The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-11

Proposed Street OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
What shall we do with our streets Gin order
that the demand of transit for traffic be fully
answered." This is the point of perhaps the
widest and most enduring interest of the many
the Mayor handles In his recent message. Mr..
Hall makes, looking to this end, some PROPOSE
hons that will be accepted by all as giving
great assistance in the public necessity with
little change and small outlay; and he makes
others that, because they are revolutionary and
almost iconoclastic, and because they seem to
threaten very great burden of expense, will
meet with strenuous opposition. His PROPOSE
ton in regard to Broadway is Of this latter
class. For man to at once propose the
abolition of Broadway as we at present know
It. and the construction of Broadway entirely
new and strange to us, naturally startles all
conservative propriety, and In some
dear old conservatives it awakens emo
tions so deep that they have hardly
breath left to gasp out few expressions of
amazement. Mr.. Hall would give the whole
of the present sidewalk of Broadway on both
sides from Fourteenth street to the Battery to
the carriage way, thus very efectually 're-
lieyinp" that thoroughfare Of its chronic jam.
But where then would the pedestrians travel?
He would make new sidewalks" at the ex-
pense of the first stories of the houses, cut
ting away 80 much of the fronts of the stores
as might be necessary for the purpose, and
supporting the front walls of the buildings
above on iron pillars. Thus the footway
would be continuous arcade on either side
the whole length of the street, such as there
is at some points on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris.
We believe an Improvement might be made on
this Improvement, and one that would COM
mend It more to the public fancy, and this
would be, taking the necessary width not only
from the first story of houses, but from the first
and second stories together. By this means
the valuable shops of the first story would
not be made the gloomy little traps
that they otherwise necessarily must be,
aud the pillars to sustain the upper wall,
rising to such height, would give opportunity
for an architectural design that, taking the
whole street together, would have fine effect.
Mr.. Hall calls the attention Of the Common
Council TO the fact that as this is all below
Fourteenth street Albany legislation is moi
necessary to carry Il out but that 1t can be
done at the will Of the city authorities. Now,
the speculative eye will at once take In the
possible proportions Of the job that might be
constructed on this basis, and whoever knows
the proclivity Of our Aldermen for jobbery will
understand that they only need the hint the
Mayor has given TO proceed at once to thu
distribution of the spoils to be dug out Of all
those Broadway store fronts. II Is our opinion
that matter of 90 much moment TO the city
should have more deliberaton than the City
Fathers are likely TO give II, and should b.
submitted 70 the people for direct vot'
whether they viii have this change or not
The Chicago Times says "Grant Is going IA
watering place, and adds, ''If be viii onl.
stick 10 the water part Of II he will do well.
The editor who would make an aspersion like
this upon the chief Of the nation deserve
Immersion In Ice water himself.
HEARD FRox.-There are, then, q grea
many men In Ireland who are very well salts
ned with her present position, and do not wan
10 be amcliorated or improved or anything
else by the dlsestablishment Of the Iris
Church. Where have these people bee
Through ell the storm Of clamor against tb
English opprcssion3