The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-28
City improvements.

law was passed by the Legislature OF
1880 authorizing the Board OF Estimate ana
ApportIonment to apply yearly, In addition
TO the ordinary appropriation, sum not
exceeding, In any one year, $4,000, OOO Tor tho
repavement OF certain streets In this CITY,
this authority to continue until such time
ma tho sum OF S60O00O0 should have been
expended. The work was placed under the
control OF the Commissioner Of Public
Works, but 1t was to be given out by con-
tract only and to the lowest bidder. Tho
Board OF Estimate and Apportonment has
1iven to Commissioner GIbRoY the requisite
authority, and he has closed, among other
less important contracts, those Tor paving
the following streets:
Rirhth avenue from Thirty fourth street TO Fifty
ninth street asphalt pavement. lSaooo
Canal street from Hudson street 10 the BoWery.
granite block pavement. i'''o's
East Broadway from Chatham square TO Grand
street granite block pavement. .....,.,...... $SOo
Elisabeth street entire from Bleeoker 70
Bnyard granite block pavement............... TaoS7
Park row from Frankfort street to Chatham
e1uare granite block pavsmont.............. e+e7e
S4eS 1871
Thus we SEQ that the amount necessary
for the requirement. Of these five streets is
nearly half q million. but the choice OF
streets seems to be judicious, and the sum
will, therefore, be well expended. In its
width and the amount Of Its traffic the
Eighth avenue Is the most important thor
ouRhfare upon the west side. Tho continuity
Of the Sixth and Seventh avenues Is broken
by the Central Park and the traffic on both
is interrupted. Tho Ninth avenue is oocu-
pied by the elevated railroad; the Tenth.
from Fifty-third street to Sixtieth, Is at q
grade 80 steep as to be little used by vehi-
Giles; and the Eleventh avenue is largely
given over to the freight traffic OF the Cen
trail Railroad, and Is broken by the freight
and transport stations Of that company at
Thirtieth street. The Eighth avenue, there
fore. remains the ono through, level wide,
and unencumbered avenue on that side OF the
town, extending from Fourteenth street to
the Harlem River When paved on the
most approved plan, with durable asphalt,
as provided for by the contract with the
Department of Public Works, 1t will make
splendid street, and Its enhanced useful
ness will benefit all that side Of the city.
Canal street has long been In need Of a good
pavement. 1t rests upon made ground. 1t
forms the natural line Of movement between
the river front on the west and the busy
and crowded east side. 1t Is a thorough
fare Of great width, and the only downtown
street below Houston which extends from
the North River to the Bowery.
East Broadway is wide throughfare. the
widest between the City Hall and Grand
street, and since 1t has passed to business
uses, the neod of new pavement has been
great. Elizabeth street runs parallel with
the Bowery, and Is next to it. With the
new pavement it will relieve the pressure
upon the Bowery, which Is soon to be in
creased by the introduction OF the cable sys-
tenn there. Park row leads directly to East
Broadway and the work Of repaving the lat
tor would be incomplete II not supplemented
by an equally good pavement in the former.
For the purposes OF traffic the two form a
continuous street leading directly from low
or Broadway to the extreme east district.
In the choice OF streets to be repaved, in the
selection of the kind of pavement. and in the
letting out Of tho contracts Commissioner
GILRoY has shown an intelligent knowledge
OF pressing public demands, and OF the func-
lions Of his office. We have no doubt that
the peoples investment of half million
In the granite and asphalt pavements will be
durable and remuncrative.