The New York herald., 1871-12-01


avenue, the opening and improv sment Of
some other avenue, the widening Of streets,
the adornment Of certain squares, the pre-
paration for q new system of docks, the Brook
lyn Bridge and some other lesser works.
With all the robbery and rascality the Tam
many Ring was guilty of, the credit Of having
started great improvements must be given to
it. Doubtless the TaMmauy leaders we're in
fluencsd by selfish motives. and cared more
about filling their own pockets and securing
firm hold upon the city than for the welfare Of
the community; but the works they COM
menced, and the valuable character Of them,
are unaltered, and show the sagacity of the
projectors. They are none the less necessary
now than before the fall Of Tammany. Let
them be carried out, then, with vigor, though
unnecessary and lavish expenditures be
avoided, for they are the foundation, in part,
of the future greatness Of New York.
But that which IL most needed to accommo-
date our citizens-yes, to render living within
the area Of the metropolis at all convenient or
comfortable for the mass of business men and
working peoples the means of rapid
transit The street horse oars have
outlived their day, ct least for
general travel as most Of the old omnibus
lines had few years ago. They are no
longer capable Of accommodating the public.
They are for the most part filthy, badly man
aged, and crowded beyond endurance. The
10. IN fho h,r nAo 0e do ~
people who are compelled to ride in them is
a loss of money. This amounts to a very
large sum daily, to say nothing Of the misery
and injury to health Of standing for hours
crushed in fetid atmosphere during the cold
of winter and heat of summer in these
crowded horse cars. Our citizens know the
torture and we need not dwell upon that. 1t
is surprising that our citizens have endured it
so long. We want and must have viaduct or
underground railroads, or both, with steam
power, from one end of the island to the other,
and on each side. In London there is a COM
plete system of such roads. Why not in New
York; The viaduct plan is, perhaps, the best
but let us have both if necessary. A viaduct
would be simply continuous bridge, which
could be made ornamental, and its arches
and sides turned to profitable use for
small stores or other purposes. Rapid
transit by some such means has become, in
fact, positively necessary. The city cannot
attain its proper growth without 1t. The longer
it is delayed the more will our population be
crowded out Of the city and driven into Jersey
and other parts beyond the limits of the metro
polls. With viaduct railroads, the Brooklyn
Bridge and other bridges across the East
River; the clearing out of He'll Gate, so as to
admit the largest ships to como by the way of
Long Island Sound; q wide ship canal
through Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil
Greek to the Hudson River, with magnificent
docks all along on each side and other grand
carried out what city would
compare with New York? Cannot our capi-
talists and property holders see what increased
value this would give to real estate and what
an impetus it would give to the trade of the
city? Where are the men with sagacity and
enterprise enough to undertake these improve
mentsa Surely they can be found here,
for New York is famous for grand under
takings. Let the city government, capitalists
and our citizens generally combine in a
united effort to accomplish these works, and
this metropolis will rise in beauty and
grandeur and become the admiration of the
world.