New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-29

a man is lucky that got brass
A man is lucky that's got gas
With brass and gas, and hackers, too,
A smart man ought to w'ggle through
Uf-TowS.-Withn the past year the upper portions
of our city have taken such Start in the OF i'm
that the aspect Of the landscape is already
greatly changed. In the Nineteenth Ward alone the
number of new buildings cannot be much short of a
thousand. While number of the buildings erected
are rst-cass the great majority simply good sec
ondclass structures, designed especially for tenant
houses Many Of these with brown stone fronts,
are erected by contractors master builders, misons,
carpenters, and brcklayers, on speculation, and FREE
quently change hands before their completion Aside
from new buildings vas, improvements have been ef.
eced in the way of opening streets, paving curling,
sewerage, and forth. The sites of many of the
buildings were, less than year ago, mere reservoirs
of stagnant water the location of huts and shanes.
Tie change il almost magical and reminds of
scenes in the " Arabian Nights in which palace
was but the work of "A night. We will endesvor in
this article to give sketch of the main portion Of these
improvements. Lexington avenue, having just been
opened to Hamilton Square Sixty-sixth street. ia
now nearly graded, and the elevation on Sixty-sxth
reduced to the level of the avenue and opened from
the Third to the Fifth avenue. Since this addition
to Lexington avenue has now been made, there
is no doubt that the streets between it and the
Third avenue from Sixtieih street upward,
will soon be opened. A great deal of embankment
will be required The ground though low, is at pres
ent dotted with butts IT forms part Of the Beck
man property, which extends to the East River and
the ownership OF which has remained in the family for
over one hundred years. To facilitate improvements
and enhance the value Of the property, ProPretors in
this locality occasionally anticipate the action OF the
Corpo aion in opening the streets, by assuming the
responsibility of making contracts for The performance
of the work. For the amount thus expended they are
eventual y reimbursed by the City. The filling
and embankment Of Lexington avenue, from Eff
~ seventh to Sixty-sixth street, will cost about
400 OOO and be finished about the 3lst Of December.
There are seven cuveTs in this section of the avenue.
Sixty.tecond street which s being opened from the
Third avenue 10 the East River will be graded by the
lat of next month. The contract for this work has
been entered into between the contractor on the one
part and the property owners on the other-the cost
will be about $1,000. Near Sixty second street. on
Lexington avenue j. L. Brown has just erected
handsome four-st0ry dwelling with brown-stone front,
TO be occupied by himself On the game street, near
the Third avenue, a bn X house, with brown
stone trimmings is nearly completed, owned by
Henry McCusky. On the opposite side Of the avenue
is another new three-stoTy dwelling. On Sixty-irst
street sewer from Second TO Third avenue viii be
completed in the of fortnight, and on the
Second avenue, between Fiftythird and Sixtieth
streets the sewer has Just been finished, at cost of
$4,000 exclusive of charge for surveys, printing,
and other preliminaries which will probably not be
Iss than a 800. The contractor for all these sewers
il Thomas Cummins. The sewerage Of the Third
avenue has been extended to Sxty-hrst street, and
resolution has passed the Common Council max
ING provision Tor its further extension To Sixty
sixth street, aud authorizing the avenue TO
be laid with Belgian pavement from Fifty
sixth to Eigh,y-fourth street. Sixtieth street
has been graded from the Second 10 the Filth avenue.
Between that and Seventy street none Of the IN
ernediaie streets have yet been opened through.
few faci- viii show the ratio in which lots have adj
vspeed in the neghborhood of Sixteth and Sixtysec-
oud streets Several fronting Second avenue near
siSty-eoond street. which bought ten years ago
fer $3.50 eanb, are now held al from $3.50 to sj,OOO
and in June last lot at the corner Of Third avenue
and Sxys.cond street brought a. 6O-the inside lots,
fronting on the avenue, bringing 5000; the site Of
tbese lots, too j. az point beyond that to whea the
improvements of sewerage and paving have been ex-
tended Lots on SNtieh street between the second and
Third avenues which brought in May last 81 900, were
recently sold for - co. On Ffyeighh street, at the
corner Of Second avenue five lots, which are no COW
cred with substantial buildings, were bought Last WIN
ter, without buildings for - 900. The plot measures
10 BY 80 feet. Among the new buildings IN this sec
ton are four honses with stores, at the corner OF
Ffvseventh street and Third avenue, built by Thos
j. Murphy. On Fnty -foOrh street, between Tnird
and Fourth avenues Is a large three-story brewery.
Between Fifty-hird and Fiy-fourth streets, on Third
avenue. TWO houses ihe fronts trimmed with free
stone have been erected BY John L. Riker Of No. ~
Nassau street
ON Fifty-,hrd street, between Second ana IhlEd
avenues is a range Of 5 houses. On the same street
and the Fourth avenue i The immense Piano FACTORY
Of Steinway s. Sons, We, in eOurse Of erection, and
description OF which appeared in TIE IEiEusE some
weeks ago. Between Fifty-seeond and khfy-thiTd
street, are three houses with stores on Third avenue,
and ON Lexington avenue houses with 6ro"n-stone
ou.s The latter built by George Moun3oy, street con-
tractor. On Fisy-second street, between Second ana
Third avenues axe three houses bui By the zane per-
son and since sod and occupied ADJOINING these are
FIVE with brcwn-stone fronts, built by Mr.. Randolph,
lurnber merchant Three houses With sorts have been
con meneeJ at the corner OF Fiy.hr street and Third
avenue, and " Ibs sa1le street between Ihird ana