Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-10
Grants Rurial Place

NOT A PARK AT ALL, BUT THREE MILE
DRIVE.
n. Y Correspondence of the Springfield Republican.
viii you please kindly give space to a de-
scription of Riverside Drive" for the possible
satisfaction of the $4,000, 900 Of the people OF
the Urited States who do not live In New Yorke
It seems to me that the phrases which have
been lately used In speaking of 1t, such "acres
of land, )" "unimproved ground" and park are
calculated to give an entirely false impression
AS Is well known the Hudson River railroad
follows the curves of the river on its east shore.
Just at the river edge is a narrow strip of land
but little elevated above the water. From this
fiat strip, the land rises quite steeply to the
level Of the city. Along the eastern edge of the
plateau from about 18th street TO 125th street,
goes by the name of the Riverside drive. It
consists Of two parallel broad, macademized
carriage roads, separated by a narrow strip of
what is intended to be grass, in which small
trees have baen planted, now maintaining a
precarious and disheartening existence. For
about half the length OF these two roads, q
bride path is laid out at the side.
Startling then from the lower end and driving
up, you have on your right scattered houses or
and which are really the western end Of the
lots fronting on 10th avenue. On your left you
have stone wall which has been built ON the
the river and its opposite shore. From the con-
tinuous lines of trains on the river shore below
you hear the noise but see only the clouds Of
125th street you reach its end at a sort of
rounded point, from which you can see, as has
been said, both up and down the river Just
here stands the old house which once received
Lafayette as its guest, and which has lately been
converted into q public restaurant, The grass
around 1t Is worn. A few trees edge the plateau
here, but they can be called neither large
nor thick, as they scarcely obstruct the
view of the river. A macadamized road
is now being built around and Just
below this house to the north and west
to enable carriages to drive around it, and SO to
return by the same route. Just beyond and be-
low are paint factories and the houses Of Man
hattanvflle On your way up you will probably
have met two or three park policemen on foot
and one mounted officer. These have detected
air, as they are thus exiled from the gayety of
Central park for q month You will have met
on the whole distance, perhaps q dozen vehicles
and two or three people on horseback. The
view from the road is very fine. One reason
why the drive is SO little used is undoubtedly
that to reach it and to return to the city you
must drive under the tracks Of the elevated
road with trains running at very short and reg
ular intervals. Another objection Ii the absO-
lutte lack of shade. It Is q favorite parade
ground of bicyclers and you viii have seen
some children and . few loungers leaning over
the wall.
By this account, It will be perceived, that
Riverside drive ID simply q road, hard and
without shade, which ends ct q spot Of green
grass, much of which has been destroyed to Sc
cure curve by which to 60 round the restau-
rant. And this IL the place, this public drive,
where the family of Gen. Grant are willing To
have q father and mother buriedi A.