The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-13

tiers about century ago, when the present Park
known by the euphonious name Of the "vlachts," or
"Flat and when forty shilngs nne 10 dig hole
therein, or TO carry sod Of turf therefrom some Of
hose unsophstcaed individuals could but take on "his
mortal coil" once more, and indulge in q promenade
through the principal streets Of metropolis, how
amazed the simple old fellows would be- 70 be sure at the
wondrous changes which have taken place while they
peacefully and quietly have been sumbering in their
graves va.ny would they seek for their New Amaser-
dam in our present gigantic and prosperous city-not
trace Of II would they nnd and they would be pux
lied In wandering from the Battery to the PARK than
the famous Rip Van Wrinkle returning the homo Of his
childhood after his tremendous snooze Of nearly quarter
Of century 1t ID easy TO conceive that the asonshment
Of Dutch ancestors would not be slight Everybody
10 asae Of the fact that this New York Of ours ID 20
tpat bound 20 ahead still faster, until every avail
able piece Of LAND swallowed in its growth and It be-
csc who are absent from the city i've or six years
stretch uy realize the vast changes that are occur
rrg daily, and the mighty improvements which are being
ELECTED certain localities, almost entirely altering It's
aspect. Ten, even eight years ago, most OF the streets
west OF Broadway from trinity church 70 Canal street,
were filed with Old fashioned private residences At
present there vestge Of Left and Barclay
street, Park place. Murray, Warren and Chambers streets,
are entirely monopohzed by immense whoes Ae mercan.
Tile es,Abs hmenls built principally Of white marble or
brown atone, ano FROM their UNUSUAL regularity size
and style, decidedly Ornamental 70 this portion Of the
city.
just there works OF Improvement in pro.
gress which seto calculated " enhance greatly the value
OF properly in the neehborhood gtfeete
Aewte 10 acd teDiod 10 the beauty of its appearance.
Anusi,p is made 10 the widening OF Resde and Duane
srees and The extension CT the former easery far
Chatham To the wes, OF Broadway, Duane street has
aresoy been wdeneo, aud the appearance
OF lbe broad street, sixy Eve feet IN width through
which an uninterrupted view had from the eadieg
thoopghtare OF the CITY, clear over TO Washington street,
w.s,eI nov PROPOSED 70 make the street q uni
Chatham eet and 10 extend Resde street to the
teimnss easteily, cenpg twenty two feet At the
thery siue, which vii! give BREADTH when dpay
tso Of some sixty three feet, q. rough esaas.
The jewellers at present actively q. work in boyn
down ,heD buildings rather those portions Of than
marx out for demolition, ard deemed necessary 70
Obtain tie proposed ~c'h In their existing coalition
IL ID feat Of come daring 10 travel through
the Streets for the risk Of getting broken head
from the falling stones timber, mortar &c or OF sum5
ing over the pies Of rubbish into the mud CUTTERS where
gratultous polish more shining than ameptal 10 the
exterior person, in amos. every is inevitable. The
Danger keJe ID not OF obtaining brick IN ones hat but
H. and nlo shat bas been elegantly termed Mrr Part
peton the brain box The devil may of
vomen may be very pleasant TO those who like to read
OF bsir breadth eecspts n novels but 10 anything but
agreeable to ordinary mortas ike pedestrian whose
busiBess carries them into the teeth Of the danger
lille more caution Is certainly called for,
From Washington street 20 Centre Reade stree. runs
which VII be between Centre and Chatham win have
very sght bend southwark but much to inter
one one end to the ' other Duane Se1 street. is ' to
be wisened on the notherly side between Broad
ana City aa place and between the latter street and
Chatham feet Of St. Andrews Roman C.thoio church
VIII be cut or leaving Sweeney 8 Hotel and the building
aojoiIin It untouched. It originally intended &c
knock ooxn twenty of the norhery side Of the
whole block between lily Ball place and Chatham street
but the adToness Of Mr. Sweeney aad the decison 4
txene Resde street. defeated the project At the north
east corner of Elm and Dusne streets the largo building
owned by Mr. a. McKenna Is 10 be moved back twenty
Eve feet, while emily small slice will be taken of th
oolumoisp ioun5ry adjonipgit As already stated, thu
Cny ball place, vii be widened, while the sde
Of Elm street, will remain 10 It's present condition. VIVA
the object %, ., these curious wSen,nss "a it. a ,u:
following straight line. The opposition Of property
owners 10 having their buildings touched probably
nihhes key TO the Whole arrangement Certain it is
at oil events, MAT while The street generally will be
fitted by the opening these deviatons from the stragh
line will give somewba: awkward appearance TO tuat
portion Of it between Elm and Chatham. The whole Of
the fouthern side of the street. between City Hall place
Chatham, Knocked down by the extension Reade
that the latter and Duane will here form
splendid avenue hundred fe It ia along
City hall place. By this junction Of the two
triangular collections bouseg VIII be len standiug-one
formed by Duane Centre, Rea6e and City ball place.
o,hsr by Chambers Centre City Hall pace and Reade
When the contemplated extension Of Cham street 70
James Slip effected, there will thus be clear passage
through Duane Reade and Chambers streets each a,ost
Direct lpe from the extreme west side Of the city
the East river not necessary 10 po sut the advan
tsgos which will thus be afforded tavd by foot and
give TO business generally Splendid sHactures are al
ready beginning 10 spring amid the ruins the old
street, there nearly half bio,k Of marble from.
buildings now erected So II will be in both streets,
when tney are completed which may be in another year
The new gay, dashpg esle Of architecture in which our
modern American store bouees and manufactures are
quilt will take the place Of the old diney eoihces
have bad their day, and must ,umb to the in
| exorable progr ees OF the nineteenth century.
Little lees than q century ago q large portion Of the
ground on which stands Duane Reade streets
occupied as negroes burial ground The presen. mar.
BILE store OF Stewart and Reade
portion Of the earth enclosed within the GENE.
| terry. Not very far from Duane street, near Cen
ire, stood in 1850 the common galows where cri
miDals were executed AMI In lisa the whole place
about where Reade and Duane streets are, was
known BY the name Of the Ralch hook Chatham
was the high road 70 Boeton What variety Of changes
have since uanspired The only trace Of similarity De-
tween the then and the 10 afforded by the devotion
with which the colored to have chung about
their old baunts Duane and Reade Streets in
nifty Of West Broadway. There q hundred years ago
were Inferred the remains OF the negroes Of those times
and there 70 day sh fourhh the descendants Of the
good old stock" in all the grandeur of sable color ivory
mastcators, wooy heads and fragrant odors. these
colored individuals are not true Americans we should
Lib Q To know who aIep
The cost of these improvements will probably amount
to something Ike million and half Of dollars the
benefits which will be derived will far exceed this compa
ratively trifing amount.