New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-10

THE PROTECTION or TIFIH JLNC
| 1t is advisable that hOuseholders in Fifth
ave. should keep watchful eye on all the
street railroad schemes. Only by vigilance and
resolution can they make sure that the one
tboroughfare which should be jealousy
Guarded from steam-cars, hOrsc-cars, cable
! cars and every other form of cars, il any exists
! shall remain free and unObstructcd from Wash
| ngtOn Square to the Harlem River. The man
| ner in which the various schemes TO get posses
sion of Broadway have been pushed should
! impress on every citizen the Importance OF
resisting even the rcm0tcSt attempt mt en-
croaclmcnt on Fifth-aye. The discussions and
disclosures of the last few days have shown that
! the proceedings Of the companies concerned
have not been marked by that franllness as to
plans and that consideration as to private
rights which should be insisted upon before
great public franchises are granted. The
operations of the men whose scheme has found
favor with the Aldermen have been sinuOus, TO
say the least.
If any effort is made to include Fifth-avc.
among the parts of the city where the comfort
and enjoyment of residents are to be sacrificed
to the demands of trade, it is certain that Our
Aldermen cannot be trusted to cheek if. The
reckless generosity with which they give away
privileges of almost inestimablc value indicates
either amazing dulness to public interests or
detestabe eagerncSs to make the most OF
their positions for private gain The men
who have cast cOvctOus eyes on the
noble thOIOughfare that now stretches
unbrOken, along the backbone of Manhattan
Island, are full of resources, quick to make use
ofevery device, and not always scrupulous as
to the means by which they may acquire their
ends They can get the consent of the Alder
men to the LAYING of tracks in Fifth-aye. easily
enough by working i'll ways already far too
familiar. If certain arguments are used
on a sufficient scale our Common Council
stands ready, fear, to give away
Central Park itself. The only security
for Fifth-ave. lies in such an express
sion of public sentiment that no commission
shall venture to report in favor Of any scheme
to surrender ever so little of the avenue TO
railroad.
1t was suggested that certain method of con-
struction by which the wheels OF car run
under the surface of the street, while
the body of the car is above ground, will
do away with the objections to
railroad on Murray Hill, since there would be
no tracks to Obstruct caria ges-nothing but
narrow slot, in which the hoofs of horses or the
wheels of carriages could not catch. This is a
crotesoue misconception of the whole matter.
1t is not against cable road, a hOrse-car road
a road in the air or a road underground
that New-York insists on the protec-
ton of Fifth-ave., but against a rail
road of any class, form nature whatever
To give up the pride of the city, one Of the
handsOmest and most attractive avenues III the
world the only unobstructcd approach to New
YOrk's great pleasure ground, to any line OF
cars, no matter what may be the motive power
or the methods of construction, would be Il
blunder of the sort that is worse than a
crime. 1t is not only the owners of
property or the occupants of houses i'll
the avenue who are interested in re-
ssting any such scheme to the utmost. 1t is
for the benefit and advantage of the whole city
that at least this one thOrOnghfare shall be kept
clear of Instructions, disliguremcnts and dcgra-
dations of any kind II should always remain
the part ofthe city which New Workers can show
to travellers from abroad and visitors from
other towns with qualification and pride. Under
no prctence and by no trick or device should
any railroad company be allowed totouch foot
Of il.