New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-05-22
THE WEST SIDE.

"A view 10 the best interests Guy
and wishing suitably improve such portions OF the
Island as cannot be graded INTO streets and avenues,
invested the Board Of Commissioners of the Centr Park
with a general authority the district lying north OF
Onehundrcd andffty fithst, between the HUDSON ana
Harlem Rivers Under this authority the Commissioners
have carefully surveyed the ground and prepared pan
of proposed improvements that while necessitating an
expenditure that may be considered small IN proporoP
to the Importance OF the work, will ultimately
make the upper portion of the Island one OF the
most beautiful places OF residence 70, 10 90, gr
found in this country The district Included within thel
supervision comprises many localities OF great natura
beauty but the surface broken and uneven as To DC
practically unavailable for the extension OF the cry
nOrthward unless content to see II Dnllt ike
Rome, on hills Even then the most expensive YER
racing would be necessary, and the cost or rendering
property available for building purposes on the ORDINARY
city plan would be greater than it, value Weh mus
improved. The objection frequently maze 10 INC pro
posed improvements the grounds that the limited size
OF the island requires that every foot should be graded
and leyeed is answered by n glance al map showing
the topography OF the country AS far as practicable the
streets and avenues have been surveyed ana VIII DE
opened and graded without delay; Dut above Onei IL
dredand Fifty -tfthst may hope In few years, 10
see a suburban district ryalng Leween Park IN natural
With the nature and extent OF the improvements below
this point most OF our readers are generally 1amar.
Manhattan-square, the new Geological Gardens, lying
between the Eighth and Nintlayes, from Seventy,
seventh to Eighty rststs, will BIO very attractive ana
beautiful lis surface IL uneven, and combines the al.
vantages OF small natural lake for aquatic BIRDS abd
animals with rocks that are high and dry enough 10 sg
the taste of the most adventurous Alpine Ghanos Inc
Riverside Park narrow strip along the HUDSON aNer'
running from Seventy second to M %g
yninhs will also be very attractive Ous Its dQua'n
there solely owing To the lmpossOlty OF grazing tue
surface down to the level OF inc Streets t tr
places steep hills rise abruptly from the " w.
to an elevation of from 20 to $50 teeL
and as they are mainly composed Ol S4 ho n rUon'
erty is worth, economy has induced the COmms-
soneTs to transform INTO R%k siH Par het%ern
Onehundred andtenth aud OneIlundredandtNehy
thirl-sts and smaller Enclosure at Fort Washington;
besides inducing them to allow the old Mount Morris
square to retain It's present slte ana pounaiiGs de
orally known and may be briefly described. The Boue.
ward beginning with the circle at the Merchants Gate OF
great extent the line OF the old Ncw.York and Albany
post road the principal Of these drives. IL Is to run
intersection OF Broadway and Eleventh ave, where IL
follows the OF the latter TO Fort George In
as the River Side Boulevard, commencing at
Seventy second-st. and running along the River,
made into line drives above the Park st. Nich0as-aNe
and Manhatanst are to run rregulnIy northwest rom
One-hundred dthrticthst-the latter being what Is
known as IlarlemIane. In addition TO these arg
10 follow the direction OF the present open ROAD so as
not TO interfere unnecessarily with the boundaries and
subdivisions of property along their routes These I'M
proyemens will not materially alter The cityke appear
ancc of the island below One-hundred y-htthst
and they are merely designed tO render both the Park
and upper portions OF the city convenient aud easy
of I'm no place has land been taken that could be
used To better advantage for ordinary building purposes
an important consideration with those VINO Tear mat
too much valuable and neededspaCe being mOnOpOzed
by the Park Commissioners.
