The New York herald., 1866-05-28
TIE BOULEVARDS
-s-~-~-~-~--e>s~>-----~-~
Reconstruction Of the Map OF
the Metropolis.
-,ea..~~~-s.~-s-s--s-~r--
Comptroller Green's Report on the
Laying 0si Of ihe City Of view York.
.--..--~.---~~--~-r->e.~
The Grand Drive Extending from the
Il Park 20 Kiugsbridge.
.~----~--~-~~~>>~.~~~~,>~
Piap OF the City North or
Manhattanville.
---s,-,~s->-~-~~-~~~~~--
Washington Heights and the Tu-
tu-e West Bnd.
fht Pntare City Of New York, with Its Parks,
B9nlevarik nd Suburbs.
'Piap Of the City North OF
f" Manlsattanville.
Washington Heights and the Tu-
tuve West Bnd.
The Pninre City Of New York, with Its Parks,
Bonlevartk I'D Suburls.

II has oeen striking Characteristic OF me cities OF tins
country that they have been tn'r without much regard
10 the great advantages he derived from their rural
surroundings Wooded subures shaded roads and
mental parks such give attractiveness and
picturesque beauty the and the cities OF the old
country, have been too much neglected with Us The
war which the carly settler made upon the forest and
which caused every TO be looked upon like the In
dan enemy to civilization has perpetuated t
suits the naked aspect OF towns with their prevail.
Ang OF mchodca quadranglcs without interest and
without beauty 1t Is but recently that the Of
she landscape architect has been called play here
Ten years may be considered the limit within which
public sentiment has been aroused appreciation Of
This important province of taste In our cities The
experiment of the Park has fairly opened up the
snbject for popular appreciation. Tho several rural
cemeteries had previously nauguraed some feeling for
cultivated landscape; but these. with the various villa
sites and like efforts, too secluded to arord
. proper scope for extensive popular spprecsa.
zion Of landscape architecture in this country
The sovereign and the ruling classes sustain and give
character to this art in the older countries 50 with U.S.
the 'rulng classesthe sovereign peopie-had to take
MP the subject and give 1t scope and With the
creation of our Park and the many similar enter
pscs in imitation Of il started in other ci,ies new
epoch has been nausuaed both for this and for the
Whole subject OF laying out building and regulating our
cities.
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW YORK CITY.
The city Of New York presents in the dis,rc, below
Canal street. the first accidental arrangement OF its
shoreughfares. This based merely upon the
direction o: old farm lines and the crooked
ara narrow lanes growing ont Of the pathways and
boroughfarca established for the OF the
limited wants Of colonial ticA Those streets had little
regard to grades and still less reference TO regularity
As the city has grown from Canal Union square,
aheEce to Madison square, aud especially from
Madison square TO the Park, the requirements OF q
great city have been carefully kept in view and
me shape ani regulation Of tho Streets we'll as the
yie Of the buildings has been very actively conectared
and improved But with all has been done for those
streets it viii be found that the still newer region
sScnnd the Park will present Advancement In ee.
gance, completeness and convenience far SURPRISING
anything yet developed in the city below the Park
ANDREW X. GREENS REPORT.
document has Just been pubiishcd--the report Of
the Comptroller and Treasurer OF the Park Andrew r.
0reen-whch treats Of this subject th the practical
esiFey and comprchensvenesx which would naturally
b expected from n mind that has had no
much TO do with developing aud directing the
entire course Of the improvements realized and
laying out the upper portion tho city, From its
pagcs we give some extracts OF great interest Tho
document is not an essay, or compilation specua-
siye suggestions. II embodes the practical results Of
close examination and careful of the real wants
Of this metropolis in the work OF completing the city
and preparing It for the proper accommodation Of the
vast population which must be disposed Of within its
borders within fifteen twenty gears hence Mr.
Green's report s made the Park Commiss oners pre-
peniing csrefal review OF the work to be
dome under the recent enarttnents OF the
Legislature transferring the jurisdiction ofoH
north and west Of the Park TO thnt BearA Il, & x n
once OF the Conmissioners, Ave yeslu In sed.
