The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-14

Ior many years. Ihe Importance of making these
cation from one 500 OF TIE city TO another caQnot
De overestinlllen but IL l. also quite a. Important
that lney shst DC 80 paved as NOT 10 be an objcc-
tiQuaDS 1sastue 10 the PARK. stone pavement
w necessarily make them noisy and a4tr ict atton-
ton - lhem rom .e sols IN the Park; .hlS sdould
be AVOIDED y possible. AZ an carry cav. however,
method Will be determined upon and the work con.
pleted by autumn.
Tue WALL AROUND THE PARK
THIS department does not concur in the design OF
placing SOLID wal around the PARK, deemlng 10 an
obstruction OF the view rom the EXTERIOR Yet the
plan adopted Tor tnis WORK had been carried out at
80 many different points upon tue Park tuat there
was no choice but 70 continue It's construction. A
more serious Objection 10 il, however Is It's great
cost. lie iouhdation OF u, BEGINNING eight iees
below The surface Of the sidewalk ana extending
four feel above consisting OF heavy bea Of masonry
supporting superstrnct,,rc OF cut stone Is obyl.
ously not economy. 1t must now be continued Gu
tirely around the Park. This department has
adopted different stone for the superstfucture from
that heretofore iai1, substituting ONO Tor the Nova
Scotia " Dorchester stone; the latter FAR infer or
To the former, although the OHIO stone has been
lad at about the same price.
SEWAGE FOR THE FILTH FROM THE ROADS.
great error was made IN the construction OF the
Park. IN not proyldinga proper sewage FOR me 1th
from the roads, mcnagere buildings, urlnals and
various cottages In The Park. Duriug the past sum
mer the results nom this defect were especially ap
parent. The lakes OF the Park were supplied only
by surface drainage, aud had conveyed To them,
through the means of drains, all the filth upon tile
PARK. As consequence OF this system the lakes
offensive. Complaints had been made of lhIs, but
there were no means of remedying the diilculty.
The CrOton Reservoir could AFFORD M no aid, as All
the supply III that direction was needed for cty use
The lake al Fnty.nnth street was the receptacle Tor
the nth OF all the ANIMALS III the Park the large lake
the receptacle Tor all the principal urnals cottages
and roads 81 the Park. The upper lakes drained tie
section OF the city west OF the Park including the lager
beer brewerieS and factories located at that point.
In ordinary seasons, with the usual ram fall this re-
fuse matter would, 10 great extent, he carried OF
by the drains attached 10 each OF the lakes bat dur
m !. ~ u
the past summer, the lakes seldom rose TO the
height OF the drains and all that came iuto them
had to be evaporated IN the ordinary way. Ii now
involves great expenditure TO overcome these de-
feCts. AT the time when the Park was constructed
around 1t to carry of the surface water ana then the
Park lakes had the advantage OF draining this sur
face water, and were always well dicd and the
wasted water that came from them was sufficient
AT all times to Keep what remained III reasonably
pure state. Not so, however, The present time.
Sewers have been rapidly built In the streets
drainage from them ana leave only supply TO
these lakes from the water fall OF the PARK. The
overflow from the Cr0ton has never been
of any account and never VIII be IN all probability.
supply OF water Tor TIE lakes must be provided
otherwise. Whether this shall be done Ivy drawing
toward them the water from the river, or by erect
Ing steam engines and drawing of the water at one
end and forcing 1t through AT another so as to pro-
duce a circulation IS Il question TO be determined
The water Of the upper lakes has always been i'll
condition quite objectionable. At present there IL
lust enough oil II Tor the purposes Of cascade and for
beauty but II has never been of quality tnat ash
could live iri one OF the lakes has been drained
ana cleaned. The same course would have been
pursued with the others had time permitted. 1t IL
true that tins defect has, as may be "a Il, some ad-
vantages. vast amount OF muck ~ gained hy
cleaning the lakes, when can DC applied upon the
lawns.
SEWER FROM THE MESAGgRrE AND MUSEUM BUILD
INGs.
Workmen OF this department are now construct
ing a sewer from the Menagerie and Museum build
lngs directly To The sewer al Filty-nnh street. This
Is requisite because OF the height OF the Fflh
sewer ul,Olutnn, WHICH Is above the level Dl the
grounds necessary TO ne drained. system OF
AGE throughout the entire Park WIN be under
taken, by means OF which The lakes wi he freed
from all impurities aud carry on from the Park To
the sewers the offensive matter winch properly be-
longs to them.
