New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-28
THE NEW WARDS.

or PUBLIC PARKS-CoST OF THE WoRh-offo-
sITON IN SOME QUARTERs-PUbiAc BENEFIT
AND PRIVATE FTNCEs-vIEws OF PROPERTY
OWNERS.
On Jan. I. 1874 the southern portion of West
chester County including the present towns OF MOT
risania, West Farms and Kingsbridge, VIII become
n part of this city. This district, containing over
~ coo acres has long been considered eligible not
only for the suburban residences of wealthy
merchants, bat also for homes for working
men who can afford 70 buy small lots and
build homes for themselves away from the
oyercrowded tenements Of the city. Large invest
,nents in property were made here when the need of
moro room for the spreading population of New
York became apparent but while towns and viii
lagos have sprung up and thrved in other directions
the growth of settlements in WestchesteT County
has been comparatively slow and yet during the
last ten or twelve years the gain In population has
been nearly SO per cent. This increase, however,
has been confined chiefly TO the lower and eastern
side. adjoining Harlem, and along the line Of the
Harlem Railroad, Mt the villages of Mott Haven,
Morrisania, fremont, and Fordham. The western
section and the northern end of the island OF New
York, which are similar in topography, and pre-
sent more difficulties in the formation OF
a iudicious and economical plan OF street
improvements, have been mainly used for the
residents Of these districts are ready to subdivide
their property into lots to suit purchasers but have
found few who cared to take advantage of their
offers. Two things have prevented the surplus of
the city population from spreading IN this direction
One is the lack of rapid transit; the other is the I'M
certainty of the plans of the authorities as to the
LAYING ont of the avenues and streets, for no one
cares to buy a lot or build house when 1t may
either be remote from the future highway as to be
almost inaccessible or be so directly on the
line as to cause great inconvenience or
designation Of the grounds Attempts have been
made at various times to remedy this defect
but owing to lack Of cooperation between
those in the immediate charge of the improvements
and the town authorities, and the want of interest
exhibited by the people generally, little progress
has been made. In those portions which could more
easily be reached private enterprise has taken hold
aud laid out streets and to suit its own con-
venience and the topography of the land under its
immediate control Now. when systematic, vIgor-
ous effort is making these individual efforts serve
only to complicate the work and stand in the way
OF system which would benefit the whole district
sketch of the history of street improvement in
that portion of Westchester County which will
be under the control of the Department of Public
Parks, and of the north end of New-YOrk, is given
below as q preface to description of the present
plans.
WESTMINSTER AND THE NORTH END.
As the population increased in the lower por
tOn OF the County OF Westcheser the property
land lay mostly in large blocks. wishing avail
themselves Of the demand for country homes, subdi-
vided their respective tracts, each man laying out
through his property TO benefit it the most
rather to give him the greatest number OF square lots
The consequence Of this is that through this particular
portion. especially along the line Of the Harlem
Railroad there are great number OF separ
ITO villages each having a system of streets Of
its own, entirely Independent Of the adjoining
settlements. In many cases there is no connection
whatever between the streets Of one village and those
OF another Observing this rregulary and its inju-
rOus effects upon general plan, which rapidly be-
coming necessary the population increased, number
OF prominent of the county procured the pas
sage by the Legislature of 1862 directing the
Central Park Commissioners to make surveys establish
lines of streets and prepare plans for sewerage and
supply throughout that part OF the county which
lay west OF the Harlem Railroad and south OF the
southery line Of YOnkers. In 1868 a commission had
been appointed TO lay out streets In the town OF Nor
rsauia aud it made plsn somewhat irregular sHt
sombng IN rectang ular blocks the adopted New
York below one-hundredand-hfty-hrt The Central
Park Commissioners prohibited from interfering
with the plans established by the Commission Of 1863,
except in regard to streets along the river 'front.' In
Public Parks the successor Of the Central Park Com
mission. was extended easterly so as TO include the
OF Eastchester and Westchester In 1872 these
Two towns exempted from this control and there
left under the direction of the Department the tract
bounded by the Bronx, Hudson and Harlem Rivers.
Under the act Of incorporation Of the City OF Yonkers
passed in 1872 another portion Of this district re-
moved from this Jurisdiction. BY the Annexation act
The boundaries the Bronx River the east on the
north. the south line Of the City OF Yonkers, which
from the north line OF the Mount St. Vincent
property the Hudson River point 2O0O feet north
OF Woodawn Cemetery, on the Bronx; the west and
south the Hudson and Harlem Rivers. Accurate topo-
graphical maps Of the whole region. delayed very much
by insufficient appropriations are now in the hands of
the department. and considerable progress has been
made In designing plans for streets.
THE "oUT WARDS"
This section OF the island first brought to the no.
tee Of the public future portion OF the metropolis
sn $780, when, under the Montgomerie Charter 1t was
designated as the Out Wards" OF the city. No at
temps made then or for many after TO form
any plan of systematic improvement. In 1907
the growing population of tho city made it necessary
that somo plan should DO adopted and three
Commissioners were appointed by the Legislature Of
that lay out and streets north of Gan
sevoOrt-st., Astorpace and Houston-st Under their
direction, Randall surveyed the whole Of the west side
OF the island and established monuments along the line
Of Tenth-sye. as far Kingsbridge. On his maps
which completed In 1920 the rectangular system,
adopted by the Commissioners below One huudredand
ny-dfthst, continued to Kngsbridge The streets
at the north end. as laid down by him, were never
adopted as part OF the city map. ut may be noticed,
as q remarkable official oversight that map recently
published by the Department Of Docks exhibits the city
above One as laid out entirely
with these parallel and straight cross
streets d system which existed even on
Iaper) In ls6O a commission was appointed,
consisting ,of John f. Leman and others,
to lay streets north OF fifty fifth