The New York herald., 1868-11-29
THE GREAT BOULEVARD.

inp the past few years. by which the jurisdiction OF
the Park Commissioners was extended from
time "a time over certain portions OF territory within
the CITY limits and outside the Park, that law was
passed three years ago prescribing the route OF q
new public drive, which has, since Its inception,
been known as the Boulevard.
Since the law was passed great deal of time has
been consumed by the Commissioners in tho usual
legal formalities Of having Commissioners Of Esti
mate and Assessment appointed and in acquiring
titles to those parts OF the various estates through
which 1t was intended from the start that the road
should run. The West Side Association also for
time did all In its power to prevent the opening Of
the road; but last June the Supreme Court confirmed
the report Of the made the property to
be used In the construction OF the drive from Fifty
ninth street to 155t street. thus virtually giving the
Park Commissioners power to begin the work. From
June last until the latter part Of September the sur
veys OF the route were made and on the 1st OF last
month force OF 800 men was put to work in gangs
on various parts OF the proposed drive. All the
houses OF brick, stone and wood that lined the route
have already been torn down and the debris sod and
active measures being taken to have good part
Of the road completed before winter sets in in
nest.
TOPOGRAPHY OF THE BOULEVARD TERRITORY.
Although great deal has been written and a
great deal more has been said than written concern
ing the drive, there are comparatively few per-
sons VINO are thoroughly acquainted with the exact
localities through which 1t is to pass, its surroundings
and its advantages to the future prosperity OF the
metropolis. According to Commissioner Green that
part OF the island the west side, through which
the Boulevard VIII run, is three and two-thirds
wiasn sI Of aSoss % tnree-fourtns @ of 'snaEe mie.
Its greatest widh is Just south Of Spuyten Duyvil
creek, being erse there one mile nile. Vide M The mar mar
north end OF the island. near Kingsbridge. 1t COM
Prises l70) acres Of land. being little more than
street on the SOUTH by the Hudson river the west
th" Harlem river on the east. and by Spuyten Duyvi
creek on the north. The length OF shore line washed
by tidal waters is about nine miles and three-quar-
ters ana the distance from river 10 river along 55th
street about 100 feet The surface OF this territory
~ exceedingly varied irregular and picturesque.
1t includes the monoionous level OF the salt
marsh and the rolling pasture, and rises at
ness Gn the east side. from i5tth street
up to the High Bridge and thence to Fort George,
distance OF two and one firth miles, the shores are
mass Of bold rocks and not readily accessible. just
north OF Fort George the eastern span oil the High
lands terminates, and at its foot lies an area OF
about sixty acres Of salt meadow partially covered
with water at high tide. Thence to Spuyten buy.
v on the east Of Kingsbridge road the Land is not
surface with occasional outcrops OF rock the shores
being iringcd with salt meadow to greater or less
extent Above % Iuboy Hook y, valley, between the
OF land rss about 100 feet above tide Close along the
Spuy en- Duyvi west OF kingsbridge road the ground
bgenerally salt marsh until the chain OF hills
on the Hudson Is reached at the extremity OF which
stands an old eagthwork Known as Cock Hill Fort.
Prom this fort the range OF hills follows the Hudson
river down to 155th street and below to about sixty
NTH street. The descent towards the river from the
summit Of the range Is generally very rapid, leaving
but few opportunities for the passage OF vehicles,
the principal and only well defined opening above
155th street being at lubby Hook. AZ Fort WASH
Asylum, at l55th, 15sth and 183d Streets the river
|. reached by passages more or less precipt0us
Maca Of me territory ana hgh ground over which the
lands particularly. The lower portions are in pas
ture ana arabic lands. oaks, cnestnuts walnuts,
dgenous trees, forming forests and groves
Of great extent and beauty. 1t is surrounded on
three SIDES by tide water Its highest point Is at
Fort Washington, where In one place the hills rise
TO the height 0f 27l4 feet above low water being in
fact the highest point Of land Manhattan Island.
