The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-03-30
The Scheme 70 Desecrate rhe RsT'" nm"
Manhattan Island.

The Scheme TO Desecrate the Nsrsn 0no q
Manhattan Island.
We publish in another column lde pesfion q
the spectators who propose to Gestroy mo
be autiful portion of Manhattan Island wing be-
tween Manhattanville and the Harlem river,
together with the bill which they ask the Lei Us
iature to pass, and the remonstrance of property
owners in that region against any such mea-
sure. We referred to this subject few days
ago, and pointed out the glazing impudence Of
a set of men demanding power to lay out streets
and avenues in locality where they have NO
property, and desecrate the estates of other in
diyidualR
The bill proposes the names of men rs con-
missioners to do this job who are no. property
owners in that district of the island Mt an
John A. Dix, for instance, who Is first ia the
category. does not own an acre of ground
there 1t is not remarkable that Mr.. Dix
should put his name forward in Washington in
connection with foreign mission, or as 8 ps.
litical leader in Tsmmany Hall; but why he
should figure at the head of list of commits
sioners for laying out streets and avenues on
other peoples property is something which we
cannot understand.
Another Of these commissoners-Mf. Thomas
J. Stewart, one Of the principal promoters Of
this scheme-owns seven acres of land, for
which he wants to get higher price than it
will bring now.
This is the most impudent attempt to get
up a job for the benefit OF few ava
ricious individuals ever witnessed The mo
desty of asking for power from the Legislature
to lay out streets squares and avenues through
and otherwise destroy the property of other
people-tO tax them for the salaries of archi-
tects surveyors, and the hosts Of other Othcisis
which the work will afford pickings for, and all
this without consulting the owners of the pro-
perty-is certainly unexampled.
We want no commissioners for that beautiful
region. The holders of property and residents
there can open all the streets they require at q
tenth part of the cost for which a commission
could do it. The remonstrants in their prot ,st
against the passage of the BILL base their objec-
tions upen grounds equally reasonable and
forcible. They show that the Tenth avenue,
the Kingsbridge road, and the Hudson River
Railroad afford highway enough for all the pur-
poses of the neighborhood and deny that any
authority is required by these proposed commits
sioners OF any one else to make any changes
there until the necessities of the residents de-
mand it. But most justly do they protest
against power for this purpose being placed in
the hands Of men who have no interest in the
locality either as property owners or residents
If this scheme finds favor in the Legislature
and we hope for the sake of the city that II will
not-the fairest and most picturesque portion Of
the whole island will be disgracefully shorn Of
all its beauties, to fill the pockets of corrupt
spectators.
1t had been proposed at one time to remove
the State capital from Albany to the charming
region Of Manhattanville. There is no doubt
that the most appropriate place for all our
public buildings is the Central Park or its
neighborhood; but it may be too far Off from
the centre of business to be thought Of for that
purpose just at present. IL we had our way we
would remove the federal capital, and all the
departments Of government, to that portion Of
Manhattan island, and there we would have
magnificent apartments fitted out for their 40
commodation. This is the great centre Of the
republic. Here is the commercial, political aud
intellectual soul Of the whole country. Both
the Federal and State capitals should be here;
and here Congress should properly sit.