The New York herald., 1877-01-12
THE ANNEXED DISTRICTS.

SUGGESTIONS AS TO LAYING OUT AND DEAUTI-
OF THE TOPOGRAPHIC ENGINEER AND LAND
sCAPK ARCHITECT.
Tho report OF tho landscape architect and the civil
typographical engineer relative to laying out that
part OF she Twenty fourth ward west Of Rwerdale
road was made In December last 10 the Park Depart
ment II has Jus, bcen published for the first time
As some OF tho suggestions Of great interest TO
property owners and taxpayers generally synopsis
is given below II may be stated that the commission
have had the subject under debate since 1874 and have
hac the opinions OF experts in topography and engi
nccrng The conclusions arrived a in this report are
results of Investigations by Fred Law Olmsted. land
scapc architect and J. J. X. Cross civil and topo-
graphic engineer to tho Board. The report stases:-
TIM DISTRICT 10 DR. LAID OUT.
The district lics within and for;nS the larger part
Of tho great promonory hg shank OF which crossed
BY the line dividing YOnoers from New YORK, and
which terminates three miles TO The southward IN tho
abrupt headland Of Spuyten DuyviL It's ridge line
seldom drops much below an elevation OF 200 feet,
and its highest point, which is also the highest IN the
city Is 2s2 feet tide Its surface is much broken
by ledrcs and there arc sioep decvites on
its hiiisides which can rarely be DIRECTLY assembled
without grade ofirom iftoen TO twenty
five in hundred feet. It's ruggedncss has prevented
beng occupied Tor agricultural purposes, except
very ana Seeu ana made % IN
connection with number Of private Villas and with
a large convent and seminary. the grounds OF which
were first prepared for private plcasurc ground
THE uxsUITAmIirY OF THE DISTRICT.
To what needs OF the city is such ground us has
been described we'll adnpted!
The authors the i've plans for laying out all knew
well, from much experience, the convenience OF the
ordinary city division Of real estate, ana n eacn
study fitting streets OF rccncar or nearly rectilinear
courses, to The highly cnlvinear contours OF tue
Topography, that DO iuly appreciated only by
those who have had experiences IN similar tasks
Under neither Of these plans could any considerable
part OF the ground to which Il applies be subdvided
into building sites of the usual form and Dimensions
city roal estate or DO built upon advantaseousy IN
compact ranges
The ascent OF the slopes will be nowhere easy, and
two horses average, viii BIZ required within IL
accomplish the work which, IN most other parts OF
the city. could be done with one.
There will be no thOroughfarcs adapted eli her TO
heavy teaming or rapid driving and in OF tho
plans heretofore prepared Is single short cut pro-
posed the district
these grounds 1t may bo concluded that factories
lat heavy goods Shops warehouses or stores
for general trade, except possibly to limited extent
at the of tho Slopes be brought here only by
some forced and costly process The city holds much
better ground tor them IN large quantity elsewhere.
THE POSSIBILITY or A PERMANENT SUBURBAN QUARTER
buildings on largo scale not "a DO apprehendcd,
perfectly uninterrupted succession Of private villas
cottages Is not 10 be hoped for Here and thero
a shop or a range OF shops will be necessary but beng
adapted only for local custom they arc not likely 10
be lofty or excessively obtrusive. Now and again
buildings for other purposes would probably occur;
school With It's play grounds, church set In proper
churchyard higher institution OF learning with its
green quadrangle academic grove or campus; public
hall library museum; convent with its courts and
gardens; suburban inn or boarding house with rs
terrace, commanding grand prospects over the nud.
OF these classes and many others may come into n
villa suburb ther sites being chosen so as 10 gain an
advantage from appropriate natural crcumssanccs) IN
such manDer to disturb but TO give point and
emphasis to IT'S proper aspect.