Near TINS are the remains OF Fort washington which,
with several other redouos and earth entrenchmens
occupied by the Americans during the attack by the
British in 1776 are still visible.
THE ROUTE
Of the Boulevard through this district according TO
tile plan adop5ed begins at the circle" at rho juno
ton OF Broadway and Fftynnth street. The circle
VIII be entirely surrounded by ample shade trees,
with wide sidewalks leading across IL 10 the various
streets which deboucn jnio II. The gates OF the
Park will form one.quarter OF one side OF
tne circle and the houses which viii in course
Of time be built about 1t will conform to the line OF
the circle ITSELF In the centre colossal statue will
be erected, put TO whose great deeds AMI virtues
commemorative has not as yet been decided. The
drive thus starting from the midst OF shade trees
will be bordered either side after the same fashion
OF the circle and Il 1t he found conducive To the
general beauty OF the road there will be row OF
shade trees ia the middle OF the road along its entire
lenpth From the circle the drive will follow the
line OF the Old Bloominglale road to Eighty-siXth
street, thence to 1881 street. midway between Tenth
aud Eleventh avenues; thence curving round into the
~ 150th street, whence it will follow Tho line or
Eleventh avenue. Up TO tins point Tie road will be
one hundred and fifty feet In width From 156th
street it VIII pass along the river bank winding
through the side hills aud valleys TO near lnwood
easter direction and strike into. the old Kings.
bridge roal near the gate leading TO lnwOod. All
this part Of 1t will ne one hundred feet in widtn
That part OF the road on the Harlem or east side
from tenth avenue has already been LAID out from
Tenth avenue, near Sherman's creek, to Ninth ave-
Ftyninn fle t street and Issh street has ''e been
legally opened and the title vested in
the city, and the Commissioners have taken posses
sion ant are now regulating and grading IL. rho
drive VIII strike through the estates OF uessrs.
Knapp, Bird, Ward Martin, Haven, Connolly, Fisher
Chiltenden, Richards, Hayes and Flint Its full eX-
tent VIII be between twelve and thirteen miles.
DRIVE CONNECTIONS.
The Boulevard proper will be certainly long
eDhu9h and broad enough to satisfy the WISHES OF
tile most astdiols OF hOrscmen; but there to be
for all that several other minor drives, all running
into or connecting In some manner with the prlno-
pal road. one Is the Weft side or Terrace avenue
roa,. which viii start from Sevcniyaecond street
and run 10 12q;h street. From l22d street Il
Will pass tae Mornngside Park and follow the brow
OF tie hills. From It's site there Is an unobstructed
view OF the river and the Jersey shore. Terrace
trees ana divided into proper carriage ard Zoo ways
anu yards, 80 near 90 the top OF the bans as
To allow the cross streets TO be graded aud iill-
proved Ms nearly In conformity to The natllra. sur
face the elevated land possible and as near AZ
may be to the edge olstlle rapid eeclsiiy o. the
bank. Ry allowing the road GO follow the conior-
nation OF the biuffs in the terrace pan IL ~ CON
tended that the removal OF 24o0,000 cubic yards
oil earth and rJcK Is dispensed with, and that 10
bring lots upon which the drive viii run
aong the terrace plot to the level OF the
street would require the excavation OF over
I.hUU
OF 500 e9U yards. Another road will be the
st. Nicholas, which viii start from Sixth avenue at
1lOth SCI eet 1.-THE extreme northern eud of the park
IL will run TO the line OF the Ninth avenue,
where It WI meet with what Is now called Manhlt-
tan street. AID thence northward ~ i5th street. IN,
drive or boulevard proper can be struck from this
avenue at either i4Jth street or l0lst street. From
i2ith street the road Will lead midway between the
Eighth and Ninth avenues following Che Inc OF the
oiu Harlem lane and thence will pass under the llll
nciow the Convent or the Sacred Heart. From
this point It will run into the Ninth ave.
nue. at l4oth street Ihence following the line of the