TUE HARLEM RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
The Harlem river improvement mao not. appa-
renuy, been considered oS tue late PARK Commas
sioners; nj least no evidences VI their having consid
cred IL can be found within the department. This
subject mas been entered upon bS the appointment
OF DIVISION engineer under tue control OF tue Chiet
OF the Cvl and Typographical Engineering Rnreau
ana In connection with the tunnels ard bridges TO
be built over and under nar river. 1he whole mat.
ter ~ now receiving proper consideration.
THE SIDEWALKS OF TIE PARK on THE fIrTu AVENUE.
The Sidewalks Of the Park ON tie FUN avenue
seemed an important portion OF The Il ouDd TO be I'M
proved and adapted TO pubic use. Thev had oceu
allowed 70 fenia N W.. STATE lhey yere ley irom
the neginning, except that fulisi. Stone and 6iSf
similar matter had collected upon them to an ey
tent which rendered tnem impossible. All asphalt
pavement has been laid along me enure width: two
rows ot trees throughout the length. as FAR rs the
walks were capanlc OF Deing so prepared have been
planted, and before the close or last autumn tins
sidewalk was compicted IN the same Kramer as the
Park paths dij % Seve3l y.ninth street MOI only
have trees been planted Oh the yak: bnt around
each an elegant aud strong wrought iron guard has
been placed. prepared from designs and under Ill
rectIou OF the department, so That TINS portion OF
the work presents finished appearance. THIS walk
will be continued with similar treatment as fast
the wall OF the Park shall be constructed. as II Is
found that the pGDllc enjoyment OF TINS particular
Improvement Is quite equal TO that oi any poraon OF
the Park.
FirTY-NINTH STREET.
Fftyninh street, adjacent To the Park, was IN
very Imperfect condition., only partly paved anu al.
together presented i very unpleasant spectacle IN
connection with the beautiful grounds adjacent.
The square at Firth avenue ana Fftynlntn street was
in similar condition, and. Inueed. respect to this
II Is not ut all surprising that there should nave been
hesitation In its Improvement. Why TINS square was
ever laid out m one has been able 10 determine.
or what specal use 1t is 10 the ark Is beyond COM
prehension.
If width OF entrance was needed It could have been
easily obtained WITHIN the Park or by truncating
the point Of entrance But to take square OF ground
for TINS purpose at cost OF half million vi dollars
without any benefit, seems quite incompreliensiplc
1t Is now, however, proposed TO improve 1t by piae
Ing upon II fountain, surrounded by plaza planted
,on for e those s' VINO desire /" ENJOY II. All
the possible advantages OF TINS open space could
have been mad without any expense additional 10 the
voted to the plaza has been converted from damp
muddy spot into Il roadway similar to that OF the
Park Itself; II mas been adapted 10 The grade OF the
roadway adjacent, BY reiaying the pavement OF
Fifth avenue ana fiity-ninh street ana paving and
epaving the latter street until al the entrance o
the PARK, Notwithstanding the rail- tracks the road
ways III this point are all thai can he desIted.
THE EIGHTH AVENUE CIRCLE.
The Eighth Avenue circle. adjacent To the Park,
seemed 10 have been abandoned. The track Of the
Eighth Avenue Railroad, which bisected the circle
was removed thioagI arrangements made by thls
department The central portion OF the circle was
finished ami the entire roadway completed upon the
same plan as the Boulevard, To which II IL the OPEN
Ing entrance. This circle has been suggested as q
proper place for the monument authorized bv tho
Legislature Two years ago 10 be erected IN honor Of
the memory OF the soldiers and sailors al our couil-
try during the last war. II is proper place Tor
such monument ana the question Is now under
consideration. Sew era plans have been perfected
for structure or the character desired and at an
early day such a monument VIII he erected.
CONFINED CHARACTER or THE DRIVES, AND ROAD
WIDENING,
Numerous complaints were made respecting the
narrow roadw8ys OF the Park, particularly Al the
nOrtnery emf ana east Oh the great Croon reservoir
and Of tue abrupt turns, that had caused many
casualties. II was apparent to any VISITOR OF the
PARK that the roads upon the easterly side should
have been originally formed eight or ten eet wider,
or even OF the width OF roads upon The westerly
side. Thus department has therefore elected u
widening Of the roadway and remedy for tho