The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-06
construction 7" asked the HERALD man. as the car.

and remained IN their charge until June L., 1,.2
when u was turned over to the Department O
Public Works.
/ ..Has the work been pushed toward completion
and what Is ITS present condition ~ quer.ed tn'
| writer.
''Every effort has been made under both Boards &C
carefully and expedltiousy finish this great public
drive You wll after gong entirely over the BOule
vard be able to form an approximate idea oil the nu
merous obstacles which We have had to encountcr
The roadway iOr onenall its wid.h, or Iorty teet,
was completed anu opened from sixtieth street 10
1o2d street In January 1872 since which time the
completion in which you will see 1t, as well as ex-
tended three blocks to the northward The snail
portions oil the western side remaining to be dn-
ishei need only the iinal course OF trap-rock and
gravel. The curbStOnes along both sides aud around
the centre-pieces have been laid. The nagging Is
down ON both sidewalks frOu Sixtie.h street To
Eghty-second street. Upon one side 1t IS lad
through 10 l52d street. The stone Tor the 1910
neal leet is ready aud viii be put down as soon as
the gas pipes are laldu
"When Is 1t expected to complete the work."
asked the reporter.
will be entirely opened TO ilnlty Cemetery by july
The planting OF the trees aud the sodding OF tie
centre pieces cannot be attempted until the water
and gas pipes and sewers have been lad"
ANOTHER PARK
The Boulevard crosses Tenth venue, giving an OPP
portunty Tor another small grass plot Almost level
AT this point, the drive Tor 1000 ieet beginnIn. at
Eighty-second street has been raised than
twenty feet, l3l, 900 cubic yards OF earth having
been required. A lew cottages standing as built
years since upon the street at The Old grade so
far down in the hollow chat the road is barely vlsi
bic from the second story windnws, Yet the value
OF the property Is unquestioned; one only has TO
ask the price to find out that.
APPEARANCES ARE SOMETIMES VERY DECEPTIVE.
occasionally new streets, partially completed,
are to be seen penetrating snort distance, INTO the
rocks or down steep decliyltles. They remind one
OF the roads at Mugby Junction, which started OF
as II they intended 20 lead to some place. but gave
up IN despair, because there was no place to be
reached. Near Ninety-sixth street another 1lling
OF some magnitude found. ''it is l,4uO ieet In
length and consumed $4,000 cubic yards OF EARTH"
remarked the Chlei Engineer.
PASTORAL LIFE IN THE CITY,
Many of the dwellers along the Boulevard retain
their rustic mein and maintain a semDlancc OF
country life journey down town is 10 some an
event OF rare occurrence and they know less about
the present condition OF the city proper than many
people residing 1000 miles away. An old man and
two boys, engaged IN piougninR field on the east
ern side, stopped their work and gazes long and
intenty NJ a Steam-roller which trunQied slowly
along the thoroughlare. Even passing team WAS
sufficient 20 distract their attention RON their
work. son 0. TINS rustic race, scarce out pima
iores, meandered down che boulevard leading u
COW 10 pasture. Happy, thougttless people, such
as these, live on the Grand Boulevard
A THING OF BEAUTY NOT A JOY.
We were soon after approached by Gordon OF
sprinkling wagons. moving Jour abreast upon our
'front.', anu we escaped to the o,her side OF the
drive. The beauty OF the centrepieces was adj
miraDly illustrated so short are the corners and
so narrow are the prospective cross streets that
not until the horse had been carefully checked up
aud turned around did our driver make the bold
effort OF getting across into the other road. StIl,
with such smooth and solid road bed, no one but
cross driver could complain at the narrowness of
the streets connecting the two sections OF the
Boulevard.
The drive at 1o5th street turns into Eleventh
avenue and the stately brown stone buildings Of
Bloomlngdale Asylum, seen Tor some distance back
come INTO the foreground. The sombre appear
ancc OF such institutions in general Is much dis-
PEELED in this instance by the handsome grounds
| filled with shade trees and shrubbery A close
carriage driving slowly up through the
grounds, its inmates doubtless bound on visit to
rUs4he unhappy friend, dragging out life which
! is more dreadful than DEATH
A GRAND VIEW.
