New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-22
BUILDING A NEW CITY.
IMPROVEMENTS BEYOND THE HARLEM.
now THE ANNEXED DISTRICT WILL SOON AP
PEAR-PLANs OF TIE CoMMIssIONERs.

in OF the lower parts o. the city but in all parts
OF the district works OF improvement In progress,
filing in cutting ont STREETS laying pavements or
building sewers Nearly the whole district is yet in its
village state ntersected Will winding roads, shaded BY
massive old trees. dozen suburban villages like
fremont, Morrisania. Forilam. Melrose and River
dale Just awakening from the sleep Of a century.
Another senson Of uninterrupted work like the pres
ent and the city beyond the Harlem will be well
advanced.
The public work OF the Annexed District is all
under the direction Of the Park Department When
this portion Of Wcstchoster became part OF New York,
II was regarded only as great park as big as Man
haitian Island; and its jurisdiction was relegated TO
the Park Commissioners. But with Its railroads and
improvements and ITS population now estimated at
nearly 100000, the district IS rapidly getting beyond
the Park Department and will need the special
supervision Of the city government All the expenses
for repairs provided for directly by appropriation
These repairs are under the direction Of superintendent
Emmett Of the Park Department But this work does
not Involve outlay of than 5000 900 year,
which, although steadily Increasing does not compare
with the now work that is being done in changing the
country into part Of the city Tho expense Of open
Ing new streets paving them and building sewers is
provided for by assessments the property which is
benefited. c. H. Myers, the engineer OF construction,
has the supervision under the Park Department, Of
all work OF this character But the Board OF Street
Opening has to pass every street before 1t can be
opened for Improvement, and the Board Of Aldermen
must first direct the paving of street before the work
can be undertaken
The number Of techncalltIes 10 be overcome has
been the of much delay in all branches of work
Many OF the streets which follow the Of the old
country roads found be without any Title and
long and tedious proceedings were necessary open
them according to the law. Now legislative act has
been secured which VIII obviate some Of this delay
and the work. # Is expe i'd VIII make rapid prog
ress.
THE WORK TAKING on \ DEFINITE SHAPE
Under the direction Of Engineer Myers within two
years the public work has been taking d,inite
shape. In that period about 81 100000 has been
pended in new work and with the close of The
present season large portion of what was
projected two years ago VIII be
plced. The work itself Is all done by pub
lie contract, given TO the lowest responsible bidder
The engineer and his dozen assistants employed
in making maps and discovering the lines Of the
streets and drains. and the engnecrn-chlef and lis
inspectors occupied in seeing that all contracts
are carried out in accordance with the terms imposed
By the city.
Most OF the important work has been done on the
cas- side and the lower end OF the district near the liar
lem Bridge which IS the nearest to the city proper and
the more largely built up The first and greatest work
has been the building Of sewers The main trunk
sewers and many OF the branches are finished,
or nearly and sections which year ago
nothing than malarious marshes are now dry
and healthy. The sewerage system Of the new city
Will be ono Of the complete that has yet been
built On this country and IN respects Will be
hardly inferior to the Paris sewers In building the
sewers the natural water courses were followed az
nearly as possible and the section divided into
districts corresponding TO the water courses In the
largest OF these IS NH Brook, which begins
in Westchcster County, and by the time II reaches the
city limits Is large enough to float good sized boat
In tho last century r. OF -four mills. II is
said that nearly $4,000 of surface drainage
found an outlet in NH Brook. In addition to this f.
became the drainage for the houses and brcwees that
were built and the stacnant water made the en-
tire neighborhoOd unhealthy.
The Brook ave. sewer was first built at the mouth
Of MIL Brook where 1t emptics Into the Har-
lem River. 1t Is for most OF its length where II
carries tho full volume Of the old stream. twelve feet
in diameter The walls are made Of brock heavily
backed with stone: two-horse team could drive its
whole length without Inconvenience. The mouth
Of the sewer is cut into sections through which the
tide water rises and falls Where the sewer does not
follow the vndlnS OF tho brook land drain has been
laid 10 carry OF the surface water. Beyond Brookave
the Webstcravc sewer follows tho bed Of MIL Brook
and turns the stream into the large sewer The Web
sterave has a diameter Of seven feet gradually
reduced as II goes higher mp tho district II is now
about Two miles long and Will be continued It Is
needed TO the city limits. Along tho routo smaller
sewers into this trunk from the streets. An
other large to he built through Rairoadav
to drain the Ice Pond dlstric and through Ryder
ave-, Just finished, will carry OF the drainage which
has heretofore emptcd into the Mott Haven Canal
and made that stream a nuisance.
WHAT KIND OF BUILDINGS Will BT ERECTED.
In MorrSsania, along Thrdavc. and adjoining
thoroughares, largo brick buildings attractive
OF homes. factories and public structaps have been
erected within two years. giving tho neghhol hood as
compact appearance many OF the older parts Of
Ncw-York Wills and Brook ayes are broad. well
paved tLOIouslfaies The old Boston Road las bron
wfdened and It is boricred with handsome houses
which are surrounded With broad lawns and great
trees so rarely seen IN NewYork thoroughfarcs ono
feature Of the Annexed District Will be the number Of
small houses like those OF Philadelphia instead Of brick
tenenents like those In tho lower part OF the city.
There ample room for the city to spread The land
will be relatively cheap and within the means Of those
who have small incomes
In Bedford Park some Of these homes have already
been built The Bese Improvement Company is to
build more south OF ST. Mary's Park on tho east side
The Astors have largo trsc OF land which they are
improving for such purposes in the centre Of the Dis
trict. Frederick w. Devoc, In Fordham Intends to
build number Of similar houses, and the Tilden
estate, Andrew II. Green's Waldo Huchlns's and other
large tracts Will be improved In year two, as the
facilities for reaching the district become better
The new city will have breathing spaces besides
4 600 acres OF public parks. The parks Van
COrtlandt. Pelham CrOOna and ct. Msry's VIII prob
ably come into the cfys possession the first Of the
year. smaller parks are provided all over the
district. About the Harlem River the buildings will
be largely warehouses and factories conveniently stu
ated for shipping, and the Government work on the
Harlem RIVER Canal has already started Improvements
al along the river front IN the shape Of piers.
HOW TRAVEL WILL BE MADE EASY.
Railroad facilities are keeping pace with other I'm
provcments. The Suburban Elevated Road expects
TO have its line in operation 10 Forlham next winter
a distance OF nearly five miles from the Harlem at
Second ave. The New York and Northern Railroad
through the west side OF the district Yonkers
and will open stations for way traffic fast needed
New surface lines being built every year
Perhaps the greatest improvement in the district s
the shining Of the tracks Of the Harlem Railroad
nearly half done, which will enable the road to give
better and larger facilities for rapid transit trains