New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-18
THE WORLDS FAIR
MERITS OF THE INwooD SITE.

| Central Railroad of New-Jersey. and other roads
leading TO New York City, visited Inwood yester-
| day. Thus far those transportation companies
which have inspected the site, IT is said, express
| themselves as favoring it. The Erie's tracks now
run TO point nearly opposite below Fort Lee. The
water AT the nearest point to the site, on the Hud-
son. is Of sufficient depth TO allow steamers TO
| land passengers. W. A. Cole, of the Transpor-
! tation Committee said yesterday that as the site
question was practically settled. the committee
pushing tie matter rapidly possible. The
lnwood Site he said being the only available one,
prevented the possibility of any charge that the
committee is favoring land Spectators. The trans
pOrtatIon companies are consulting rs to the
amo1nt of subscriptions they will make. IL Is de-
sired to 81 100000 at first. but the entire cost
of building. grading aud draining will .cost, it is
es mated. 100000.
j. James H. Croes Of the American Society of
Civil Engineers, asked Yesterday il he had read
the article III Mondays TRIBUNE giving an account
of "a visit to the proposed site of the Worlds Fair
Mr. Croes replied that he had read the article, and
| that i'm his estimation it fair IN its general
description and accurate in its details. Inasmuch
! a. Mr.. CTOes for seven years IN charge OF
the surveys and laying out of the city above One
and-Gfty- hfth-st., either as chief or d.
vision cngineer-for year of this time beng in
! immediate charge of the north end of the island.
and having occasion to 60 over every lnch OF me
| ground crticGllv-his opinions have substantial
| value The representative of The TRIBUNE, there
fore. made inquiries varIOuS subjects connected
| with the lnUOOd site, and Nr. CToes replied IN
| effect follows:
The Inwooi basin is surrounded on three sides
by hills from 100 to $50 feet high, end tie surmse
/ that il is an uncomfOrtaby warm depression vas
not incorrect. II was no eXaggerati0n 10 say that
the Harlem River is bordered ut low tide by broad
| mud flats. According TO examinations made by
| General Newton and published in his reports, the
! tides from the North and East Rivers meet Just
mere. and at the point OF confluence there VIII ne
! dead water and more than the average deposit OF
| mud. Ii the Hollow is drained into the Harlem he
current wond not suffice 10 carry oil the abundant
/ sewage which wCuld flow from grounds occupied ny
CITY fuli of people estimating the daily attendance
| at 100000 but II would noat back ana fOrth 10
| make the stream offensive and breed disease.
. " A portion Of this site selected ~ ore tlne
| by the Park Department Tor parade ground. Two
or three years later after negotiations rs 10 secur-
ing title 10 the property had begun, some encr@etlc
! opposition To the scheme was developer, ana law
! was passed repeating the authorizing act on me
| ground that the place was unfit and in4GceS>lbte'
and that the expense OF preparing II wO1ld be I'M
nessariV heavy. 1t was fOund that the grading OF
| sky three acres would require the removal Of
| half million cubic yards Of earth. An examIna-
! tion of the borders of Sherman Creek showed that
no structure of size can he erected here without
| five foriy feet CCep through winch TOd can De
As to transportation facilities, it be demon
stracd that the railroad extensions and connections
winch would required II The Fair X heldat lnWoOd
| would cost 80 10000 more than tine connections
with any otuer Of the sites whicl have Oeen nslu
cred, and the operation Of the Inwood cOnn"ciIons
| would cost. every day, Si.OOomore than Woald DC
required operate the roa.s 20 a"y Other site. MS
dos take into account tine difficulties 81 Dridg-
! ing The Harlem at this point, where according 10
laN, theTe must be draw twenty -fOuF 1eeJ dDuV6
hun-wltcT which will require the creation OF a ne"
/ grade Tor nall mile bacG each way. luis must be
done unless the law Is rep led-au0 IL So the river
/ improvements so long fought for must be delayed
Besides tins, the danger from uniting sour or I'VE
roads ON our stem: the annoyance and peru of cross
ing the freight tracks of the Hudson RIVER hoau on
| grade, a peril which every visitor and every
pound OF freight landing at the lnNood DOCKS WIZ
! be driven To encounter; the lack OF space on tho
g:Ounds for banding tnt accumulated rdi!oaq STOCK
| all uutr IN additional condemnation OF me Ih"2ou
site as IncoBN cnient 10 use the mlld 81 possible
| Mr. Croes thinks that Fleetwood is an excellent
connections to this pace could be LAID and operated
! more cheaply than to other Site
w. II. G.. Price, secretary of the Worlds FAR
! Commas on, conversation with a lKBUNE re-
porter Thursday, sad tnat II was probanie hat inc
selection OF lnWood "A site Tor the exhibition or
| 1883 would be final. Ii seemed to be as elIplble
/ situation cOuld be found.
" II u ohjec ed, Mr. Price, SAID the reporter
| is shat IN, and unsuted for summer exh' 0iuon"
" Mr.. Dyckmau. an old resident OF In ood' says
that M hottest days of summer 1T IS always cool
! at Iuw0od. Inc valley st{etc los across haiIeu
River and M 20 fonkers, aud breeze comes down
from THAI poiUt across the PLAN. linen there Is a
br.rZ. from the Harlem. There are also facilities
for blthI4c near the grounds in water with sandy
and pebbly bottom. Thai Is part Of the eXhi3ln0n"
River sufficient volume 10 carry Oh the sewoge
and refuse winch Will accumulate =
" NI. ~chwarZman, the engineer VINO had cha'gt
Of the drainage Of the ground al Philadelphia ana
thc di.poSl;iOn OF the building generally says that
the drainage at luwood Is sufficient and that lItte
expense Nlll be needed 20 lercct IT. lie IS 10 make
some further observations OF the ground with relcr
euce 10 the reception and distribution OF freight
and passengers before he viii be PREPARED 10 give
any details. r. Cornell White aud the Starln
Transportation people say they can handle more
pcouIe and with greater ease. at luwOOd than any
whore else on tue Island. The WAGER approach Is
excellent and a. 10 the land approach, tue Harlem
trains can come III curve NJ gOod gfadc, WIN
less trouble than anywhere else. 49,
What do the elevated railroad people say :!
Their charter cOnpels them 10 go 70 luwoOi.
and il will pay them to extend then lines. AS 10
the water front the site has one. 90 the Harlem,
and there is another the Hudson, less than hall
mile distant . -, ,
AS to the grade of the Tracts ii all that hao
been TcDTesentedT u
at Is very satisfactory in that regard. There is
not a more level piece of land the Island The
IucouaIlty of the ground incOnsIdeTaOlc and the
grading necessary Will be trfng. As the sou -
light and sandy this can be done with scoop, ana
al little cost Ihe land contains about 700 acres,
nh available. 1ucre VIII be no rocks 10 remove,
exceut what may be needed for foundations"
4. not some portion Of the ground marshv."
there is a little iulet which sets IN, known as
Sherman Creek but believe the soil Is SANDY and
Homes t0 the waters edge. That would not Indicate
,norshy land The Ugh Bridge reservoir IS near,
ana ag IL is much higher than the site, good water
can be taken 10 ali points OF the grouEd"
CENTRAL PARK AND TUE FAIR.
Mp THOMAS M'EGRATH LXPLAISs AND REAFFIIMs
HIS BsLlTY THAT The EXmBTTIoN OF 1888 CAN
Rr ur1p SUCCESSFULLY NOWHERE But IN 4
POTION or CENTRAL PARK.
ro me razor OF The Trtbuhe.
=