Our carriage halted on the brow OF long de-
scent leading TO Manhattan street, and below was
seen at once the quaint old village OF the past and
to the right evidences OF the typical suburban town
OF the future. This hill Is about one-quarter OF q
mile in length, and In the time Of ram storms
great torrents of water rush down, threatening 10
destroy the even surface Of the roadway. 10 pro-
vide against this the Tcliord pavement was lad
with unusual care and IA large sewer, with FREE
quent openings from the CUTTERS was built. This
hill and the one which rises beyond, viii
Tor several years require considerable watching
TO prevent the rains from destroying 1t. At
present the Boulevard at this point is In the very
best OF footing Tor horses, ana, although the grade
is steep, loaded teams ascend without much difii-
Guilty. 1t does not afford any impeachment to car
rage travel
MANHATTANvIILE.
Manhattan street, IN the valley which lies at the
foot OF this long hill, runs from Eighth avenue TO
| the Hudson River, and will, undoubtedly, be the
thouroughiare for all traffic IRON river to river
| through Harlem and Manhattanville. 1t has been
wdened to 100 feet ana the carriage drive Is ex-
| tended down to the Hudson side and
through 10th street to the Harlem Oh the other.
The Grand boulevard ascends from Manhattan
street until
TRINITY CEMETERY
Is reached, passing along the route numerous
villas ana considerable Improved property. From
I55th street to inwood the Boulevard rs unopened
The commissioners appointed to open the thorough
fare and assess awards Tor damage have made
their report and there only remains some legal
! formatles to be gone through before work
will be begun. The Boulevardis to be connected
with Teath avenue and avenue st. Nicholas by
| 155tn street. The excavation, now III progress, is
| through rock, and the street win hardly be open
| before the end OF the season. From Ninth avenue
| to the Boulevard the grades on this street are
quite easy, but beyond this point down to the Hud-
! son River the grade Is about one foot III eleven
| feet The incline from Ninth avenue down to
McCombs Dam Will be equally steep.
| TENTH AVENUE
is opened, although not entirely completed, to
| 155th street. Above this point 1t is chaos OF
and carts, with their accompanying gangs OF
laborers. The heaviest excavation and hlling
| IS at Fort George near which point the avenue
begins to curve toward Eleventh avenue. For 200
feet the cutting is July thirty feet IN depth, the
avenue sKirting the nearly precpious sides OF the
| Heights which renders necessary the construction
4 OF a heavy retaining wall on the eastern side. The
wall is fully forty feet In height for considerable
distance. South OF the High Bridge. reservoir an
other heavy I'LL and retaining wall has been built.
| AVENUE ST. NICHOLAS.
Turning from 155th street into st. Nicholas ave-
nue. we found ourselves on the top OF "a lofty hill
overlooking the Harlem River and portion OF
Westchester county. Before US, down TO 10th
street, stretched smooth drive 100 ieet In width
IL is intended to serve one OF the main outlets
to the Central Park; following the line OF Harlem
lane to Eighth avenue thence along the base OF q
| high rocky ridge until 1t intersects Ninth
| avenue, which line it retains until II
merges into the old Kingsbrdge road at
the point where we are now standing.
This work was begun by the Park Commissioners
in December, 1869, and was like the other public
drives in the upper end OF the city turned over to
the Department OF Public Works in June, 1872.
| Our carriage now began descent OF ia feet
| In each 100, or 1872 feet TO the mile, until we
reached l3eth street. This grade Is on new road,
which, by several heavy cuts in the hillside, vary.
| ing from twenty-five to thrty-eight feet, avoids
| the old and circuitous route up "Break-
neck Hiin The property along the Line OF
| this avenue Is as yet comparatively unimproved
| but numerous elegant villa sites abound, and will
| doubtless in time find buyers. Not lew OF the
| large poplars and naples which have for years
shaded portions OF the old road are seen standing
| here and there and they may yet shield from the
| burning sun The grandchildren of the former visit
ors to the kingsbrdge road. The total excavation
up the hillside amounted to 102 600 cubic yards, and
| the filling to as much more. Avenue st. Nicholas
| will be entirely finished by September next.