
Common Councils by mysef Bn', conscious OF tee
necessity Of seme immediate and effective relief TO thus
great bOrou sbfare ! om compelled to make another
effort toward the accomplishment Of 80 desirable all
object.
The suggestion of making spmsllel avenue contig-
uous to- and IN the mme date vicinity OF Broadway,
by which TO draw oil portion OF travel, entitled 10
soe consideration, IL would no doubt decrease the
distractions in that street TO extent but, IN my
opinion fashion snd the character OF Our people, WHO
the worldwide reputation Of Broad way. would slil
make il the great bovlecard of Ncx.YUrk, TO which
call the world will weDd IFS way. Therefore evun if
a parsllel street should be opened, some additional
action il required in improving Broadway itseIf
There have been many propositions by which to ac'
coDplns this some Of which nave been feasible, but
attended with great expense while others have been
good in theory, but entirely impractcable.
Upon al examination Of the whole subject, l am
taiisfed that the least costly and most efecual relief
will b. obtained by widening the carriageway. this
l suggest, 10 a way which, though novel, Is yet easy
and economical Toe sidewalks cannot be much di-
nibsbed, if at all but addi nal width can be obtained
at a comparatively small cost by Withdrawing the per-
nisson granted to the owners Of property to occupy
portion OF the highway with areas, tteps, porticoes,
&c. BY removing all distractions, of these or any
o'her kinds and tagging the idewalks flush up to the
II at,a ,oxth fh.h Of
upward osx feet would be gained on either side of the
street.-the curbs could then be set hst distance further
from the center of the street. emo thus give twelve feet
additional width. This increase will be equal
TO one-fth of the present width, and will be
a greater relief, in practice, than would seem
apparent in statement. The cost Of this i'm
prOventnt hiss the merit of economy. Ii the Com;
mon Council have the tight to rescind any action of
their predecessors by which the owners Of The lots on
Broadway and other streets have been permitted to
place these unsigbtly obstruction, on the sidewak-a
part Of the highway supposed 70 be devoted to the
pubc-very little outlay would be required; but IL a1'
dtona legislation JUDICIAL action be necessary, 1t
appears TO ne Il ere little difficulty In Obi8nWg
it. Ii the private owners of property on broadway
have acquired any b. to or incumoer the public
property for which hey entitled to compensation
can amount TO bnt nominal damage beyond the ex-
ptDse of removing the DISTINCTIONS and III ZONE cases
ateI ing their buildings TO them TO the so-
sence Of projecting steps, &c. With respect to very
lsrge number of these buildings the expense Of this
Iteration would be iriDg. Thee are about SoO build
iDgs on Broad~ay from the Battery to the Union Park,
and eslim ing tire cost OF this Improvement at O0 per
house the " hole expense will be out $40 0O0
An o'her incup brapces should also be removed and
TIE power to 60 So should be placed IN the Mayors
off e.. Standing swinging or projecting signs Snoua
not be tolerated, and the awning posts and lamppose
could be dispensed with, by substituting iron pro)ec-
tons from the houses hope you will al once take up
this subject and give it the consideration 70 which It's
IMPORTANCE so fully entities It.
The condition of the Russ pavement is also subject
of frequent complaint; this pavement should DC
erooytd or removed altogether. The iron pavement
the Post Office, IN ,sesu street, meets general
pubic approval and | suggest that II be considered
wht il would not be advanageously laid on Broad
way.
CRYSTAL PALACE,
RESERVOIR SQUARE.
call your attention TO the expiration OF the term Tor
which tue Crystal Palace Company were to have we
occupal cy Of the Reservoir Square for the purposes OF
an Industrial exhibition OF al nations; inls lease wss
mao by the Corpor alton the I'D OF March, 1872,
with Edward Riddle, for the term of five Yeas from
the Sd Ct Janusry 1852 at the rent OF one dollar per
wear and it was cOvenaItd that said Riddle or his
s,sepees should quit and surrender the premises IN
AZ pood state and condition as reasonable use and
wear thereby would permit, damages by the ele-
"ments excepted" BY the expiration on the 80 ut OF
the period for which this lease was made 1t would seem
70 bt the ouy of the Corporation TO re-ener and lake
possession Whether the building has become the
property Cf the Corpor alton by the conditions OF the
.ate OF whether it Is the duty OF the representatives,
OF the lessee to the Crystal Pal ace forthwith. or
whether that building could be advantageousy a2:.
propristed TO public purposes, are Questions which
submit to your consideration is very certain that
action should be taken without delsy as not only the
interests Of the Corporation, but Of those VINO own
building lots in the vicinity which were purchased Of
the city upon the assurance that Reservoir Square
should be Kept open and improved as public para,
demand that some speedy and permanent dlspositod
should be made Of the subject doing justice 70 al
parties.
RE-DISTRICTNG THE CITY.
The Election Dis riots require msterldl alteration.