Their principal duy hitherto-,he oonslgj ~<Sfk on
she pnk-bens aearly completed, II - l1l<d that
sheir admirable executive and scsas]dc oreauxation
would confer inecalable bcncG f cxpued to the lay.
ing out Of the eHsre uppor part OF she city. Of this
work they havo already nled portion Of their map OF
The great Drive Boulevard iron, Fiynnth street to
12Sth street. This will or DO continued as pro-
v;ed in the law, around the island retaining the
Park through the Sixth and seventh avenues
Otber improvements alluded including the new
~ Ninhoias avenue, on the site OF Harlem lane. Mr.
Green's report is detailed, practical and exhaustive
showing that this important work has ely fallen
into the care or the moss thorough and ecei control
HIS full yet orse exhibit OF the laying aud principal
Seatures Of a the great ches boh ancient aud modern
'ncirdns The iage American citcs is full Of snicrst
md suggcstventss. Our extracts will howeuer be
Ing before the Park Board foreshadowcd in this re
port
cHoRoGRArHv oy TVS nAstEyAen DISTRICT
The laying out Of tho streets that part OF the i-d
eovo l55th street, and drive 0m that dosn 20
he intersection Fly ninth sscet with Eighth ayeDue
involves dHcutos and responsibilities that can only be
uy comprehended after thorough examination Of he
ubjcct in All ito bearings.
This part OF the island Is three and twohrds miles in
.nsfh and Of an average width of about three .fourhs
mile. Iis greatest width Is just south Of spuvten
my wi crock, beng there milo wide The rarrowcs
art quarter OF mlc is at tio cx.romc north cnd OF
le Island near king.tridgc. II Comprises LOO ncr~
land being little more than double Tie area OF the
ark and Is bounded by I55th an the SOUTH by
he Hudson river the wosi the Hnrle river ON the
ast and by spuyten Duysrl, creek ON Tie north The
e0gth OF ehorc liuo washed by tidal ustcrs il about
Is me m''es and tbrec1lare, and the distance from
VT 10 river along lsjth street. about 4, 100 feet.
Inc seriace OF this territory exceedingly varied
r .s"m m ana rfuresque u ~ ilaas the inonotouous
~, We times 70 high degree of craggy wiIdrcss ON
ny va e,s. sds from l9sh stree, w the HID Bridge
nc n ruies, the shofes are MAJ. OF bold ro,lz and
10y readily accessible .nst north uf Fart Cenr1 lilo
les an spea ~ e as nshasds terminates aud at s foo,
any covered with water high tdc rom Ilsncs ,o !
=. isrJi Ji'sn nuyy on The east OF klnssbridge roaJ
ne Iano : generally not prccipous hni ~ irresuIss
nracs with occasional oulcrops OF rock the ssorss |
eSE rns.a age Iih % sal, meadow 40 greater or lcs.
no Hudson and kingsSUdEe road = range oC and ssr
.oyahs a,, " ,he residence q Mr John " seaman,
pnyten Duyvi'. wcsi Il Kingsbrre roaa ,I,e yr"n5s
fneraliy nlt marsh tll reach toe chain ~ bs on
" Hrdscu ~ the extremity Of which stands an oia |
aSthwork known ss Cock In rort From a. VS., ",a
e range OF bills follows the Hrisobsrivcr a Iwp 10
18th street, and below 10 about sixty s,reet. hs
secent towards the from tho summit nf tho range
generally very RAPID, leaving but few opportunities
NE convenisnt psssage OF yehicics--the prnoiraI
"a only well de0ned opening above i55'h street being
ounds of The peaf and Dumb Asylum, at 1S5,h l5sth
ID ieod Streets the may b. reached nv pasa es
ore ~ locs precpitcus.
Much OF the Arilory in question s covered with
sod-the high lands particularly. The lower por.
~ being IN pasturs and erabie ispd--oaks cheat
~, wsnuis, naples, hsmlock, cedar, elm and ohor
s,gsnoss ,s srees forming forests and groves Of great
,ysy Sevel or hasdran snd much d 10 quite fertile
y sa'roupded On three sides by tide. wssev Its
r'en pTnf "a at Washington Reights on the groaras