New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-15
IMPROVEMENTS FOE HARLEM RIVER.
NAVIGATION AND BRIDGES COMMUNICATION
FROM MR. A. II. GREEN TO THE CENTRAL
PARK NnM,vScTONFRS,

NAVIGATION AND BRIDGES - COMMUNICATION
FROM MR. A. H. GREEN TO THE CENTRAL
PARK COMMISSIONERS
The Hon. Andrew H. Green, Controller OF the
Park has addressed very interesting ana suggestive
communication TO the Board OF Commissioners OF the
CeitraI Park upon tho subject Of Improvements across
Harlem River connecting New-York with Westchester
In carrying ont the plans for the Improvement OF the
northern end OF The island the Conroer REGARDS carry
attention to Of communication across the river OF
the greatest Importance. He says The lower part OF
the County of wesehester lies a1acens 10 LS oy %,
NewYork and is separated by river or wlth chsiy
bridged tunneed II IL so intimately connectud WIN
and dependent upon the City of Newlork tat UNITY vi
plan for on both sides OF the river Is essen
tia not only for the convenience OF the Ve
Ia order that the expensive processes OF changing inc
plan OF the coming city after 1t Is Dult UP may DO
avoided -...,.,
across the Harlem River but cheap ana poor anais
with tApacity for travel that Is much less lna lt
of the roads leading them TO OCCASION particularly
t those with swings or draws, interruptions ana delays
to travel that will soon become very serious NY
opment of both counties will be much advanced by pro-
vdng means OF crossing OF the river at the ends
of most OF the leading avenues OF Newferk terminating
Bnt little more than decade has passed since the
only roads from NewYork City, into and through West
and the Albany turnpike After speaking OF the grow
ing Importance OF improved methods OF c9hnuieaoon
guide by such foresight can BIO commended he pro
gress OF improvements In Westchester IN conjunction
with those OF this city, for tho best ultimate interests Vi
several villages Ihave within the last years, been
projected Westcheser by the owners OF farms, whch
already embarrass ts question or future improvements
and unless the difficulties are soon met by the adoption
of general plan these elnbarrassments WIN a!s 50 IN
creased and become 80 fixed upon the ground that no
generation will be found bold enough to grapPe Win
aud remedy them" The writer refers to dieues ans
ing from of foresight IN this respect IN the mere
rogenoous imprevements OF ndlyduas lnae III io y,
1907 when the plan Of the city WAS adopted III proper
fhe banks OF the Harlem River and spuyten Duyvil
Creek the future Will witness similar or even
greater difficulties. IL needs no distant look h.S
Which Will ply these streams 10 supply the busy aud
thriving population on both banks AT present .sso
while In some parts they are obStr1ced ~ nna p Y
but one river" says writer or rather they are an
estuary connecting the tide waters Of ne last K nnd
can only be properly considered In connec-
ton with those waters they connect Iinat "a, AS
the advantage Of the Thames the far less lnconven
ience arising from the rise and fall OF the tides which
i'm the Thames sometimes equal to q feet oceasionng
great expense in tho construction OF stOrehOuses and In
handling goods to be loaded and gnoaded Inc TIDES on
also the advantage OF the Seine, In not being 80 muCh
"At small cost-n comparison with the accrung ben
eta channel he made from the North RIVER TO Long
Island sound through the Harlem River, with greater
depth OF wafer than the North River affords NJ some
points between this city and Albany and win width SUI
hclent for all practical purposes.
zone OF The advantage 20 be derived would he short
ening the between the waters OF the North RIVER
and those Sound by 20 mes, aud would be safer
than the crowded waters around tho Battery
'As.eary the year lC0 the waters OF the Harlem and
Was on record that the first bridge erected BY Frederic
Phillips was draw bridge; Since then artificial im
proveInents the banks had narrowed tho stream and
various bridges had been thrown across H. oDsructng
navigation 10 was at one tme Threatened with most i
formidable ObstructiOn-the CrOOn Aqueduct-Dut THIS
resisted by the citizens OF Westchester ana OF
NewYork ard the legislature Nm Ii'ea tne To
problem solved for all time, how 10 secure
tho accommodation, by the most improved methods,
travel across the river and navigation OF the river so as
conflict with each other" Having spoken OK the
navigation AZ the river Mr. Green takes the subject or
the methods OF crossing the Thames aud the Seine both
by bridges and tunnels, and shows that
IN London there bridges across the Thames
within the space OF three miles, ana thfee Tor raroH
and besides these bridges that stream was crossed by
the tunnel In Paris the crossed by 20 bridges
whenever the population OF New ork ana mesenes.
OF the Harlem River and Spuytcu Duyyll Creek which
London has the Thames or Paris on the seine tho
canal 10 that Afforded the Thames and the Seine.
Tie average distance betwren the bridges In London
400 feet, and that M Paris 800 feet"
AZ to tho method Of carrying out these plans OF
improyement tthc Controller thinks competent body
might be constituted win all needin powers Tor the
purpose without territorial consolidation ana without
rnislng those purely political considerations which
which might be delayed until the necessity of territorial
annexation demanded immediate attention Heretofore
when measure has involved the interests Of both cOun
had been usual To compose body OF citzens from
both. for it, execution Perhaps this plan would be tue
Admitted us an examination OF the subject has con
WINGED mo was my duty, tho practical question
relative 20 the ntercommulcatlon between inc hotth-
ern part Of the isaudwhlch Is now being laid out for
future citywlh that 10 which is TIED ny indssOuD!e
connections, with views on cOgnate subjects, that
naturally arise IN the discussion. leave the same. with
confidence To be disposed ~ the Board deem
Iudou. for tho present and future interests Of the great
community for whose benefit IL has been invested with
powers more extensive and responsible than are often
committed TO any body OF citizens"
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