Above one Hundredand-nfty .nfh-st, however. the
the habit o. driving out IN the direction OF In-
wood and spuytcn DuyyI, know how roinantl.
eay beautiful are many portions OF TINS comparatively
uninproyed district and stu fewer have any adequate
idea Of what VIII ne when EYER ha'1tad edect s
who seem determined 10 make the tnest loCalty Tor
private residences In he world To give any ldea o the
section a. II l. and will be. must follow the course
the island ~ such Of the drives as are now opened
public tonG rSf m inf Whsp the pro-
posed grading ~ the streets viii terminate, We
ton Of the new Deal ana DUMP anu bHn1 t
Asyuns. They To be located ON the west side Ot
the Boulevard, gentle slope commanding magnh-
cent view of tho river and Palisades The fine buildings,
surrounded by broad lawns divided by winding carriage
drives will be highly ornamental ana greatly improve
| tbe ueighborhood. Gen Butericd and few Of ms
friends have just purchased the property adjoining thus,
nm Sno i Teldenecs FROM his up 20 Fort Washington
Heights, the desirable property IS manly held 10y gene-
proposed Improvements shall have been completed
rupt blum rising almost abruptly the east side
The elevation Of this rocky hill Is some $40 feet
above tide-water IN the nyer below ON eller slde
dnye, or Boulevard is to be constructed, and us
steep and almost perpendicular sides viii be
OF the land. ON the summit OF the heights
is owned and occupied by Mr.. Bennett, individual
who Is principally known through his completely with
wclladycrscd "ho corn" trnnsacona few years since
aud subsequently with an extensive g sNidle ana con
dence operation that vailed s real character under the
patriotic guise Of wellassumed socude for the wei
fare OF our disabled veterans WIN Thatacteilsuc goo
taste. this gentleman has surmounted his residence with
l "a ~
mosque and pa coda, when viewed from distance. on
nearer approach, however, even this faint resemblance
nastic buucomb" which the poet Gray character
Icd as the boast OF Hcaldry, sc. We pleased TO
record the that real estate has not materially de
creased value yet In It's vicinity, although cannot
say what the future may bring forth IN this respect
Passing by the flights, We cross section OF country
| possessing many rare natural attractions In many
places the Boulevard Will command fine views OF the
river while In Others IL is hidden by gentle hills and
clumps OF old forest trees drive OF about mile brings
Al, 10 nwoOd spot destined To be, more than any other,
this section OF the Turning
west through inwoodst, new road 10 be widened aud
graded by the Commissioners, strike private
way along the river bank little inside OF the pro
posed street that Is TO follow the new bulkhead line.
About quarter Of mile further brings to spot that
ncomparaby lovely ON the line OF the abrupt blum
an observatory. from which the finest view OF
the river Is obtaiuable that may be had from
| any point south OF Bierstadts house
nj lryingt0n. 20 miles further up. An unbrOken
view of the Hudson from the HarbOr 10 Sing Sing, such
as NAV De seen from this point Of unparalleled mag
niGcence No view OF tile Rhine for which tourists will
travel half continent is more submely beautiful
Far below, river sweeps gently dOward with the fall
lux tide ts surface enyened by nnumerable soops. or
beaten into lines OF white foam 10y the steamers passing
/ quickly back aud forth between the CITY and the
! towns along the lower Hudson. On the opposite
! shore tower the stately Palisades their brown
! and ragged cliffs mirored IN the stlll waters.
! beneath. There Is "a charm about such scene
| that battles description. Those VINO would Know
how beautiful certain portions OF our island must
! II for themselves following the river drive running
north from wood depot untll they reach the nights,
where they will be rewarded by view that would well
repay "A much longer and more difficult journey. Above
lnwOod the Commissioners 90 not propose any public
roads except the continuation OF laNcrst Ia Spuytcn
around the upper Ot the Island.
The property mainly owned IN sections OF several
acres by gentlemen proposing To huld ana reside there
and only such communication viii be- opened
ury 10 secure unobstruotcd carrageways through and
around the various properties IL II designed that these
shall be open all who wish TO leave the public drives
and wind i'm and among tho splendid residences that
will thus grouped parked IN general Enclosures
is now done Of the more elevated portions of the
| village OF Orange, n. j.
Above Inwoodst and It's continuation, which crosses
the island between Tubby Hook the west and Sher-
mans the east side the ground Is mostly high
and uneven, breaking of abruptly at Spuyten DuyVil
and sloping stoeply To the water Following the River
/ IL nrnnnd nI