The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-05
NEW YORK AS 1T rs.
The Battery-Piers and Desks-streets open
ed and Wldened-T The Routes Of Scw Rail.
reads-A Look Ahead,
10, 10, 10

Now Yorlp Is, We will venture /, say, tue most
mobile city in the world Il takes Grea, Fire 10 reja
venate London, and q Dynasty to rebuild Paris; bsi
In the appearance Of New York. In mundane affairs
generally, one knows what day may bring forth
New Yorker, leaving home for q week, may expec, TO
and, upon his return, portions OF the city totally
formed; and as Senator Seward declared fec months
absence almost sufficient to render ones ~ledge OF
localities altogether vaueess. Rows OF iron marble
fonted take the place Of red BRICK houses Brick
and brown stone occupy squares but short time before
decorated with wooden shAnties. Fifth avenue hotels
spring up like mushrooms. Up town becomes far down,
and the vicinity OF Boomingdale and Harlem becomes
fashionable Whole blocks Of we'll known houses dsap
pear and narrow streets widen into second hand Broad
ways. Crystal Palace, an Observatory, .
City Hall, erected, or vanishes, ct the
shortest possible notice. The sudden changes
In the Social the financial and the political worlds OF New
York fully equalled by those in Ia appearance We
have only 10 think Of New York twenty Eve years ago
and Of New York Is, to form some idea Of the trans
formation which like period In the future will effect
Now that we are to have New Charter, and now that
many changes are in contemplation by street exten
sions and widenings, by Park improvements and new
railroads. it may be well to put upon record brief sketch
OF the present appearance Of few Of those parts Of the
city where reforms either designed greatly need
ed
THE BATTERY.
An Improvement long required, and now we believe,
be rapidly mAde that 10 the appearance OF the Battery
Next to the City Hall Park there Is locality upon which
a New Yorker look with less pride than upon the
Battery Bounded side by old fashioned houses,
the residences OF the ton, but almost
trely given up to shipping and other offices; upon tho
north by open place, which somewhat resembles the
1avaa AZ Naxw Orloo Mo. md fnOn
other sides, by the Bay the Battery Park
perfect picture Of desolation. Two large and
well supplied apple stands guard and adorn
the entrance. The old Battery ia separated
from the I" extension by line Of stone posts
and small piles of stone slabs. Its walks have been
ly laid with cnders and the places where the grass ought
to grow have been recently poughed hoed until there
il not green sprg left large enough to do in ths
hat Of city rishman upon st. Patricks day in the
ing, the afternoon, when things generally
seen double The "extenson" presents beautifully I'm.
duatng surface with large crop Of cobbs stones and
rusty iron cables and anchors, relieved by two edifces
which are designed, doubtless, bureeque upon the
psgodas recently erected In the streets Of
Paris Over this waste two sporting esarely
drive their horses; and every and then, butchers
cart or grocers wagon drives down to the beach for
wash Towads the Staten Island ferry is q group of
pleasure boats, drswn UP u the shore.
Like Union square or the Central Park, the Battery has
Its ho1ttues. You may see \ hundred or two Of them
upon any fine day, ioungpg al out, pitching pennies
tbead TAIL" sparring Ia Keenan, and Sayers sit
Sing Ike penguins upon the Old stupe along the Shore
and doing 1t all in lazy incident, lstiess way, which
would credit to member OF the lido nothing" ciGb
or metropolitan policeman. Some Of these untashon
able louneeIs newly arrived emlgrants the
part are New York boys In training for the honors Of
chNdrea walk weary about in the Sunshine, or Sit and
look out the sea, watching the waves and thinking
perhaps Of faderland ana home, but looking sod
AZ upper end of the Battery huge piles Of barrels
and cotton bales suggest the idea Of making the whole
TO which neglect has made useless pleasure
recreation. Nearly In the centre of the beach line
Castle Garden, or the Emigration Depot Around the
gates the crowd OF women,
stess and unnterested while upon the outskirts Of the
throng prowl like wolves around sheep fold, the
and hang dog look and air. which says, o. plainly as
Ing INTO their pockets, itching get
somebody else These red shirted sun burnt fellows
Samns under tones he notice to employers not t.
engage outside the gates, gathering around two
persons who may happen to be conversug, OF pushing
against tripping some green Datchman; but talk
ing in lazy muerngs and words only half uttered and
seeingly without the slightest interest in what gong
and you will see the runners suddenly awakened into
le and the rush. the crowdipg the fight for the
eagerly If life depended upon the result. Il only
repetition Of what country cousins pay their quarters
to see at the menageres The animals souchng and
down their cages until feeding time arrives, and then sud
denly awakng into vivacOus and energetic action. But
ship arrives day, and the prowl restIessy
about We pity the foreign lambs who escape from their
ship pens only TO fall into such clutches.
Things are not bad In this respect however, they
were some years ago. for the egrent depot with It's ad
mirabe arrangements, interferes greatly with the
ners occupation and hs profits Inside the Garden
the buFeaux and the officers employed to take Of
Hans and Pat Kundchen and Bridget The seats and the
frescoes of the old Castle Garden still remain and
walls which once echoed the sweet melodies OF Jenny
Lind Aboui, Scntag, Grsi aud Others resound with
the squalls OF children When visited the Garden only
old scow was moored to the wharf, and the hall
comparatively deserted, a few men and women, who
slept upon benches being the only occupants Just
ChanfIsu and the Bowery actors might probably study
the New York roughs outside go Barney Williams and bis
kind might do we'll to visit the Garden and study the
Of the real Irish peasant Our profession inclinng
neither of these studies, however, to "takin
notes." listened attentvl the infantie cries. which
aoundsnt, II pleasant, flowers in June;
and after careful consideration concluded that the
Ge,man child cried loudes longest and most unmuscay,
though will do the infants from the Emerald Isle the
justice TO state that they cried most often.
The condition Of the Battery upon the whole, dis
ments discussed will before long be carried out and
this lower park Of city blossom like the
tage any other park No neglect abuse take
nom II that splendid panorama OF and island and
swift p.sang vessels which, spite Of It's dirt. desoatou
and oepioraby bad company, stu makes IT fayore
sort Of . few ancient Knicker bockers.
THE DoCKs AND PIERS.
Leaving tho Battery, and passing by the shops where
sharp Jews lay cunnngy in wait for the peor erngran
amid jungles Of clothing remarkable neither for syle
beauty dura oty, reminded OF reform which
IL greatly needed but Of which there TO be pros
pect for several years the rebuilding OF
the docks and piers Of New York In city which boasts
of s progress and called the commercial capital Of
great country, il is not little remarkable that the accom-
modations for vessels OF poor character. The
value Of the real and personal property Of New York city
cannot be from 5000 oo and that OF the shipping
dong business with be about $500 900 GEO. aud
yet the docks and piers or New York are the same IN
quality as those OF country village situated upon
fathom river, with . navy Of one soop and oyster
scow. Why should not New York have piers like
those Of the maritime cities Of England butt Of aud
az solid and enduring the prosperity which they repre-
seDH
Stone piers should Immediately be built upon the North
river especially far up town the requirements OF
trade demand and should be extended, year by year,