The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-16

OF sol 9s2 invested IN MOrningsdc. Riverside.
Central Park, the Boulevard and public drives,
between Fiity-ninth and l55th streets. isn't that
enough for the present? The interest OF TINS vast
sum Is nearly 81, 900 year, to say nothing OF
the amount OF money necessary to keep these
drives and parks In repair. Take the Boulevard.
for instance from Fifty.ninth to l55th street. AS
1t stands ~ WILL sooner or later, ruin most OF the
property owners along its line. for they have been
assessed and taxed beyond what most OF them
have been able to pay, and unless the Boulevard
can be made OF some use to the upper end OF the
island 1t will eventually sink large proportion
Of the men who have been compelled to contribute
largely toward It's construction. As public drive
1t Will not amount to much Tor the next naf GEN.
fury, unless there is some nduccment offered to
capitalists and property owners to build along Its
line. Rapid transit would at once offer induce.
ments to invest in building The Boulevard Is
about 1o4 feet wide between curb and curb, and
space OF about twenty-five feet, running directly
through the middle, has been set apart for orna-
mental purposes, leaving IN the Clear on either
side about forty-one feet. Now, what objections
can there be to using this twenty-five feet In
tr1nsltf Commencing at fii,y.nnth street
ana laying douDle.lrack suriace road to l55th
diatey over the surface road the space being
TWENTY-FIVE feet wide, there would be ample room
on either side OF the lamps Tor the surface track
without disturbing them, the elevated ROAD being
built to such height as not to interfere with the
wrss coa s a
POSTS OF the elevated road.
Mayor Wlcknam has SAID in his message that
"tne question Of speedy communication between
the extremes OF the city Is forcing tseli upon pub
lie attention.: The schemes are many which have
the results have not been satisfactory. Charters
have been granted by The Legslatu comforting
valuable franchises, but Tor these no advantage
to the citizens generally has resulted" And whyY
The GloeIt Elevated Railroad Company obtained
Ia ouid hat fnlo mad IN
SO much for its construction IOr so great
o distance that capitalists are doubl-
the Greenwich Street Elevated Railroad is con.
sidered Objectionable by property owners gener-
wIch Street Company could be induced to finish
their roads to Flty-ninth street, the Legislature
snoaid aend lne,r cnarTer ana permit tne , 10
more than One-thlrd as much as 1t would by the
metnod contemplated IN their charter: The con-
and SO on up. AZ the Boulevard Is extended to
Klngsbridge, across Kingsbrdge, into the
lwenty-tAlrd anu Twenty-iourtn wards, connect
ing with Fourth avenue, would not cost ior the
surface and elevated roads, far from 200 per
stacle in the way OF rapid transit above Fny-ninth
street has been III securing proper route ana
Estimated cost OF the Gilbert road is about
100000 per mile, which would involve SO large
KingsbIIdge that 1t Is doubtful II 1t could ever
be accomplished; but II that road could be
built to 'filty-nintn street and then continued
up the Boulevard the cost would be
50 much less that It would be great
inducement Tor capitalists and property owners
TO invest III IT, Now, can there be any earthly OBJ
lection 10 utilizing this twenty-five ieet which is
oi no use as 1t stands to the purpose OF rapid
transitY Inc Boulevard Will never be great re-
sort Tor pleasure driving, as 1t runs little west
OF and parallel to the Central Park, people prefer
ring to drive thrOuAn the Park ana out at 10th
street and W st. Nicholas avenue. The opening
OF new avenues and parks VIII never help the real
estate ners OF the north end OF the island; but
rapid transit will, and that only. There have not
been halt dozen buildings erected from Fifty
ninth to 155tn street west OF Eighth avenue since
tne Boulevard WAS completed or WITHIN the last
five years.
Inc only thing that will stimulate building and
bring up the price OF real estate, west Of Eighth
avenue and along the line OF the Boulevard north
to Klngsoridge MS Is rapid transit ana the only
and say that an elevated road would brighten
horses, but that could be avoided by construc-
in the way-the Trinity cemetery Bridge Crossing
the Boulevard near l55th street. But the grade
from l5otn 10 l55th street could be changed so as
to permit the cars 10 run under the bridge, or the
road could DC depressed Tor that snort distance
after the style OF the Fourth Avenue Railroad.
Others might OBJECT and say that 1t would Ue q
derIment to the boulevard; on the other hand 1t,
wOuid be an ornament, aud could De so built Is TO
attract travelling instead oil repelling 1t. mat 1t
wCuld tmme dlateIy enhance the value Of the n
tire property lying west Of Elgntn avenue ana
north OF FiItyninth street, and encourage building
to an extent that has never been known at tne
upper END OF the island is beyond q DOUBT me
city Will never realize any increase In valuations
OF real estate, which Is already too nigh, until
cOmmun caLiOn from the upper end Of the city Is
use OF that Boulevard lying as 1t does, dead
weight upon tue property owners OF the city, when
liei by enhancing the value OF their property fifty
creased revenue. LAWSON n. FULLER,
Chairman Committee Rapid Transit Washington
Heights Association.
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS Dec. L 1874