The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-25
Suggestions by the Commissioner for the
Repaving Of Streets and Improving
the Upper Portion Of the City.


the Upper Portion of the City.
The following correspondence between the
Mayor and Commissioner of Public Works has
called out facts showing great reduction in the
cost OF executing public works, as compared with
the year 1871, when Tweed had the control of the
matter. The expenditure in 1873 was 1921, 462,
or reduction OF expenditure OF ST. 952, 49, care
full perusal OF the report will enable the property
owners TO see OF glance the character and cost OF
the various works completed.
MAYORS OFFICE, NEW YORK, Dec. @ 1873.
MY DEAR SIR-P1ease furnish me, at your earliest
convenience, with comparative statement show
Ing works in progress in 1871 and the proximate
cost OF tine same, and the works In progress In
4 s.s ana the COST q me aWe 9SRrs
TO GEO M. VAN MORT, Esq, Commissioner Of
Public Works.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
COMMISSIONERS OFFICE,
NEW YORK, Dec. 26 1878. }
Hon. WiLiLAM f. HAvEMEYEi, Mayor Of the city
Of New York.
SR-Herewith at your request, transmit to
you an abstract OF the operations and eXpendi-
lures OF this department for the current year,
compared with the year 1871, as far as practicable;
also the condition of the works under its control
ut the present time, and am yours very respect
Iuliy, GEORGE NJ. VAN MORT,
Commissioner OF Public Works.
STREET PAvEMENTs,
Or the AS miles OF streets laid out on the map OF
TINS city s4 miles are legally opened SlS miles are
There are 81 miles OF cobble stone pavement, l45
miles OF Belgian or stone block pavement, II miles
Of wooden pavement, "a miles OF concrete pave
Ment and IA mics of feliord Macadam roadway.
On the repairs to the 1872 miles OF stone pave
ments during last year 100000 square yards OF
$4,000
The appropriation has not been sufficient to nut
all the pavements in good order; however, the
streets are in much better condition than for
many years past. which ls due to the system OF
stead Of
10y contract, as formerly, when large portion OF
the appropriation would be absorbed by the profits
OF the contractors.
The expenditure Tor repairs to wooden and con-
crete pavements was 100000 This amount was
only the most necessary repairs, principally on
streets in the commercial part Of the city, nave
In doing these the decayed wooden blocks have
been replaced by stone blocks, and on this plan,
with liberal appropriation, the worthless wooden
BILE stone pavements.
tis estimated that $1,000 square yards. or one
sixth OF all the wooden pavements in this city, viii
require to be relad or removed during the year
1874. If repaired with wood the cost VIII be about
s. per square yard or slsS,o0o. II repaired with
stone blocks the cost win be 50 SO per square
yard, or $l52 500, Whine the stone blocks are in
1intely more durable than wood. In either case
concrete pavements $500 is utterly made
guate; and TO tax the city at once tor replacing
the worthless wooden and concrete pavements
would be too large burden upon the taxpayers.
But the condition OF these pavements Is such that
prOvement can no longer be postponed. would,
therefore, recommend the enactment of law
authorizing the Common Council. whenever the
Commissioner OF Public Works shall be satisfied
1hat the expense OF making the necessary repairs
exceed one-iourth OF the original Of such pave
ment, to order such street to be repaved with
expense OF such requirement. to be borne by the
city at large and One-half to be assessed upon the
property owners on the line of the street or
avenue.
The frequent opening of streets for the laying
and repairing OF gas pipes, and for connecting
buildings with sewers water ana gas pipes is most
injurious to the pavements, they are rarely re-
placed III as good condition as they were before the
opening was made How frequently the street
pavemcnts are disturbed in this manner may be IN
ierred from the fact that they cover about $40 miles
o. Olga gas MANS $40 miles OF eroton water pipes and
buildings are each connected with sewers, water
Excepting the Tetord Macadam roadways on tue
pleasure drives ana avenues in the upper part OF
The city, no other than stone block pavements
pavement has yet been introduced or sufficiently
tested Ia this city which, under our climatic con-
ments Tor dnra6ity cbeapness and aaaotabrv TO-
the requirements OF our local triflc. For pleasure
drives and for suburban roads and avenues, how
ever, the Te!iOrd Macadam roadway is preferable
The progress previously made in replacing cObble
stone pavements with Belgian or granite blocks
has been arrested by provision OF the charter re-
During the consent of majority OF property
owners to authorize the repaving OF any street.
During the year 1872 Alb square yards OF new stone
block pavements have been laid, covering SIX
miles OF streets. Twelve miles Of streets have
been regulated and graded and sixteen and one
half miles are now under contract Tor regulating
and grading.
Great progress has been made in the construc.
ton and improvement OF the avenues and pleas
IRE drives in the upper part OF the city. The
boulevard, from NIty.ninth to 155th street; the
seventh avenue, from 10th street to the Harlem
River the Avenue st. Nicholas, from 10th to l55th
street; Seventy second street, from Eighth avenue
70 the riverside drive and Tenth avenue above
open to public travel during the past year. More
than 100000 square yards OF Teord Macadam road
way have been constructed and one and half
miles Of sewers built. There are now fourteen
miles Of Macadamlzed roadways serving at once
the purposes OF pleasure, travel and the local
tra1ic in the upper part OF the city, making the
1nest portion OF our island accessible to popu-
latlOn and available for dwelling purposes
The expenditure Tor these improvements for the
year 1871 under the direction OF the department
o. ruec pasKs o was oas sssSoeo and for the past
CRoTON AQUEDUCr, RESERVOIRS AND DISTRIBUTING
SYSTEM.
The occurrence OF several disastrous conhagra-
lions IN some OF our large cities during the past
lew years, has attracted more than usual attention
similar visitations, and considerable fear and
anxiety have been felt, lest our water supply should
prove lnsumcient Ia sucn an emergency. Projects
and for tapping the Hudson River at some point
above tide water, were advanced and discussed,
either of which would involve expenditure OF
over $10.00O,000. The Commissioner OF Public
Works and his engineers, however, maintained
that, with far less expenditure, an ample supply
OF water for all purposes could be drawn from the
CrOtOn River, the only thing required being the
construction OF large reservoirs LOT the storage OF
water. to be drawn upon during dry seasons. The
experience OF last summer has fully vlndicated
their views. During an almost unprecedented
drought OF over two months, more than two thirds
vi the daily supply Of water was drawn from the
new storage reservoir at Boyds corners in Put
nam county, the aggregate quantity SO drawn
being 1900, 100000 gallons. This reservoir was
completed last spring, ana has capacity OF
3,0000O0,00 gallons; without 1t water famine
would have been inevitable last summer. The land
required Tor the dam or another storage reservoir
TO contain 3. 700, 900 gallons, has been pur-
chased, and preparations made to proceed with
The construction OF the dam at an early day.
me consumption OF CrotOn water has Increased
~ much greater rate than the population, hav-
nng reached l04 100000 gallons per day. or more
tthaD 100 gallons daily to each inhabitant; at no
rdstant day 1t will have outgrown the capacity
OI the present aqueduct, the maximum OF which Is