The New York herald., 1879-12-14
Completion Of the Great West
Side Improvement.
TWENTY MILES OF RIVER SCENERY.
Interesting Historical Reminis-
cences and Figures.

contractor and tho Park Commissloners mas pcen
performed the Improvement will be handed
over to the people. The present appropriation for
the Riverside drive. the work is called has been
exhaust ted the contractor has finished his work, and
IL only remains for the Park Commissioners to for
ay accept the work OF the contractor and dedicate
it TO public Public attention some time since
was called to this work by the efforts of certain
parties prejudice the stability of the great wall
which retains the drive and promenade. and beyond
the vague doubt thus insinuated into the minds or
many little is known of the ana grand improve
ment. All talk about the insufhciency OF that
wall has been slenced by the outspoken
recommendations of first class engineers
Mr.. McAlpine tho chief engineer OF the
department, among the number Mr.. McAlpine
with whom the HERALD reporter rode over the dis
trct Friday declares that not in the State there
more honest bit Qf stone work than the wall in
question. and an inspection OF the bonding and
other details of the improvement will enhance the
value of his opinion. The precinct covered by the
Riverside Park indeed terra nc.gnita to the great
mass of New Yorks citizens. strange illustration
Of the Gospel TRUTH 1.-THE shall be last and the
last shan be first is furnished in tho history Of
this section Of New Yorks domain.
HISTORY.
In the latter part of the last century the district
was one of the most fashionable Manhattan
Island and studded with the houses of merchant
princes and resident gentry The construction of
Third avenue the Harlem fats in later years
had much to do with the decline of the western sec
ton of the island. Old Broadway, the highway be-
tween New York and Albany in the old time, was
neglected and from want of repair became danger
pus. The boulevards built by Tweed. tSweeny
l. Co., supplied the place Of this famous
thoroughfare. and those who rode over
Old Broadway and Breakneck Hill
the curious few Thus from being fashionable
quarter what is Riverside Park declined into
neglected wilderness The tide Of real estate specu
lation having set toward the east side the natural
beauties of the side sighted. AS years
went by the demand for transit improvement
oil the side until by contrast the west side
was as inaccessible Fort Lee. Certain topo-
graphical peculiarties in the conformation OF the
land the west side were not with
out weight in inducing the extraordinary
success of the east side. The New York ''dea'
of street openings could not be carried out the
west side for the that the general level of the
land north Of Seventy-second street is about one
hundred feet above the tdewater line. This being
the case the New York ''idea" Of building streets
here impracticable. A new idea was necessary.
and Mr. Martin is due the credit of its conception
The property was bought by the city and converted
into place Of lovelness unrivaled anywhere. That
which few years ago was the last place in New
York is now again the first, thanks to the "L rail-
road and the wisdom of the Park Department
ROMANTIC
The ground Of the Park is hallowed by Revolution
ary memories and its local history dates to
remoter period. Even now. there stands within the
limits of the park mansion. mmortalized by Los
sing, within whose hosptable walls some Of the
greatest figures i'll American history have found an
tertainment. The grave OF an amiable child the
offspring of great British naval hero, whose dust
responses in Trinity churchyard is yet to be
seen a short distance from Claremont the mansion
in question. Looking down on this famous resi-
dence and on the modest grave. hidden among prime
val trees. from lofty perch at the bturcstion Of
Ill. Times hand, with impartial touch has left its
traces on the marble bust. on the house and the
slab bleached the rugged front Of the old mansion
and scared the face Of the king with great
the great tree, the sturdy limbs have fastened
around the base. and there it ID retained
tnat sweeping down the valley of the Hudson strike
this exposed shore WITH great force. Standing near
ment is ensconced one has sweeping view OF
twenty miles up the Hudson Washington Point.
three miles away seems to be just beneath and the
tar of Palisades loom up strong and bold against
the clear western sky. The hills above Yonkers
seem to present barrier to the river which. viewed
from Claremont. looks like q noble inland lake.
Not the hundreds of miles of river bank
between Manhattan Island and the purple
CatsKils can such a magnihcent view OK
the Hudson Le had The view from West Point.
tabled in romance and poetry for its picturesque
ness, wherefrom amateurs in war and love drink In
sweet inspiration has here rival From the shady
hooks of Filtration Walk one catches glimpses Of
the winding river dotted here and there with lazy.
white-wineed schooners passing up and down. to
and from the great market OF the busy nation;
smaller craft with shaped course. that float
whittier the tide directs. with freights of merry
iders. and to the beholder the workday world IS
from A' ciaremont e the a same romantic S picture
meets the. eye, and one might well forget
About t's' mile below Caremont. from jutting
in the great wall, on clear day the Narrows Is
PLAIN to be seen; bird s.eye view OF the % wharves
and Jersey is also to be had while Just across the
river are Gutenberg. Weehawken. Pleasant Valley
Enr fhat tsIare
mansion has been used as hotel and in the ground
round about many happy, couples sauntered on
The sheltered seats down on the slope overlooking
the river. have been removed to make way for car
riage drive and grand promenade.
general idea of the work on the drive can be
given in q few words From Seventy y-second street
and the North River there far north as Man
hattanvle ridge of high ground. which slopes at
angle of thirty degrees to the rivers edge. Mid
way between the of the ridge and the waters
edge. accommodating itself to the undulating sur
face has been built stono wall, varying in height
from 40 20 feet. The of the ridge has been
leveed away to fill i'll the back OF this wall. and
thus smooth roadway three miles IN length put
winding in graceful curves has been made Take 1t |
all in all this Is the widest roadway III |
America The plan contemplates four roads. which |
are divided ollows-First, skirting the eastern
limit OF the Park s street thrty-two feet wide. for
the accommodation of the residents OF the houses |
fronting westward; then there ntervenes strip OF
greensward varying IN breadth from ten to twenty |
feet; then comes the carriage way thirty-two feet |
wide. with centre plots which VIII be planted with
low shrubbery; next is equestrian way, sixteen |
feet wide. and finally the "wcst walk" promenade.
which varies in width from twenty forty Fl feet,
and is skirted by the paiapet Of the great stone
wall. 1t is proposed when more money is forth
coming, to transform the uninviting space between
the base OF the wall and the river into q park with
serpeutne walks. SO that the visitors the drive
and promenade will look down from their omincnce |
into a well kept garden At frequent points along |
the promenade this garden will 6c reached by great
stone stairways The railway. which passes along |
the river bank, will bo shut out from view by
shrubbery and wall win be built to prevent people
In state of spirituous Justification from tunbling
over. Where Stryker's Bay once ndented tho
land Il is proposed to establish marble basin about
five hundred feet square as boat landng. from
whence visitors may take excursions out ON the
river, or land in their boats. At present the
site OF this basin liz a mud hole and an cyesore; but
the engineer says that 1t can be converted iuto an
attraction. Overlooking the broad avenue ut present
are many indifferent houses; but the avidity with
which lots fronting the drive now sought,
and the magnificent prices paid for them.