Ii may be questioned whether, evcn In locality as
yet so remote from dense building and so rugged In
its topography the demand for land for various other
purposes will not, in tmc crowd out all rural and PIC
turcsque elements, and whether, for this reason, II
wond no prudent 10 Law II out with exclusive reference
10 suburban All that be said In roply is that
thus the history Of other great cities there Is
nothing 10 sustain such q doubt
TIL. ADVANTAGES OFFERED by Tux PROPOSITION TO THE
CITY,
Il ,s reasonable 10 infer that New York Will have
such quarters. 1t remains question whether they
shall 10 formed by cooperation OF public and private
work or by private enterprise IN making the oest OF
nm nsuitable public arran ngemcnts.
Tho importance Of tho question will be recognized
If il is considered what difference there would now
bc in the attracttveness, and consequently in tho
wealth Of the city, twenty-five years ago, when it
was quite practicable, Fifth avenue from Madison
square the Central Park had been laid out hny feet
wider than II s with slightly better grados, pad for
riding horses broad sidewalks and an avenue OF trees.
What rs meant by treating the district as suburb is
turcsquc character should everywhere be kept frankly
in view as Of wealth. and that the roads should
be to % Ss
ntvely 10 heavy teaming, more important thnn in
the streets OF the compact city
LAYING OUT A SPECIALLY PICTURESQUE AND CONVENIENT
eUBURB
The custom Of laying out roads IN the outskirts OF
cities only upon right lines under any circnmsances
which oave II possible TO do so strongly liked In
our country that tho commission cannot entertain the
,dca of abandoning before carefully weighing what IS
10 bo gained and lost by dong 30 II should remcm-
bcr however that the custom IL largely due to the
disposition OF land TO act on the imagination,
IN no respect from the most valuable tue city, and
thus to iced the pcrncous propensity which prevails
among the ignorant for gambling on small means under
the name of specuni IN real estate. Again, II is
10 be remembered that 1t Is not customary to
think OF tho ing out o any part OF cityas matter
in the smallest degree Of aesthetic design; but II the
pocy of carrying on a series OF constructions In
manner sympathetic With picturesque landscape effects
has any claims TO adoption by the commission II ne
cessariiy involves a serious application, in however
humble a way of the laws and tho spirit Of art. Tho
more tangible aud woigh,y advantage to be urged In
favor OF keeping nearly practicable to straight
lines Of road is one commonly expressed under Of
the following specifications
Nrst-That OF the comparative ease and simplicity
Of the business OF laying out the roads
.Second-That Of the comparative rapid'ty and con-
vcnence with which surveyors measurements and
calculations arc madc when dealing with straight lines
TAird-rhat OF the greater convenience OF straight
front when land be divided or described with
view to sale or mortgage.
waved In the OF very difficult topography, such
az must often occur on tho promontory IL apparently
follows that whether tho straight street should yield
10 the winding road Mt any point, when It s otherwise
des,rnbe is at the worst question of employing sur
vcyors competcnt 70 deai Win curvcn hnes. no pan
hos been proposed the commission for laying out
the promontory, under which local surveyor to
whom curved lines were serious mattcr, could hon.
cstly earn his living Tho whole amount of the class
OF expenses question, under the most difficult cir
cumstapces would no relatively inconsdcrnblc and II
any essential, permanent advantage TO the commu.
nifty s al stake regard for them should not be allowed
10 obsruct the very best that can be de-
viscd.
ruE ECONOMICAL ADVANTAGES PROPOSITION
The comparative economy Of straight and winding
roads is partly question OF what Is desirable under
given circumstances as to grades. The shortest line
between two points s not always that which can bc
passed ut tho least cost o time or in wear and
tear.
carriage load that requires two horses aud given
strength OF harness to bo drawn over road with
grades by which loot in elevation Is overcome In
ten feet distance In the case OF some OF The pres
cnt roads Of the promon,ory, can be "s easily and
safely drawn by horse anu with harness one-hal
lighter on road In which twcnty-our feet Is allowed
TOR overcoming the same elevation. II man IN haste
at a given point wishes 10 drive horse of ordinary
ousiity with light wagon TO another point $50 fcct
higher hillside he can do so In shorter time upon