The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-09
THE CITY's GROWTIY.


cludes the growth OF the city except in one
dircction-north
When tho advancing lido Of population
reached Fifty-ninth street. it met in the centre
of thc island nm insurmountable barrier in the
shape of the Central Park. The stream broke.
and. flowing To the oast folded around the
lower corner OF tho Park. and continued its
northwar.l course up the avenues and through
the intcrscc,ing streets on that side Of the city.
rs marked by long lines OF buildings and rows
of brown stone houses scattered throughout the
region between the Park and the East river,
north of Fifty-ninth street,
Tho millions of dollars spent on tho pur-
chase. Improvement, and ornamentation of the
Park were well spcnt. They have already
caused the building of n now and constantly
growing city in this locality. The taking Of
scvcn hundred and thirty acros from the very
cen,rc NJ tho island for Park purposcs has had
nsingular ctrcct on the direction of the growth
Of the city. While the Boulevards and streets
on tho wcst side remain comparativcly barren
of imnrovomcnts-though anpnrently Offering
every induccmont that natural advantages,
noble thorouphfarcs. and well graded
streets can prcscnt-buildings have sprung
nm ike magic along tho line Of
First Second. Third and Madison avenues. md
the whole district teens with an acttve. busting
busy population.
Tw,nty-nve vonrs npo tho city WINS built
IN sidcwisc. The cast and west sides OF
the city wrrc preferred before the centre
was advanced Tho Second avenue on one
side. and Fourteenth and Twonty-thrd streets
by the Eighth and Ninth avenues on the other.
were occupied sooner than the southern slopes
ofMurray Then tho second avrnuc was the
centre Of the fashionable dwcling-h house quar-
tors When some thirty years ago Col Herman
Thornc was in search of twelve lots Of ground
on which 10 build the Thornc mansion. his prof
crcncc was forthc Second avenue but Mr.. Stuy-
vcsant. the owner Of large tract Of land In that
locality. asked 50 high price that Col. Thornc
changed his plan. bought on Sixteenth street,
running through 10 Fifteenth. AMI erected a
house such rs Nnw York had not yet soon. Tho
property H. now owned by the Now York Hos
pital Society The Fifth avenue was at that time
lust growing into favor Col. Thorne's i'm
provement in its immediate vicinity did much
toward making it fashionable. Col. Thornc.
however, az he often forward said, committed
n grave error in not buying on the avenue it
self instead Of on the side streets Since
then most mon have found out that when
they stand at any given centre. such
ns the Fifth Avenue Hotel. they had bet
ter 20 M half mile on the line Of Broad
way or T,fth avenue the great thoroushfares,
thnn 20 tn tho same distance on either side
,ha, hv koanin,, an tho leadini, lines Of travel
thev say. time and distance: that then. AS years
mss tho city will grow M 70 them. rather than
mass ,hem nv
Pr,p, N,iisor souaro ono of tho front nm.
tow, eep,res ~ lifo activity and movement
thor, diver,. two yr.at norihworI limos
~ ,r,v.l Tho FIN nvenue missing olonr
,bec,s,.r, h,r1or I'D, Tho PARK and Droadyav
runningtn tho sonthvast,rn cornor the region
bo,v.en these lines 4. substantially built mn IA
far ia Fiftv.nin,h stroat. Notwithstanding
w.n.grounded calculations Of nroqress. the rate
has no, constantlv haen maintained. During
tho mast four vcars Of uttar prostration and
stapnaiion. buildino has not proceeded at n rate
tn ms,ifv the conclusions that are drawn from
the statistics Of the INST The progress of the
city in this respect will bc more apparent in the
future. bacause the section of the island now
bninc built upon IL much narrower than wor,
the sections TINT have been occupied durinl
the Inst twenty venrs AMI while this width +.
diminished by the Park. the whole growth o
the city il practically crowded in the confined
snnee between Madison avenue and tho Eas
river. Land on the Fifth avenue is too high fol
speculative building. there being n diffcrenc,
! of about nifty per cent between Fifth and Mad
son avenue lots in this locality. This is thC
chief reason why speculative builders hav,
been so faithful 10 the line Of Madison avenue
Lots ON the actual present lines Of improve
ment are fewer than Mt any previous period OF