The New York herald., 1870-07-24
What Has Been, What Is Doing
and What Should Be DOn7,
Shall New York City Remain
Ugly Forever

The rpblic parks and places Of Hew York city
ntuated below Fifty-nnth street have been In q
wretched condition for many years. They have been
signboards Of the corporations disgrace and gar-
ing evidences Of its oflcal imbecility. Year after
year the HERALD has undertaken the task OF point.
Ing out the neglect into which these public breath
ing places have fallen and has uttered many timely
warnings to those who are supposed to have been
identified with their Improvement. ~. yss
But the public has waited In vain to see even
pretence OF activity on the part of the city author
ties until the recent municipal reorganization, by
which the new Department OF Public Parks was In
vested with their control and management
Now, 1t seems, we are to have some rad-
Cal Innovations, which will place these
squares and open places fmmeasurably ahead Of
OF the kind which have taken place
ON the island since public of1cias have gained the
tiistinction earned by the higher grade OF inmates
popusting the heavy granite structures Of Sing Sing
and Auburn. It Is proposed render the city parks
slightly ana beautiful. ~4 7Hs
Is not hard to conjecture the original purpose Of
EARLY FOUNDERS OF TIE CITY, sa sa,
who, probably unaware Of the future grandeur OF
New York as O vast centre Of population, laid out
these parks-the Battery, Bowling Green. St. Johns
square and others-for what they considered the
ample requirements OF the islands maximum num-
ber of inhabitants. Those men who were engaged
In laying out the city below st. Marks place,
It VIII be perceived by the irregularity
tf the streets and buildings had Little conception OF
the New York OF 1870. There Is now no doubt that
our revered forefathers whose foresight we wont
upon all occasions to extol, In this particular com
mltted o very serious blunder.
81. BELOW EIGHTH STREET
the city has no symmetry; the outlet OF thorough
fare discharges at the cogged entrance OF another;
the pavements are too narrow; the sewerage IL bad
and detective; the water supply Is, In numerous
cases, Inadequate and the whole construction upon
the surface of the territory looks If the names
and dimensions OF lot OF streets we're tarowu Into
revolving wheel ond the positions chosen by lot.
There is -
NO GENERAL GRAND UNITY OF PLAN
On the face OF the city and below the point named
NewY ork resembles cast of and patched pair OF
pantaloons. with Broadway separating the two legs
There ia no IT. The public squares are the patches
Taking glance at the topography OF Paris, what
different view we obtan This ancient city, dating
back hundreds OF years. and over three times as old
as New York, was built at a time when ideas OF
symmetry were totally unknown. Yet at this
hour Paris is the most. gorgeous city in the world
by FAR the most dazzling capital in Europe, and
most OF the attractions making 1t such have been
introduced by the present Emperor, Napoleon Ill.
The old part OF the city one can see at
the present day, with its cramped and
narrow streets and close, ugly tenemenis This de.
formty was transformed by intcrsecfing the capital
with grand boulevards, lining them with gorgeous
shrnbbery, and rendering all the surroundings
marvels Of beauty and taste.
IMMENSE SQUARES
were placed at convenient distances, and these
squares ore to-day centres Of different Kinds Of
business Architecture has been made a feature Of
all public decoration, and establishment has pro.
Ceeded without consultation with the most eminent
designers and workmen In the world Money 1t may
be said has been spared; and yet 1t has not been
spent In corupt bargains or wasted in loathsome
Jobs The only man connected with the embelllsh-
ment OF Paris who has been charged with pecu-
iation Is Baron Haussmann, and even he must have
stolen very small margins. 19t
From all this wonderful beauty the visitor turns
to consider the nasty and forbiddng socalled en-
beIllshments OF New York. and we are reminded
that there is but one great work in which this city
bears of the palm s. sH s a.D,t
TIE CENTRAL PARK
BY Integrity In administration. and tireless, ener
retio and intelligent discharge Of duties with a
and fearless Andrew ii. Green. mas ten years sue
ceeded In giving us one redeemiDg WORK OF art on o
grand scale. c
there are the same features which characterize
Paris In parks and public places. Though by no
ls, yet London could give New York as much terri
tory as we now possess for public squares and still
parks, terraces monument squares and grand open
places give TO London most OF the beauty it pos
sesses. Without them none OF her architectural
beauties could be enjoyed. The houses OF Para.
ment Westminster Abbey, the Post ONCE, St. Mar
tins Le Grand and st. Paul,s would be hIoden from
their lofty heights. This lack of unoccupied space
alone In New YORK Is constantly retarding any al.
vance In architecture. Though hundreds desire at
the present moment to erect handsome and inpos.
ing edlaces there are no available situations where
o building can display anything besides marble
Had those same forefathers devised and purchased
large tracts Of land fifty years ago we might now
have no public parks to complain OF but in
ONE OF THE FINEST CITIES IN THE WORLD.
There Is no reason why this should not be So
none whatever. We have dne marbles splendid
granite slate, Iron forms, new Ideas and good
architects
i does MT How seem that i Is too late se repair
alI remedial measures must De attended by large
outlays =
It - agreed on all sides that the streets below st.
MARKS place are In need OF
Many measures have been proposed and some
adopted By the authorities oy which - streets have
ts now going on.
Every one knows the vast carriage and truck busl-
ness done In this city ana how year by year, 1t is
rapidly increasing. 1tmust therefore be seen that
street openings and extensions have but Just begun
NOW, instead OF annihilating splendid structures
and cutting through valuable properties why cannot
we nave public square, that Will cost no more than
the S extension improvements, and which would yet
pe tne outiet TOT twelve or sixteen th0rOughfare5f
People might Aay this would destroy BUSINESS cen.
tres. But
BUSINESS CENTRES
are constantly moving; they are constantly going
up town; they nrc never settled Some kinds OF
business, OF c0nrse can never migrate from tho
river fronts. This keeps those localities hrn, al
well as tie heavier kinds Of importing houses, But