New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-11
TIE CONDITION or TIE BOULEVARD

TIE CONDITION or TIE ROULEVARD
There is no street or avenue in this city
whose condition is such disgrace to the au-
thorities as the great Western Boulevard run
ming north from Fifty-ninth ST. The Boulevard
ought to be one of the most attractive features
of the West Side. 1t consists of two wide
driveways, divided from each other by grass
plots set their entire length with trees. If the
original design had been carried out, dnye
or walk along the Boulevard would be a con-
slant delight by reason Of the broad driveways,
the well-kept lawns, the noble ems. But the
fact is that although millions Of dollars have
been spent upon the Boulevard, to-day finds the
grass plots so shochingly neglected and the
trees so menaced by telegraph-wires that 1t IS
positive eyesore.
If there happens to be an intelligent New
Yorker who is laborng under the impression
that Tammany Hall is not as bad as she is
painted, is not to be regarded as synonyme
for incompetency, inefficency and disregard OF
the best interests Of the metropolis, let him
make the tour of the Boulevard. The impression
most likely will have vanished by the time he
has finished the task, and he will be ready to
believe anything of an organization whose repre-
sentatives deliberately and needlessly allow one
of the city's great thoroughfares shamelessly to
degenerate. Has the Department OF Public
Works, which is charged with the duty of taking
care of the Boulevard, any excuse to offer for
the condition in which it is to be found to-day?
Plainly not. The grass plots along Riverside
Drive, which arc in charge of the Department
of Parks, are carefully looked after; it is
pleasure to look at them. A few hundred feet
east of the Riverside Drive is the Boulevard,
whose grass plots are so grossly neglected that
many of them are but barren, unsightly wastes.
Is the Department of Public Works less compe-
tent than the Department Of Parks, or what is
the trouble? Organic shiftlessness, perhaps. But
the neglect of the grass plots, although just
cause for general indignation, is not the chief
offence of the authorities whose duty it is to
take care of the Boulevard. They are doing
even worse by the trees. North of Eighteth
ST., between the two rows of elms which stand
in the grass plots, telegraph poles have been
erected These poles carry large number Of
wires, which necessarily play the mischief with
the trees, breaking or bruiSng the boughs which
are brought in contact with them. Already
serious damage has been done to not few
noble elms, and unless the wires are removed
altogether large number of them along the
entire line north of Eghtieth-st. will be peEma-
nently injured.
Are the owners Of these telegraph lines in
different to the public odium which they will
incur if they cause the destruction of these fine
treets? Are they aware that they are engaged
in running public property which cost the city
vast sum of money? 1t is said that the Fire
Department is largely responsible for the exist
ing outrage that if it would consent to remove
its own lines the others would not long survive.
One can hardly believe that Department which
has so firmly intrenched itself in the public
confidence by faithful service would willingly
do anything calculated to bring disaster to one
Of New-Yorks most important thOroughfares.
But just so long as it maintains its wires among
the elms of the Boulevard just so long the Fire
Department must be regarded as hostile to the
prosperity of the Boulevard. 1t has been sug-
gested that the lines be removed to Tenth-ave.
The proposition would seem to be feasible, since
that avenue is already abundantly supplied with
poles capable of supporting many additional
wires. But, in any event, some measures ought
to be adopted without loss of time looking to
the protection of these trees, for once destroyed
they are not likely to be replaced 1t is high
time the Boulevard received the consideration
to which it is entitled