The New York herald., 1868-02-09


This subject vas, 1868 again revived and the Harlem
and Hudson River Canal Company Incorporated with
canal from Hudson river at the mouth OF Spuyten
Duyvi creek 70 the Harlem river to deepen either
o. ns a ss 5' AN oos Gn. -
Island Sound Considering the fact that the
merce is already estimated At more than two hundred
thousand tons annually and that twenty miles Of
dangerous river navigation will be saved by
II, this project cannot but be deemed most
city, especially in the indication Of its future
thoroughfares, as will undoubtedly prove the means
o. ssabsnns line Of depots along the shores Of the
lumber building materials and other supplies Tho
surveys q this company were compeed u 1865 the
tons OF the land needed tor basins and other appurten
ances have been acquired The line Indicated lies
canal which crosses the Kngsbrdge road constructed
many years since TO operate mill. Is obvious that
considerable tract of land will be left between the line
or this projected canal and the Spuyten Duyvil creek
and for this the crossing with
avenues Of land travel will be Of the utmost Importance
not only that they may be uninterrupedly convenient
but in the effect they will be likely to have the 3D.
ministraiion OF the commerce Of the canal In this
rNnnscon cSs y may be mentioned Also a. Harlem
and il ohsiructed By the piers Of, Of the several
are barred BY low water and II this river Is to be made
adaptable to purposes OF trade widening must take
bulkheads will be necessary. Provision bobh for ade-
quate waterway and for the health or tho ncghborhood
uemanu3
along the river will be greatly affected by IL the WIDEN
Ing should take place at an early day.
BY act OF April H. 1852 permsnent exterior street
Hudson river, provided for This street was laid
out BY authority Of the Common Council after its
authorization with width OF seventy feet and mostly
runs upon land covered with water and owned by the
Corporation. widening OF tins thoroughfare lin
prospecve) has been deemed necessary. and - the
filling In Of this land would OF necessity force vast quan
titles Of loose mud into the middle or the river it has
been considered best that continuous line Of bulkheads
piers be admissible by the narrowness Of
the rivera defect that should for the benefit OF COM
mefce be remcdied before the street is opened and
In any effort to adjust the laying Of the northern part
Of the island to the future wants Of The metropolis and
its envrons there should DO distinct recognition Of
these several M s8eeJ 0aN#0 EE a
GovERsrsG PRINCIPLES AND CONSIDERATIONS.
It's obviong that the heavier business traffic Of the
city viii fall naturally into the level and direct
Ines Er sa
Dcpots Of trade cannot but seek accommodations on
or near the exterior streets along the shores OF the two
rivers areer
s. Only limited subdivision Of the elevated surfaces
between the rivers Will be needed or desirable,
since these surfaces the natural situations OF the
elegant suburban villas, which to be and constitute
eadipg feature Of the future uptown OF the metropolis
II is pleasing that these principles havc been
carried out IN their ulness in whatever has been done
thus far; and II may be well TO advise andholders in
these locations that all IDEAS OF subdivision into rectan
gular lots should be at once abandoned. These pictu
rescue emnences ought not for the sake OF
taste, to- be reduced TO regular ge0metry of
squares and rectangles. or lengtbwso avenues it
Is obvious from the topography OF the ground that
than three are attanaoe Tor the whole length Of
the island, owing to intervening highlands. Two OF
these must follow the immediate shores OF tho Hudson
and Harlem rivers respectively. and The third will fall
naturally upon The line OF the Kingsbrdge road. These
may be considered the future lines of longitudinal
traffic. and must be Of ample width and moderately
level grade. The atitudna thor0ugntares will
naturally be provided for by the openings between the
hills at various points though, no doubt several tunnels
Will need be opened traffic increases, principally
for the accommodation OF trade between the east side
and the rising villages of Jersey a2
Ihe most important Of these openings effects ma
tura provision for street Of traffic between sanha.tan
vllc and Spuyten Duyv This street Is the perpetua
ton OF former one, which has been wldened on its
southerly side. An Of traffic Tnbby Hook
the exterior the Harlem side has thus been
opened by eecting bend at the point where this old
way ntersects the Kingsbrdge road, thus forminga
thorOughfare from the Hudson 10 the Harlem river On
the Hudson river side exterior street has also been
indicated and the exterior street on the Harlem side has
been laid from this intersection southwark. These
among the works that the Board Of
Commissioners navo began in the course OF the year
cation OF the line OF the drive grcat governing fea-
lures OF what has been done during the year. The table
hrid,e pnad se ss & ~
and tue may be said of tho tract north OF Fort
George. As these viii be needed in order TO develop
tho tract In subdivision and more compact building 10 Is
probable that the Commissioners have already come to
some decision to their exact location, though no me-
cessty Will exist Tor their opening Tor some years al
least.
Il by no means follows in fact that all or even the
greater part OF the streets indicated on any plan are TO
be worked Immediately The great necessity has been
to establish lines to which transfers OF property might
be accommodated and upon which tho subdivision Of
tracts Of greater less might be based More than
hundred miles Of streets have already been indi
Gated which have not been opened ana ought not be
except wanted. II has been the aim Of the Board.
therefore, to indicate and file comprehensive plan of
Oil roads, streets and squares which are ultimately to he
called INTO existence by the growth Of the CITY, The ex
tent which this task has been practically wrought out
will be Indicated hereafter in the course OF this article
1t is sufficient state this stage Of discussion that
not only have the wants OF New York proper been
subcities the jersey Shore well as the needs OF
the commerce which 10 hereafter 10 seek on
this part OF the island. The Spuytcn Duyvi creek Is
already crossed by several brdges no less than eight
having been already conpetedl and there can be no
doubt but that all the leading to the Harlem
rivor will be ultimately carried to the mainland
in similar manner for New York proper is no doubt
all sides from Manhattan island. and thr5ugh the
midst OF this metropolis, with s several millions or
inhabitants. these rivers will be but silent highways
analogous TO those supplied to Paris and London by the
Seine aud thames Tho necessity that this work should
be done by OF broad and comprehensive views is
from these considerations, apparent Rectincations Of
plans where property has acquired value arc
matters OF great expense and difficulty illustrations
OF want OF foresight the metropolis has had enough OF
IN the widening OF streets down town, which sholid
have been indicated and laid out thoroughares at
The beginning. Twenty years ailer the hlng Of no
nifty 20 ninety feet and called East Broaiwsy widen
ing Of second street tho west sde West Broad
way, followed ten years after; thirty years snce Gen.
tre street was widened and extsldod TO City Hall Park
in fact, year by year. metsmorphcsis Of the plan OF
ISL has been going on al vast and Tor no other
than because the commission of 1911 had no ade
qae conception OF the future OF New York city and OF
its ultimate commercial wants. The imperial improve.
mens or Paris furnish second series OF illustrations OF
the necessity Of great foresight in the laying out OF
metropolitan city, and the history OF London affords
ample illustrations pertinent TO the snme subject Lon
don, PaSis Madrid Vienna, Moscow, Constantinopic,
Aeppo, Nes YORK aud Boston. among modern cities,
and Rome Athens aud Others among ancient cities are
standing historical examples Of nadcquacy OF plan or
utter want Of u Mt the beginnine. Ninevah and
Babylon were adequately laid Out S. Petersburg,
though nfelicitogsy situated, makes mp IN IT'S COM
modousness and regularity for the stupidity OF its
location and Philadelphia IS an example OF peculiarly
Symmetrical ctyas also several cities OF the West,
among whicn are Cincinnati and Cleveland.
rrevious TO 1871 New York grew up in its own way;
and the plan Of 1911 salty inadequate that
matters have progressed in rather irregular manner
since.
The dinicu'tes and responsibilities have thus been
briefly indicated AID remains state what has been
actually oone beyond those works which have boen
incidentally specified aud discussed. The west sido.
from Fifty ninth street and Eighth avenue has been
been extended TO 1ubhy Hook seven aud half miles;
street 100 feet wide tas been laid out from the
Hudson TO kfuQshridre and Eleventh avenue