New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-28
LAYING OUT THE ANNEXED DISTRICT or
VESTCHESTER COUNTY.

The mart of Westchester County ABOUT 10 DE
annexed to the City of New-Iork comprises
the towns of Morrisania, West Farms, ana
Kincsbridge. It borders on the Harlem RIVER
for several mics and includes Il number of
populous and growing villages. WIN the
opeDinR of the Harlem River to navigation,
the adjacent territory viii be sim more
ranidlv filed m In few years another
populeus city viii be thus formed on the
skirts of Ncw-YOrk. TO prepare for this
coming population the Legislature has charged
tbe Commissioners Of the Department OF Pub
lie Parks of this city with the duty oil laying
ont the whole territory to be annexed. Ibey
are required to establish such streets, avenues,
and public places as in their opinion eau be
made with benefit to the property affected and
81 Tie public interest" The Commissioners
haveample power, and there are but few serious
obstacles in the way of the work. Morrisania,
it is true, is already laid out IN streets and in
part built up but it is yet subject to the
revision of the Commissioners, and west
Farms and Kngsbridge are still lying
in open farms, with but few import
ant roads or settlements in the way.
The district ranges in elevation from the level
of tidewater along the Hudson and Harlem
Rivers to g. hight, Ct half . mile from tue
shore, of $50 to 200 feet above tide; but these
elevations are nowhere precipitous, aud in
the most abrupt the side slopes are still gentle
enough to furnish ample space for roads as
cending more or less obliqucy so as to obtain
ary grade or degree of inclination that may
be desired. Whatever existing roads do not
conform to all the requirements Of q great
city the Commissioners are charged 10 discon-
tinue or modify. If, therefore, they have the
foresight and the courage 70 do their work
properly the annexed district will be well land
out, and future generations Will not have occa-
sion to mourn over the plumbers Of their
ancestors. The details of the location OF the
roads the Commissioners must leave to their
Engineer but there are some general pnncl-
pies applicable to the work of which the pub
lie interest Will demand OF them a careful
observance.
l. Main lines of continuous road must be
provided to give the best possible road COM
munication between the different parts of the
district, and also with the City OF New York
These roads, as indeed all of the roads, must
conform somewhat to the surface, but they
should be as direct as The ground and the
necessities of the grade will permit and the
inclinations must be such as to allow an easy
trot in each direction. The best authorities
fix the steepcst allowable grade at three or four
or at the outside five, in one hundred. Any
sleeper ascent greatly impairs the practicable
traffic and consequent usefulness Of the road,
and hence damages all property fronting on 1t.
The Administration des Ports ct Ciapssees of
France many years ago made IN 100 the
limit for the roads of that country. Telford's
great Holyhead road through the mountains OF
North Wales does not exceed ! in 30, or
about in 100 except in one or two instances
for short distances. Ii may be laid down as
rule therefore that no main road III the an
nexed district ought to have a sleeper ascent
than or in 100, or at the outside possibly,
in some special eases, 5 in 100. Nor should
this latter rate be exceeded in subordinate
roads without absolute necessity. Obllquc
angles are much less Objectionable than high
grades.
2. Several important railways operated by
steam run frequent trains through this district
at high rates of speed. The New York Cen
trail and Hudson River, the Harlem, and New
Haven Railroads have no means of access to
New-York except through this district. The
necessary to New-York as it is 10 the railroads
themselves, and this territory should be so
laid out as TO permit high speed without en-
dangering travel in the streets. Hence 10
public road. or at any rate no main road,
should cross any railway operated by steam
except by bridge or sunken way. This point
should be insisted on even should further
legislation be necessary to attain it.
B. These conditions of continuous lines of
road, of easy grade, bridging all railroads
and connecting all parts of tue district with
New York, are first III importance Subordinate
to these conditions, and also respecting as far
as possible existing improvements and the
present convenience of owners, secondary
roads should subdivide the land in the best
manner for future use (not necessarily for
present use), and all roads as far ~ practical
bic should give convenient access to the land
on each side.
As a rule it cannot be expected that judi
cious lines of road can be agreed upon by the
owners of the land through which they pass.
In very few instances can it have been the
business Of these owners to study the general
ouestion of laying out city. And even were
they competent to say where a road should
be made, and disinterested enough to fix it,
if need be, through their own house or door
yard, it would not be fair to impose on them
the duty of saying where it should cut their
neighbours lawn, or how near 1t should APP
proach his barn or his strawberry patch. Many
men would sacrifice the road rather than
offend neghbor or submit TO any encroach
ment upon their own temporary convent
ences. But the Commissioners are in a con-
dition TO act without fear or favor, and
hence it is that the work has been put