The sun., 1892-10-30
THE IDEAL GREAT CITY.
COMAfIsSIONER GTLRoY DISCUSSES A
QUESTION OF MON INTEREST.

QUESTION OF mon INTEREST.
Tia Position or Now York IA Its Relation
. to the Ideni- what This CITY 10 a.d
What II May Be-so~s Details of I'm
provenents Yet TO no Aecompiished-
Needs OF the Water side-New streets
ssd I.proved sirsets-Certnia Streets
for Ce-tnia Tramc- Rapid Transit-R.ii.
way Tcrminni,-Tho New Pavements-
Possibility yorsubwnys-The Finy Parks
Bridges, Dwellings. md uhiic Iuiidings.
In sketching tho ideal OF q city that Is hui
manly possible. there need DO no account
taken Of trnnscendental PROJECTIONS. So long
as civilization continues men will dwell to-
gether in cities and human imperfections
must necessarily mar the superexcollonces TINT
might be Imagined but could not DO mnin-
tained. 1t is only intended to outline. in this
sketch. those desirable fenturcs which aro en-
tirely practicable. and which will. In the near
or distant future. be demanded Of n Hrst-c class
city government. And no reference Is hero in.
tended to tho political or social conditions or
regulations OF the citizens. Only the material
structure will be considered. and such an az
Rregation Of buildings and public works do
scribed. as may be built for money and as
would make city lke desirable in all material
aspects.
New York is not an ideal city. 1t Is ,mpos-
sible In the nature OF things that It should be
SO now. but It may be said freely that It has
many natural qualifications for being one. and
that in many respects It is approaching the
ideal faster than any other large city in the
world. Probably It will never be perfect, oven
according TO tho standard Of the present ideal.
but 1t seems probable that tho twentieth CEN
tury will see 1t nearer to perfection than any
other. Its water front. its possibilities OF per-
feet drainage. tho confguration OF its ground.
and its ready accessibility ON all sides for all
purposes combine to facilitate improvement.
Moreover. the appreciation which is felt by Its
citizens OF the improvements already made or
making Is II sufficient guarantee that the work
Of improvement will be kept UP.
1t must be remembered that 1t Is not possi-
Bile to push tho work VI municipal improve
ment beyond a limited speed. Not only is time
an essential part Of all engineering calcula-
tions. but the cost OF much Of the work is enor-
nlously great 1t Is too great to be borne by
any ono generation. and even II the wisdom OF
oil the improvements desirable should be nd
mitted no tax levy or issue Of bonds would be
tolerated by the community that would be
commensurate with the cost Neither would
any man. engaged in practical politics. dare to
propose or advocate. before the time was ripe.
works that would call for such tremendous
outlay as will certainly be made in the future.
Human nature Is too distrustful. and he would
realize that he would incur the suspicion OF his
constituency. A charge OF jobbery would In
svitably be brought against him. and matter
how clean his hands. or how honorable his In
tentions might be. he would be utterly unable
to disarm suspicion.
Moreover. tho work OF municipal improves
ment cannot be allowed to ntcrefere too great
ly with tho comfort and business interests OF
tho citizens. even temporarily. A certain
amount OF Inconvenience. and oven loss. is in
svitable. and any undue pushing Of the work
would cause losses beyond comparison with
the benefits to the individual. This Is truth
which New Workers have learned to appreciate
thoroughly within the past few years. when
the use OF certain streets has been subjected
to such serious interference
For these reasons it is inevitable that pro-
gress will be made somewhat slowly. and it
will oven happen that much Of the work that
will be found to be necessary will cost much
moro when it shall como to be done than it
would cost II it could be done now For tho
city will grow. and the inconveniences as we'll
rs the engineering difficulties must increase
with that growth. Fortunately. however. the
demand for such improvements grows
stronger also from year to year. at least in
cost the public will demand. ono after another.
those works which nre needed to make New
York what it should be. What tho New York
public demands 1t GETS sooner or later. and 1t
is therefore us certain as anything earthly
that the approach to the ideal already spoken
OF will 60 on steadily at least until this shall
be equal or superior to any other city in the
world
In order to do all this. the public requires only
that education which comes from the enjoy
ment Of such improvements as are already
made. 1t is well known that any community
learns to appreciate. and to use with general
propriety. al conveniences that are provided
forit and not only this. but learns from one
Improvement to demand another. 1t Is also
necessary. In order that there shall be no set
backs or serious Interruptions to the march OF
improvement. that there shall be no taint Of
jobbery ana no serious failure OF honesty or
efficiency attaching to tho execution OF the
work. The popular Indignation which is sure
to be aroused by anything OF this description
Is the m ost serious hndrance that can be en-
countered.
ConcedinG. however that tho work will 60
on. and that future generations will certainly
SEQ New York consormcd as nearly as possible
to tho conditions OF the city ideal. 1t Is matt er
of great interest to consider some OF the de-
tails OF Improvement remaining to be accom-
plished Before proceeding to this. 1t Is we'll
70 notice that there nre certain features that
will probably remain through time practically
Is thoy now are. which features might have
been improved somewhat il tho original rlan
ofthe city had been better considered. These
aro mainly related to tho laying out OF
the streets. which doubtless might hnve
been better in some quarters. II our
forefathors had realized what New York
was to be- Tho widening or Strengthening OF
street after it has been solidly buided up is
very eSIensive and troublesome. and it Is very
possible that in certain quarters OF the city
the cost will always remain disproportionate
to tho benefits that would be derived In some
respects. OF which this orc Is . sample. New
York will therefore fall short. as all human
work usually does fall short. OF realizing the
Ideal. In nearly all tho essential particulars.
however. New York may be perfected. and 1t Is
probable that the five hundredth anniversary
oi the discovery Of America will be celebrated
In city such as the world has never yet seen.
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION.