The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-17

reservoir IL the apex Of this entire domain, and at
tains an elevation Of seventy-nve feet above low
water In the immediate vicinity OF this BASIN water
cannot be conveyed TO the upper stories OF houses
by the pressure alone, but must be pumped.
Tho ground slopes of gently toward Fifty-nintn
street. where breaks on IN the direction OF the Park
into the beautiful diversity which art and nature
combined render at once 10 grand and picturesque.
Rolling and Of broken, probably more OF an un.
duang character the surface stretches away to the
Harlem river and Spuyten Duyvil creek on the
north where 1t reaches the Hottest point on Manhat
tan Island, upon which Ia situated splendid and
imposing mansion. All OF the region about the
western end OF High Bridge has varying elevation,
averaging about 200 feet ana declines with Singh
lar typographical diversity toward the North river
Across the Harlem river, and on tho Westchester
side, where very important improvements are in
progress, great geological qualification has been
found In cutting through the billy district lying to-
ward White Palms Offering many specimens to the
inquiring mind. With such topography o. this II
10 not strange that the discovery has been made that
this island favors the most picturesque and con-
tinuous drives the most devious and winding paths
for the pedestran, and hill and vale, mountain ana
valley Of which the poet can sing In words Of music.
Yet until the Park was first inaugurated and its
splendid drives first thrown open to the public
there was not single road leading to the upper
end Of the island to Westchester county, further
distant, that was 1T for travel or creditabe to New
York a. an entcrprisng and spirited city; indeed.
to this hour there IL one though there are plenty
projected and some In progress. The routes through
the Park are now universally used BY teams driving
in the direction Of Washington Heights and across
the Harlem river, as they have been for many years.
and as they viii continue to be until the compile
ton OF the Boulevards by the Park Commission
Trt, whola y md ne 1Est
a. well "a that portion between the northern line Of
the Park, 10th street. and Macomb's dam. has been
placed by legislative action under the control
Of MI. Green and his co-workers, and they
have already been hard to work upon the tract lis
manipulatiop-and II the word may be used. it's
work that Is so extensive in its char
acter, involves many considerations, and win, as
1t Ia completed, either be gross failure or
triumphant success, that 1t invites brief attention.
First Of all, the avenues and boulevards they
now laid out must be permanent. TneIr directions,
grades, widths and terminl can never be changed;
for there has already been a "dead-set' for lots
lying along their boundary lines and on the streets
adjacent which they intersect OF course all future
Improvements must leave these thoroughfares un.
touched. As they all run in the direction OF West
chester county, with the Design to make that terri
tory practically portion OF the city In the days to
to reside in their vicinity in fact building has begun
there early with considerable spirit. Then too there
Ia what has been termed o triangular gore, covering
the southwestern portion Of Westchester county, and
geographically part OF Manhattan Island, were
the Harlem river and Spuyten Duyvll creek bridged
or runneed, so as to give effective transit to the fu
ture residents Of that tract, which Is Ave miles in
length and over two miles In width. and which lies
as near the business centre of New York as the
tremity Of Manhattan Island, directly to its west.
ward 1t Is also wen known fact that most Of the
valleys and wales Of Westchester county run in
nearly the same directions as the principal avenues
Of New York. Acd 10 these facts the necessity Of
opening the Harlem river to commerce, yet at the
same time TO preserve over 1t under 1t facIe and
speedy means OF travel ana transportation, and it can
be readily seen how the upper portion Of the island
IL soon TO be peopled by industrious citizens how
Bridge and Kngsoridge on the one side and Harlem
fats and Westminster county on the other; how By
the widening and deepening Of Spuyten DuyviI
creek there Will be fine opportunity to
construct credtable system OF piers and ~harves,
and how a district thus laid out, and with all its
wants and imperative needs foreshadowed, and
built upon fine sot with beautiful country about
can become settlement unrivalled In America.
Mr.. Andrew II. Green, who has made this subject
the study OF his later years. declares regarding the
utilizing OF the now useless Harlem river ana Spuy
ten Duyvh creek:-.At small cost IN comparison
With the accruing benefit q channel can be made
from the North river to Long Island SOUND through
the Harlem river, with greater depth OF water than
city and Albany, and OF width Sufficient for all the
practical purposes OF the commerce That WIZ seek
by navigators especially the earlier ones who used
the streams as early as the year 100. What,
holders from taking hold Of o comparatively
simple work by transformation Nothing but
the insane thirst for speculation that now finds
Itself in complete dominion over all portions OF the
body polite, and which with grasp "a relentless
as Saan's and tendency to ruin just as certain, Is
absorbing all the capital, and, instead OF secondinR
by private enterprise the worthy efforts Of the Com
missoners, is trying TO defeat them by movement
detrimental. Mr.. Green has advocated with great
deal OF ability and foresight the immediate bridging
and tunnelling OF Harlem river and Its subsequent
devotion TO the purposes or commerce. With the
zeal which has characterized all his iabors IN FUR
thering the landed interests " the metropolis and Its
suburbs he has incontestably proven that this is
duty which the present generation should accom-
plsh and one upon which the future greatness OF
to such colossal plan as this-as, In fact, all
Improvements on the island have more or less
the new boulevards were conceived projected IN
scale and are now being laid out under the most
suspicious circumstances.
THE BOULEVARD.
To grid the island with bouIevards or broad drives
was a happy conception, though by no means an
original one. Paris OF all the continental European
ctesin fine, OF all the cities OF the world-was the
first 10 have these magnificent th0roughfares, and
they have been instituted chiefly by the present pub
lic-splrited Emperor aud have proceeded with an
eciat that has made this capital or the world the
most brilliant and imposing OF al that can be ad-
inhSu AZ iHc DoueNdIu ueS
tapucines and the Boulevard des Itaiens, besides
the ooulevard M0ntmartre and the new one now
being cut Through from the Rue de Ia Paix 10 the
Palace OF the Tulleres, are the grandest thorough
fares Ia the world though there Is not In the French
capital such favorable Topography to make broad
New York today. These streets In PARIS
nave totally changed the complexion OF
that Paris should have risen to SUCH degree OF
power and influence that the peoples OF the world
locked there to display their wares industries and
9rs In the great Exhibition OF 1857 With her Champs
Eiysees she has shown what broad and shaded
drives can do to beautify naturally one OF the
ugllest OF cities and Napoleon has dtly seized upon
such expedleDs as these 10 call forth the admir- ton
OF the people and alay the discomfort OF the mob.
The Bouevards for New York were projected in
1867, ana work was inaugurated thereon shortly
afterwards, and has since been actively carried
forward under the direction OF the Park Commits
sioners. The principal avenue OF this character,
which is termed 1.-The Boulevard" commences
fha INN NJ inf and