New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-07-03
DEspoIL1NG BROOKLYN STREET


AND LAYING A NEW PAVEMENT.
Washington. st., Brooklyn, is in state OF violent
eruption. For two OF three blocks up from the
Bridge terminus il looks like cross-sectioh OF
repaving and widening of the roadway. Ever since
the Bridge was planned there has been more OF Tess
talk of widening this street II has oeen PROPOSE
that ten or fifteen feet should be added 10 IL,
on the westerly side, from Sands,st. to the CITY
Hall But this would cost considerable, and SO
after looking over the ci MounSw or iaIel tSc
Board of Aldermen and finally Mayor Low, came to
the conclusion that the best thing TO be done was
to take foot from each sidewalk and add u 10 the
roadway. ,,,
There are-or, rather, there were until this work
begali-some fine trees in hington-st.-elms'
horse-cbestnuts, naples and aiantuses mostly.
being cut down and pulled up by the roots: VI
course the people who own houses IN the street ana
live in them-for Washngton-st. was once one OF
given place to tho march of business as 1t probably
will in a few. ycars-are greatly grleved TO
see the trees whose growth they have watched
complaint that the proposed widening of two feet
will do little, if any, to relieve tho thoroughfaie
which ia the natural and easy approach 70 inc
city the full width of the sidewalk VIII be needed.
Yesterday a TRIBUNE repcrterwatched for time
the operations of tho men who areIfcr the time at
ieast-despoing the street. The old cObble.stone
pavement has been taken up and granite docks are
piled up on the sidewalks TO take the place of those
removed. Huge Telegraph poles lnat stoou AZ thc
curb, supporting forty or fifty wires, were moved
back foot OF mole with little trouble. The earth
was excavatcd around them and they were
simply pushed along, without causing any ser-
rio As disturbance of the wires. Other men were
engaged in chopping down the trees. From the
larger treos the principal branches were removed
before the trunks were cut down; but when q
smaller tree was attacked rope was hitchcd
around It, men went to work with axes and as soon
as it was partly cut through half a dozen men
pulled Justify upon the rope until the tree gave
way and came crashing down. he branches were
then trimmed off in short order. and the trunk was
sawed up and carted away to a woodward. Mean
while there great delay on the two lines of
horss-cars that run through the street. For long
periods il was impossible for them to make pro-
grcss When the rope fastened to tree was
stretched across to the opposite sidewalk a car
would slowly creep along under it as it was lifted
occasionally coming 10 a full stop in order to re-
lease the rope from its head-gear.
ut seems too bad" said a bystauder to have
those trees cut away. The appearance of the street
will be spoiled. But then Won can't have trees III
business street, aud Westinghouse is sure to be-
come a business street moro and more. In private
streets belicve the more trees have the better
and wouldn't live IN a house if there wasn't tree
in front of it. Two feet will not help this street
much. but the additional space will give room for
carriages TO stand between the railroad tracks and
the curhsfODc.v