The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-01
IMPROVING NEW YORK.
Repaving the Streets OF the Cty-The
Belgian, Nicolson and Concrete Pave
ments-The Cobble Stones TO Dlsap-
pear-Madlson Square and City Hall
Park. fth and Sixth Avenues.

CITY, In fact, the metropolis OF the country IL ~ so
pre-emlnenty In point OF the industrial enterprise
and activity OF its people Hardly anything has
been left unlone that private enterprise could do TO
enhance the citys prosperity and It's metropolitan
Importance. and to send stiIl further abroad ITS
already wide reaching influence. In the banks are
centred the monetary interests OF the whole nation
from the Aroostook the Colorado, from the Green
Mountains of Vermont to the LIanos Estacados OF
Texas. It's railroad connections, a thousand iold
more potent than were the arms OF Briareus. gird
the Continent and hold the wealth OF forty millions
OF people in their grasp, making IL tributary to this
mighty centre as the aud arteries OF the human
body are tributary to the heart giving and recesing
each in turn. In point OF architectural establishment
New York. In spite OF its youth as the metropolis OF
America, has achieved almost wonders. In every
other respect wherever and whenever 1t depended
on private enterprise to advance the cys greatness
in all that nowadays pertains to the greatness OF
community 1t never failed and when not at once and
spontaneously coming forn 10 put out It's force for
the end desired 1t was never appealed to In vain by
the sagacous and far-sseing There are only two
cities in the civilized world that exceed New ork IN
population-London and Paris-yet 1t Is as large now
as Paris in 1865 and as London was in 1861 and
either In wealth or in public spirit 1t Is not behind
these two cities; but it IS behind them, says the
writer of pamphlet lately distributed privately
great city and in applying Its best ability 10 the
execution Of such plaD These cities owe much OF
their grandeur to government expen dture New
York can show proportlonately more as the result
OF private and individual expenditure than either OF
them; and there Is no reason, save our own lndii-
ference why the future OF New York, so soon to sur
pass them In population, should be III any respect
INFERIOR TO thenl.n
This Is true and corroboratcs the views long ago
expressed by many judges. If New York OF the
present day does not excel both Paris and London
in oil that contributes TO make great aud grand
CITY, 1t is not the fault OF private iberaity and ndi-
vdual mun1cence, but rather That or the slowness,
| though 1t cannot be said lukewarmness OF our
municipal authorities. IL is conceded by all who
have visited Paris within late years ana have had
opportunities to compare that city with Other great
and prominent cities on the Continent or the
British isles that besides the fact of Its being city
| and the residence OF an imperial court and filled
with daily humdrum OF busy, flying thousands, there
| is comparison to be made. In architectural
beauty, In regularity OF street arrangements, In per-
lection OF sewerage, in fact in everything that may
be combined to make life IN such human beehive
not only enduraole but pleasant, comfortable
and even luxurious, Paris Is as much above
-. ale palace on Fifth avenue Is above the
coa ,2led residences in Bond street Paris
/ beautiful the best arranged city rsthe world But,
| then, Paris was under the rule of one MAJ clothed
with unnite power. VINO had but to ware his
| magic wand to bring to his service untold funds,
| thousands OF busy hands, to make huts vanish and
palaces in their places to order dingy. dark,
dirty lanes to disappear ana broad beautiful enues
stretch wide and airy, In their ROOM This was, as
| OF government expenditures. 1t was the result OF
| the competence OF the one man power, which knew
no delay, which mad no circumlocution Office TO con-
| tend WITH which was not opposed In It's march by
the suspicious OF jealous people, nor hindered by
the envy or political bias Of prendiced commits
AS said above what New York has done it did by
private enterprise and individual expenditures what
II has NOT done falls to the share OF The authorities
But then there was not here the one man power.n
Nor would the spirit OF the institutions or the spirit
an instant. Everything for the people by the
people is the governing motto OF the republic and
1t ia sary to consider conflicting interests and
to be Just and fair to all instead of REFRESHING them
OF action, that rapldty OF execution peculiar
the despotlc rule OF the lone man power can never
| be had. Large bodies move slowly" and espe-
cally when all integral parts of such large bodies
have to be consulted upon each proposed forward
| movement and the consent obtained Of at least a
majority OF them. 1t but often happens the Old
| proyerD turns out true, that too many COOKS
OF government here, and cannot be complained or
for 1t is no evn in the long run. Tue second
sober thought' regulates matters IN the end,
| and there is greater pride In great people
| themselves compromising the necessity OF grand
improvements and taxing themselves with their
| own consent for their accomplishment than If
| they were commanded as par Ortre de muJtt, like
| 80 many dumb serfs to do what the power above
| them Wills. II was tersely and expresslvey said by
| Mayor Hall, in his first message to the Common
| Council that in this country every great scheme
goes through three pnases-the phase OF talking and
writing about it. the phase Of quarelng about means
In regard to no other subject has this been wildly
verified as IN the matter OF the
! IMPROVEMENT OF THE STREETS
Indeed, every one recognized the fact that the
streets OF New York, up TO within few years. with
out exception, were In most horrid condition.. Go
where you VIII in England or on. the. Con-
| the origin OF which dates back to the first
| centuries of the Christian era, and where the
| sloth and imperturbabllity OF tho Inhabitants
| rested satded to live their grandfathers lived
before them, and the narrow and crooked streets,
over the rough and broken cobbles OF which ''soli
| tary horseman' or slow coach occasionally tum-
bed Its way along, could be found In no worse
dtion, II not IN far better repair than majority Of
bystreets and lanes, OF the great city or New York.
II was tile common remark OF all travellers visiting
New York from abroad that such state OF the
streets as they found here would not be tolerated
for day In any provincial town III Europe. And
the remark was true, and is partially even 50 at this
day. That this Is the opinion OF all wclinlormed
persons Is shown by the following extract RON
report made to Mayor Hall by o gentleman OF this
city upon the subject
The general condition of the street OF this city
Europe that have fallen a under 6savan % In
the hst place. from the inefficient manner in which they
their repair. lastly from he abeaco q syse% The
sausny Disturbed lay from Se %aat or Of ths,
accord in the two operations which would REQUIRE the
impact Of vehicles requires them not only to be LAID IN
the best manner, but that the integrity OF their condition
should be maintained for long the surface ia in line II
receives but the srcs OF tho weight Of vehicle added
the impact due to the Irregularities In the material Of the
pavement but when the surface presents Irregularities of
conformation, upon irregular subdenco
the depressed surface receives only the weight OF veh
Gle but the impact due its weight and
queny becomes less and less able this
deresons increase in depth, from the increase in the
impact.
THE CAUsR
OF this lies, undoubtedly and principally, in the dis
jolnted character OF tho city government IL would
lead too far to enter into history OF what has
produced this radically wrong system OF municipal
organization-this co-ord nation of 80 many indie
pendent departments, each acting separately
through Its own agents, according TO It's own WILL
regardless OF the intentions and purposes OF any
other. But that 1t is Is patent and also that il
has largely contributed to the deporable condition
OF the streets throughout the city, striking exam.
pie OF this and OF how this has worked In individual
inata Ia nN In no al4ar tan