Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-11
WIDENING AND EXTENSION OF
BROAD STREET.
A Central Public Thoroughrare.

parent il and about our city during the
| spring and summer seasons, is the fact
that We have no public park or pleasure
| grounds, where people can go and vile
away their leisure hours in calm and tran
| gull associations and conversings. This
want IS sadly felt, and as the spring season
| is opening upon us, we have thought
| proper TO advert to it in general terms.
There is no city within our knowledge of
the same size aud growing importance of
Nashville, especially if it be the Capital of
State, where no such grounds for recrea-
tine and pleasurable proposes exist.
| Again, while our streets are in the main
beautiful and adorned with stately resi-
licences, and yards and trees and decora-
| tons, we have no handsome thoroughfare
| for rides and drives. These considerations
are inlpressing themselves foroibly upon
the minds of leading citizens as well as
corporations, and propositions are pending
| and being earnestly canvassed to supply
| these wants. Ose of these propositions,
| which it is contemplated to carry out as
early as practicable, we shall refer to as
seemingly the most feasible, invoIy-
ing the least time and cost and
| redourding TO the greatest amount
| VI OC-ACAbo " tAkO Ia E5CG5 a0l1AyOA VI DcE-
| sons, which should be the aims and objects
of all improvements. II is contemplated,
| and really the initiatory steps have al eady
been suggested for early action, that Broad
| street be improved and beautified from
end to end as the driving and riding street
Of the city. By doing this, we would have
wide and spacious central thoroughfare
running centrally through the city from
east to west, and from the river to the
suburbs. The commercial and business
importance, as well as its width and cen
tral coarse, eminently point to Broad as
our future Broadway. This street is also as
Stunning much prominence and importance
from other considerations. The grand Ex-
position building is being erected on this
street, and the proposed new customhouse
is to be located upon it. The improve
ment cOntemplates not only the decoration
and adornment of Broad street proper
from tie river to its present terminus.
West avenue, which commences at the ter
minus nearly opposite the penitentisry, is
proposed to be widened to the same width
OF Broad, making it one continuous broad
street, or drive eighty feet wide, in a d.
rect line from the river to the Fair
Grounds, a distance of two miles With
such en- improvement as this contemplated,
no city could boast of q finer street and
drive than this will be. The street rail
road cars already run to West Avenae,
opposite the Penitentiary, and it is con-
templated to have them running to the
Fair Grounds by the ensuing Fall Fair.
The " deniDg and extension of West Ave
nue. making it continuance of Broad,
gives the desired thoToughfare and drive
through the center of the city to the
suburbs and to the Fair Grounds When
widened and extended, it is proposed to
adorn the extension now known as West
Avenue, with trees, shrubbery, ETC., and
elegant suburban houses, residences and
villas, are bound to spring up on either
side along its entire length. Those whose
energy and public spirit have induced
the consideration of these improvements,
contemplate paying owners of property
living on the avenue, whatever losses may
properly accrue from the widening process.
1t is generally conceded, however, that the
losses sustained by Individual property
holders would be more than compensated
for by the enhanced value of property
along the extension, by the contemplated
improvement. This extension would make
a wide thoroughfare in a straight line,
from the river, interesting the Richland
turnpike at the Fair Grounds. We know
of no improvement of the kind that
would go SO far to the identifying
of our city, and eonfers more
benefits and conveniences. We are glad
to say that it is receiving that earnest at
tention and action from the night sources
that foreshadows its ultimate completion.
In NTH fbiC nj
enterprise, the managers and directors of
the Fair Grounds propose, during the
spring. summer and autumn, converting
their beautiful and capacious grounds
into a pleasure park free to all, for riding,
driving and lounging in the shades, or
spending the hours as they think fit in re-
creative and pleasant enjoyments. With
Broad street widened and beautifed from
tho river to the Fair Grounds, line of
street railroad running direct to the same,
AID the grounds themselves converted into
a pleasure park, our facilities for exhilara-
ting, healthful and enobling enjoyments,
would bs immeasurably enhanced Of the
beautiful and admirably located Fair
Grounds, which are being improved and
adorned from year to year, it is scarcely
necessary to speak. Their site and adap-
taDlllJy 10 Iu5 purposes OF d puDlIc ana
pleasure park are well known and fully
understood. Their location is admirable,
being level and elevated, at once overlook
ing broad stretch of surrounding coun-
try. typographical survey of the grounds
shows that the spot upon which the am
phitheatre is situated is about on level
with the base of the Capitol. There are,
during the summer months and the hot
test days, pleasant breezes and pure air
tanning this plateau and elevation. In
addition to these considerations, it is on
the line of one of our railways running two
or three daily trains to and by it. These
improvements, we assure our friends, are
seriously contemplated, and without the
intervention of atpresent unforeseen causes,
they will no doebt be fully carrie out at
no distant day.