The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-02
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
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Wanted. New Piers and whnrves, Scientific
Drainage and Rapid Means Of Travel
General vielc's Views and Suggestions.
The three great material reforms OF which the city
Of New YORK stands In need are improved COCK
accommodation on both river fronts regular and
scientific system OF drainage, and rapid comniunl.
cation between the centre, the extremites and the
| outlying suburbs OF the metropolis. The piers and
| wharves have long been subject Of repr0ach
to this great city. The material OF which they are
composed and the manner OF their construction are
| simply barbarous by comparison with the docks or
Liverpool or any other leading European port. Yet
there IL no obstacle to rendering the shore front OF
| New York accessible and convenient along with
being ornamental. AS 1t Is there is neither convent
ence In the approach to ornament IN the appear
ance OF those rOtting and unsighty structures that
protrude themselves at either side into the North
aud East rivers. Az a commercial entrepot there is
no spot in the world so well adapted for such pur-
pose as the island on which New York is built; yet,
with most Infatuated blindness the dock front Is
| allowed year after year to become more and more
an obstruction to the commerce of the city,
| and what might have been simply and
cheapiy done ut one time will finally,
when an Ovcrbearng necessity demands It,
be accomplished only at great inconvenience and
| expense. The drainage Of the city Ii another sub
| )ect that ought to receive. perhaps just much
consideration, 1t affects both the daily comfort
and the physical health OF the people, Everybody
knows that New York Is Ill drained, and that every
tide that rises penerstes the land on which The cY
Is built through irregular channels that were never
| properly filed up. Then, again. the question OF
urh nd auh m nu1mu n tim me-
up, and certainly commands as much interest
as any subject Of local character II would hardly
be an exaggerati0n to say that quick travel from one
end OF the city to the ether would. on the score OF
Importance, receive ten times a. many votes from
our citizens either OF the other questions concern
| ing improved drainage aud dock accommodation.
effort to accomplish all three reforms Oi course
any period before THIS would have been still better,
wonderful future which this city tending and OF
the imperative necessity to make provision for the
vast wants 1t viii ultimately demand, It Is folly To
postpone improvements that time Will inevitably
force at enormous, but inevitable, sacrilice.
Every year adds Its millions OF increase to the bust.
ness OF New York merchants. New palaces OF
hand, and 80 Ii will 60 on. Capital Will
continue to seek here an nyestmen: and
find city rivaliing in population, Opuience and
splend0r any city Of ancient or modern tunes. II
there are those who doubt It, let them look back at
the progress of the city for the last forty years. In
1926 the number OF inhabitants was 10000 and the
estimated Value Oh tdXaOe properly IN
1856 the number OF inhabitants Was 100000, and the
value OF taxable property was $500 100000 In this
year OF grace the census would give US over
million Of Inhabitants and OF to xable property over
thousand millions Of dollars. Where will we be thirty
years hence?
General Egbert l.. Vele the engineer Of the Park,
who has gwen twenty years OF his LIE to the study
OF the topography. NEUROLOGY, geology and general
conformation and Improvement OF Manhattan
Island has also turned his attention to the work OF
recOnstructng the shore front of the CITY, OF making
or business portion of New York aud It's suburbs,
and of perectlDg the drainage OF the SOIL The Park
the and lasting that RrCcams his
suggestions IN reference to the remOdellinR Of our
dapidated dock system carry weight of no Ordl-
nary character. At the instance of Mr.. Joseph w.
Duryee General Viele prepared q plan upon which
all the piers IN both rivers should be modelled.
The pier piles should consist OF cylindrical columns
of cast iron, three feet diameter in the clear,
and one and half inches IN thickness. In sections OF
nine Ieet in length provided with flames on
the desired length is obtained The lower cylinders
to about quarter OF an inch In thickness and are
to be driven by the pneumatic process until they
head OF the column il IN the same horizontal plane.
The longitudinal distance between the piles
anse s Orders on oed on
end iongtudlnally firmly secured and bolted,
the full extent OF the pier. Brick arches OF hard
burned bricks should be turned between the grders,
laid in hydraulic cement and covered with asphal.
tum, upon which shall be laid eighteen inches Of
clean. sharp sand to receive the pavement OF con-
crete or stone. The piles should be carefully and
thoroughly filled with concrete or betOn OF
best hydraulic cement al, and broken stone
twO-inch ring. Between the piles should be
constructed a framework OF diagonal and horizontal
bra cling, composed OF oak timbers twelve inches by
with two inch oak planking bevelled and secured
to the backing piece, which should be OF oak not
sS h and Ue
If all the piers were thus constructed New York
might be pronounced the finest port In the world for
tine accommodation OF vessels In loading and un.
loading. Liverpool, In this regard, would not be
quite 80 convenient. the time consumed ana the
basins by a large merchant vessel being one draw.
back and the frequent difficulty of finding o place
close BY the pier TO discharge cargo being another.
Had Baron Haussmann, the magician OF Paris. the
means and the absolute power to reconstruct our
river front he would give US grand boulevard al.
piers projecting therefrOm, abundance OF room for
wagons and passenger cars In the middle OF the
street and broad: ample pavement where the thou
who are compelled to live In the hot air Of illy-ven.
tared tenement houses. Wecan only dream OF such
. happy consummation now; yet not far distant in
the coming years IL IL possible such a result may be
accomplished. The Park came into existence from
more unlikely materials:
This ia the eager desire OF the New York mind, in
creasing In Intensity from year to year. The under
suggested as the only possible relief that
can be Afforded to our overcrowded thoroughfares;
hut there IL wide difference OF opinion
as to its being the best and only means of securing
the desired end. Some time ago the merits OF the
tunnel and the arcade railways underwent long
and critical discussion in the press The latter cap
peared to be the best suggestion ever offered
for relieving Broadway and afrording rapid
transit to travellers. But the fierce Opposi-
ton shown to It by property holders on
the great thOroughfare caused II to be abandoned,
and nothing has been heard OF 1t since. The tunnel
road would require almost as long to complete. II
started from the Battery grade AZ that OF
Mont Gents. and the expense would be something
fabulous. General Vfee made report on both roads,
the tunnel and the arcade. giving the palm to the lat
ter, infinitely the easiest, least expensive and OF
more annie accommodation. The fulurp M tho Ona