The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-20
business in this city, have located this property
and 90 home every evening.
1t Is q commonly accepted idea that

business in this city have located on this property,
and go home every evening.
IL Is commonly accepted idea that
THE eRvWrH or orrIEs
Is always to the westward but n the holder Of
s X ssss g ns em
nine one Of because it's So" or reiteraton OF the
oil Quoted ne the sta Of empire
| be thar London and New York do 30, and therefore
1t be So II they were the only two cities in
| the world, and yet moments reflection would
show that the growth OF cities is not gov
erHed by any occult law OF magnetism such
geographical position. Confning our examples to
The two cities named, 1t win be found that London
population, decaae after decade equivalent to the
annual and contrentric growth OF q tree. Taxing
New York and BROOKLYN , as one city, which they
readily seen that the growth OF the city OF New York
has been 90 the eastward and not to the westward
and had the idea which we have noticed been cor
rect Jersey City aud Hoboken would have a larger
population than Brooklyn.
But In rebuttal counter question will be asked,
II the growth OF cities Is not to the westward how
Is iC that real estate In London ana New York
brings such dsproporuonatey higher prices on the
west sides OF each than on the east sides respect
iselyY inns L. readily accounted for as to London,
because 81; James aud buckingham palaces, the
houses oil Parliament, Hyde Park and Kensington
Gardens naturally draw around them class OF
population whose social relations necessarily bring
them IN contact with royalty and those having the
government OF the nation In charge, and whose
aesthetic culture it has generally been supposed
alone enabled them to enjoy the luxury and beauty
This explanation, however cannot be applied to
New York; hence other reasons must be sought
why LAND on THE WEST SIDE BRINGS MUCH HIGHER
PRICES THAN ON THE EAST
This discrepancy in prices does not however, OBJ
tain to any great extent in that portion OF the city
laying below Fourteenth street, but at that point
II begins suddenly ana IN very marked degree.
In every village town and city there Is one main
street which becomes the leading thoroughlare for
residences, business and pleasure, and TO which all
other streets are secondary subsidiary. In this
city
BROADWAY. THE MAIN OR LEADING STREET.
formerly branched OF where Madison square now
to the ana ward 6y tine LOOM
to Albany, and to the eastward by the old Post
road to Harlem . Bridge this beng the man a1
eastern branch was really the main road, and en-
bTaced that portion OF the present Broadway rum
teenth street. and then continuing through what is
now called the Bowery Chatham street and Park
row To the head Of Broadway proper, at what 10
now the site or the new Post ONCE.
broadway to Canal street was then but q cow
path, put II was afterwards EXTENDED nortNward,
teenth street. Then there was no road on the west
side OF the island. The farmers VINO lived on that
side came eastward across the island by farm
roads, through the woods to the Post road LII order
| to come to the CITY,
WHEN THE CITY WAS MAPPED OUT
! in 1907, with the streets and avenues at right
angles, both the branches Of Broadway were
obhterated by law; but the owners OF the property
| on the western branch, some twenty-five years
! afterwards, had the map OF the city altered by
legisat We enactment so as to retain 1t street.
The consequence was that 1t retained all the pres
tge OF being the NAN street OF the city, and, 1t
ran diagonaly across the rectangular blocks it in
| and Tenth avenues, all OF which thus became
tributary to II, and 1t became the grand outlet Tor
by those conversant with real estate matters that
| THE INFLUENCE OF BROADWAY UPON PROPERTY
to the southwark IS but very slight as the avenues
mini nowhere, so to speak, They lead from, and
not TO, the main trunk great business artery of
OWNERS OF REAL ESTATE ON THE EAST SIDE
possessed the same foresight as those on the west
side they would have had broadway extended In a
straight line from where Grace Church now stands
to the point where it would intersect the east
ern branch, which would be about the corner
| street. From that point northward Lexington
avenue is a part OF the old post road, and
third street. and the Second avenue about Fifty
third street, the Fourth avenue should have been
and Madison avenue to Broadway and Nineteenth
street. This might yet be done, and would repay
the cost OF the Improvement twice over In the en-
HANGED value OF Fourth and Madison avenue lots
all the way to Harlem River. 1t Is now too late to
make any alteration of the map Of the city that
would benefit real estate east OF Fourth avenue
TO use an English railroad phrase 1t Is .'shunted
off,, and must ever hereafter remain as side show
to the great circus. That portion Of
THE CITY EAST OF FIFTH AVENUE
has been improved and built up far more rapidly
saan that poaon s west Of Eighth avenue yet
bring one-half what those west OF Eighth ave-
nue. bring. Had Broadway been closed at Four
teenth street and the rectangular system Of
streets strictly adhered to, values would have been
more equalzed. or course the establishment OF q
Riverside Park and wide bOnlevards has had its
influence upon values. The east side could have
had O jones' Wood Park and an eastern boulevard
fully equal to that on the west side, but the large
pr0perty-hOlders opposed all such improvements
when they could have been had still stupidity short
sighted some Of them think that by calling Fifty
seventh, Seventy-sec0nd and Ninety-sixth streets
and avenues and "B0uleyards,n and estab-
fishing q ten-acre park that e.
VALUES CAN BE PUT UP.
To do this some more powerful causes must
operate than mere childish verbiage. The east
side property owners could better enhance the
value OF their possessions by devoting their
energies to the Improvement OF He'll Gate and its
consequent commercial advantages, to assisting
the building Of the Seventy-seventh street sus-
pension bridge to Long Island, the purchase OF
Blackwell's Island and using 1t for commercial
purposes, the erection OF the Industrial Exhibition
building, the opening OF Harlem River and similar
enterprises that would give their side of the city
its own distinctive character and make their
property approximate In value TO that OF the
west side. But IL must be IRON entirely different
causes TO those which have operated to set up the
west side, Tor they have no direct communication
with the leading main street OF the city like the
west side.
BDARDERS WANTED.