The New York herald., 1877-07-22
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
PARK COMMISSIONERS VIEWS ON THE suBJEc

A PARK COMMISSIONERS VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT.
NEw YORK. July 20. 1871
To EDIroR THE HERALD
win you permit Inc to give expression 10 a few gen.
era principles tho relation between :hc financial
policy OF the city and some necessary improvements
that are now occupying public attention.
|. Tho fundamental condition OF the prosperity Of a
city nus. be- that all itE citIzens employed in
profitable and productive labor The present evil Is
that large proportion of the iabor power OF this CITY
is dlc aud wasted Tho fields OF labor In this city arc
thrcefold
l. Those connected with its commercial business.
2. Those connected with It's manufacturing business
3. I hose connected with house building and thc
preparation OF It's vacant areas by street improve
monts for such building.
In these thrce fields OF labor New York now suffers
]. Commerce is impedcd for want of proper terminal
facilities and connections, and business is carried on
at an unnecessarily great expense IN Inc transshpmcn'
OF goods
The previous policy OF city has been such that
sec, point oi iac that the manufacturing basi-
ness which beon-s tho city centre o trade. is
located IN the towns and villages Of New Jersey ana
Connecticut.
8 Tue bulk OF tho labor OF this city. which has
heretofore been employed street improvements
and house building has now substantially no occupa'
ton.
New York must therefore, In the light Of its own
interests, adopt policy which gives productive ana
profitable employment 10 its citizens
ii. Take Paris AN illustration. During the admin
istration OF Baron Hausmaun, when ITS extensive
boulcvards constructed, II expended its force on
debt TO extent equal to the increase OF tho public
debt OF this city undcr the Tweed adminstra-
,s 'so .sso 'neu as m"aS rou the Destruction
OF property and arrangement VI business
as New York has suffered during these hard lines
But everybody know that Paris has recovered
already, wnile New York has advanced hardly the rst
STEP Paris has now city revenue, apart from taxa
tion equal onchal, its total expenditure The Sc
cret OF il labor OF the people oil PARIS Is 70
great extent occupied IN light manufacturing busi-
ness. providing articles OF luxury taste and art for the
mtg nf "a ghnlA N
always been encouraged They see TO 1t that this labor
is not hampored and mpedcd, but lull scope Is given
1t and the trade which supports H. This example
Is worth studying, and illustrates the principle that
ought 10 be worked out in this CITY. We VIII never DO
prosperous until all tho idle hunds are actively en-
ploysd not forced unne cssary work, but in nee
essary and productive work tor which the markets OF
the country make demand.
Ill. There arc three practical things to be
done:-
l. In respect TO commercial facilities These must
be given to the fullest extent thorough study Of
that subject will load 10 this conclusion That tho
right thing 10 do ~ to build an elevated street
railroad around the business portion OF the city, con.
Meeting with every pier ut the level OF the deck of
vessel and also connecting with railroad feght de-
pots, and sufficient and convenient points within the
business portion Of the city Tor interior distribution.
This should be done now, even II on somo temporary
mode OF construction, that the prohts Of II could be
Immediately realized as basis Tor more permanent
constructions hereafter.
2. In respect 10 manufacturing business. This
should DC encouraged to return TO the CITY, All the
light manufacturing business from Newark to Bridge
port belongs the city, ought have been located
in It. It can be accom- pshed now by system of
taxation favorable TO such business ana by opening to
their occupation the low priced lands IN the annexed
district ncrih Of the Harlem River and connecting
that district with tho city by rapid transit. This is
one OF the motives OF the new plan upon which the
Department oi Parks is at work for that district
s. In respect 10 street improvements and buildings
These will be active until tho prosperity OF the
city returns, from the operation OF other causes II
IL unfortunate Tor the city and tor the largo multitude
oi It's citizens engaged IL these occupations, now sus
pended that 1t furnish other fields Of labor
into which they could be temporarily transferred.
4 Rapid transit Is Imperative Tho city rs now so
large that the lack OF rapid OF intcrcommunica
ton has tho effect rs II 1t were separated by
dozen impcnetrablc walls OF uivision. we are the
only ], 600 600 OF people Chrstcndom who de-
nied The privilege Of travel py steam, and are, of
course, century behind the other great centres Of
population which have II. This tells ieariuly on
labor and amounts a tax of twenty five per cent.
". Practical measures be worked out ihese
plans Then " the interest be reduced on tito city
debt, proper reduction be made in the proportion Of
State taxation, aud mopopoies like gas and raroad
companies be maze to pay just amount OF taxes tho
city SO far IFS own and State legislation Is con-
cerncd, would start anew era oi prosperity.
respectfully submit these very general consdera
tons without further amplitcation Of these practical
measures at present Yours res pectluy,
WILLIAM X. MARTIN.