The New York herald., 1876-10-19
HARLEM RIVER.

THE WORK DONE IN ITS IMPROVEMENT AND
WHAT REMAINS TO BIZ posE-THE VALUE OF
THE STREAM TO THE CITY AND WHAT Is
NECESSARY TO IT'S FULL ENJoyMEST-LEr-
TER FROM PRESIDENT MARTIN.
DErAKrMySr or PrniIc PAgxs
kxw York, Oct. Is, 1876
To rHs EDroR HERALD
The importance OF the subject which You have
opened, the provement Of Harlem River, deserves
a fuller statement, of the work done upon by this de
partment and that which remains TO DO DONE Its value
depencs on three Clements
F,rs.-Thc existing fact that the mouth Of the
broad with deep and spacious water, and banks 10
every sepse adapted for commercial purposes, already
accessible by railroad from the whole ortheasi north
west and west.
econd-The opening OF Hell Gate, which VIII con-
the Harlem River harbor with the ocean through
the Sound and make u more accessible for coastins
ana ioreign vessels.
Yh,rd-The opening OF the Harlem River channel 10
thc Hudson River 10 connect II moro directly with the
traiic Oh that river.
long been OF tho opinion. and havo expressed
It occasions and In frequent writings, that
tho Third avenue bridge the Harlem River was
and IN the future. the centre Of tho greatest
suburban activity and growth within the Influence Of
this metropolitan city. We agree upon that and
therefore, shall not recapituate the arguments It's
exceeding natural advantages for every business pur
the working classes lit u and make 1t the best location
for the results which enterprise has realized In
Jersey City and the towns and cities OF New Jersey
within half an hours reach OF New York with the
next influx OF prosperity business growth and increase
oil population II can rival ali other suburban conpcti
tors and be foremost IN gathering there everything
necessary TO make II the great centre that It's situation
warrants.
In order to facilitate the realization OF these results
aposiiivc policy the part Of the city is needed
Ultimately throc things must be accomplished, each OF
hau Inf finh md ~ nayn nd
OF great deal oil money.
Firs,--A line Of rapid transit up tho Third avenue.
Sccond--rhe opening OF He.l Gate.
Yhird-Thc opening OF the Harlem River channel to
tho Hudson RIVER
undertaken and will, beyond doubt, with the AID OF
legislative authority aud supported by the public In
no work has as yet been commenced.
From this II IS clear mat the piaco has
great present capacities and great future pos
sibil,ties, but these Will require time and money,
and masses of money always slowly
upon public improvements Of this character.
Now l affirm TINS policy THAT We must look at tho
present the alike, and at the present aid
OF the iuture that is, that we must adapt improve
mepts 10 the present necessities Of the cssc DO tho
things that warranted now, aud that aid OF
future development, and that We must not rest with
the adoption ol grand and expensive projects for the
future alone. We must work at the things now which
facilitate and encourage the growth, which Will make
the ultimate and graudcr improvements necessary and
Justify the expenditures required to accomplish lhem
For Illustration, in making railroad through a new
country Of great future possibilities the right thing TO
is,
slcwork. instead OF heavy nlhng, to get Inc two
rails laid aud tram running upon them;
m ,Ss % business as Of he road a. 'a 20
demonstrate the advantages and profit Of the under
taking to widen tho cuts to nii up the ravnes, to
place the temporary bridges with others OF iron and
stone and TO lay the double track. 1t would DO the
wrong method to adopt the final features Of the plan
at tho outset and mile by mile build It along completely
Now, apply this to tho Harlem River. It's present
condition justaes and demands inexorably greater
fnc, tnr tne vor hy nj linn
already living there and by the population ready 10
occupy it. Bridges TO supply the present demand
should be built, and, II need be, temporary
plan. The work OF widening and embankng the river
under the action Of the United States govern
necessarily bs slow. Il viii DO greatly
helped by Tho growth OF population and the
mate final and costly plan Of crossing the river with
tunnels be adopted now the magnitude and expensive
these projects will necessarily delay the oegn-
ming OF their immediate construction ana impede their
completion. Such plans defeat themselves. They arc
not adapted TO the present, and they postpone the
future 10 which they are adapted
There but three bridges across the river
the iron bridge at Third avenue, the high wooden
brIcge at Eighth ana the Kingsbridge. These
are insu clent tor the present of the
people. Two more are needed. These arc:-First, q
| bridge at the head OF Madison avenue crossing 10
l3Sth street, the Wcstchester sde which needed
supplement TO the Third avenue bridge over which
The stream OF travel is immense, end which
is constantly interrupted by the opening OF tho draw
and second the suspension bridge north OF the High
Bridge from Tenth avenue At lSls street to Fordham
two bridges the right things to be done The
ultimate plan for the er1bankment and treatment OF
the river and the tunnels under It, which will DO
siructed 10 give unobstructed navigation, have all
been studied out and tho plan ts as near completion
1t be until the final revision At the point Of
ton.
Tho construction of these bridges will defeat that
ultimate plan, but will demonstrate its necessity and
hasten IL We regard this the pr thing 10 DO,
and the thing that can be done now with expendi-
ture that the present circumstances justify We havo
therefore advanced could against Tho con-
slant mpediments OF Mr.. Green, these two works
FIRsr-rHE sUsPENspN BRIDGE NORTH or THE HIGH
BRIDGE
The ground plan the land which was necessary for
tho construction Of this bridge and It's approaches
adopted by the department the I'd day Of September
1915, the 10Th day oil November following pro-
cecdings directed TO be taken acquire tite 10
tho land These proceedings have boen carried through
and are at present pending before the Court for nal
conhrmat on.
Thc plans tor the construction of the bridge havo
Deen substantially finished Il will be an iron suspen-
SION bridge. rcsung on two piers, standing on tho
banks OF the With the present low price OF iron
It can be constructed with great economy. All that
the plans lack soundngs the precise site selected
for the two stone piers OF the bridge. Borings and
soundlnks must be made through the mud and gravel
down TO the rock, which the foundations
must be laid and until those soundings made the
specifications for the foundation cannot be completed
Ii would 500 $500 TO make these soundings,
and up TO the present time wo have been prevented
from getting this money The Comptroller has used
| low in the OF the Madison avenue bridge.
sEcoSD--Tnx MADISON AVENUE nRIDGE
The si.o of this bridge was determined by the de-
plans Tor It's construction were undertaken This Will
be light iron BRUCE, thirty feet above the wa:er,
with draw. 1t can be built now OF iron at u
exceeding the OF wooden bridge with years
repairs The plans have been completed and It's
viii not exceed 100000 These plans arc
under consideration by the Board OF this department
for adoption.
For the above stated 1t became necessary In
respect to each Of these bridges 10 make soundings
for the foundations OF Tho piers The authority OF
department is granted by section 3, chapter 534 OF tho
Laws 1871 and section l6 oil chapter 329 OF tho Laws
Oi
applied To the Board OF Estimate and Apportion
meut for the passage Of resolution directing the
Comptroller TO bonds Tor the purposes OF these
bridges and especially to get tho small sam Of money
required make the preliminary soundings The
Comptroller first raised Tue objection that, under the
law, the department required TO build the
bridges in o certain order. which they
not following After long delay the question
submitted 10 the Counsel to the Corporation.
ha navc his nniniun that tha Camnl 0hicc