The sun., 1892-10-30

traverse some extent, dIStuTSsntsSss t6S, tSs
sronud ,ass anntGpif. nnG iGn. % % sabs traction
this would tc bold G5sdlet2n Ere ssn !nne T%e
inHSeSSanShis %HproSaSis V that ' Ss S'
Wholly under ground. That other improve
T 'e sues ss II issSt '5S
side Of the % city. that is an anachronsm WHICH
+ certain to disappear before long. The rroh.
way other than tnat. and no similaI S;,ao wSrf TO
that will ever DO seen again on Manhat'an
Island.
| STREET BUILDING
No moro important problem. and few that
are more complex enters into the conss,trT,nc. s,T,i,,
ton OF an ideal city thnn the propor Gni!dtihnE thf
has RRi .s Increased in eomplexity at asonlshing
rate within the last few years. 1t is no LONGER
tS tier road "a haSos should Te
" graded and properly paysd hEhYay has ise
manded man aIu sIccsssivciy ] the disrpution within
city limits OF water. gas. electricity. steam steam
for heat for rciriceration ana ,h f1r sSS rSwSSr
Enens Eseh one Of y these demands has increased the
mSnds space for its passage. and that space
has to be found along the roadways. either
fISctom or have ncressei Street railroads with
horses and with cables have been introd9c,eiu. ,i,,
hs yS%e srnsts az GrGh' srs city n
crease with the citys growth. so That nova,
| days pavements that were amply strong ana
durable once are no longer to be consiaefeu
In tho ideal city 9! the future the streets will
sidcratons. with tho poss! bile, eli,ninnti,on. oi
gas and the horse railroad. What Will DO the
ssPs S hsF is mot The
low ground has been made high. the hign
s bssn bsn SJG IN 9% on e a
until it approximately the desirable iove! az, ~,
most everywhere. Certain detects there arr aTG
10 remedicd In time. without serious difficulty
or disproportionntely great outlay: certain ~,
CITY cit that are likeiyto remain residence quar-,
ters for all time SuSn GradpS IA as asa'hs 10
Assuming the grade. and such wiieningz, and nd
| Strengthening OF certain streets as shRii ne
ut strucei T on the ideal plan: 1t is worth while
before answering that. to glance at whut nus
| been done in tho last five years.
| Prior to that period it cannot be said that
| there had been any compromising piali oi
IN ase o nS arces BEEN
done had been OF n makeshift character: and ma
s9reets l9[ 6na Ssen 0r raud gns
from neglect so much as by reason OF me m
| creasing demands made upon the street space.
the roads in order when all that lay neneath
| the surface were the gas and water pipes ana
the sewers. But then began tho Introduction q,
! tubes. cable trenches refrigeration tubes. and.
lost serious OF all, the great system Of electric
| subways. cam ono ait er another to disturb the
surface and ruin the ravenents.
These difficulties we're comparatively, y, now thS
| when Tammany Hall reCained control o., the
new lease o, power it was confronted with the
nsnins a h,s hn worR and the ii
n minimum without in,e1ferinG with the
VAS" was called d. ON on to inaururate new i'm:
rrovements in the way Of ravcments, Niles
inside %drn tho sS, T limits sfa had rsn besn
neglected so that important thoroughfares
were well nigh impassabe. few years more
Jered the condition Of the Git; ruinops
Terhaps the Sreacst tsuy in the way Of
lay in the fact that all the different under
ground services were necessarily carried on
by different none With ni wnyh nv Of foa tha
HIsts PIhs Of "a any !vea ether rms IN in
street would be torn up for considerable
time to carry on one particular line Of work.
pavement relaid. and the stree! cleaned. some
other CORPORATION would apply for permit to
Sad the sht
it was almost impossible to enforce any har-
mony Of action among them.
In this condition OF affairs It was determined. 3D.
repavement Fl a large part Of tn, city, The
thus devolved upon the Department Of Publ:
Works were greater than had ever before been
imposed upon it.. twas only after the most
gradually reduced to something like II system.
and the required new pavelnents were laid
is not t" Claimed that the perfection Of til" ideal
was reached. The conditions and limitations
OF the municipality rendered ideal perfection
Impossible. 80 long as the present condition ot
things shall continue it will unuuestiorably
be necessary sometimes to open the streets
sibility Of some now invention being ntro-
duced. ,whic will demand stll another under
kat this wifi 'S ss s ba IS
many years since the distribution of steam
and electricity for power. heat. and light was
But i the results fall short Of perfection
they ever were before. The work is incom-
plcte rs yet. tut ten years NOR" OF an adm n
s'rnt%n OF tpammnng " csanc W place the city
Even then the idea, will not be realized. i
will only b" Indicated. but tho Indication will
be plain enough to enable our citizens to IN
ideal city street is ono that shall h" wiio
odough 10 accommodnte its traffic: graded
and paved SO as to allow all water to run from
It's surfncc: clear OF AL obatructions to travel.
light. or mir. and recommendations for all tho
extra services which necessarily ina room in
tho street space OF ncity. inns nccommoda.
tion. moreover will he OF kind tint will not
time after It is once !nil.
This last qualification n"ccssitatcs that
there shall Re some means OF access to tho
underground works other than tearing up tho
pavcments for II is in"vi'aI lr that 50 long as
there arc underground works "cras!on"l re-
pairs will ho necessary. Necessary although
it Is to make such repairs. tho present mode
81 ACCOMPLISHING th"m. viz. the tearing up Of
the pavrlncnls. is brntnlly clumsy and inrou-
vcncnt. and Will certainly be nlNiat"i in tho
ideal city. As has been said already. there are
Improvements 50 expensive in their IirSt cost
that no politician would venture TO propose
them. an! this. In the present stage Of en-
gnnering development, Is s!lrh n ono. II Is AN
Improvement that will doubtless come in I mo
TO New York. but tn" initiative viii TO taken
by private citizens. not by oncehOlders.
The only suggestion vet maic in this line
which seems nj all feasible. is that u vinduct
shall be constructed under al! the main streets
oi tho city. which shall be u su uflicjcnt acitv
to contain all the underground works. and also
give sUnre for workmen to traverse il when
ever inspection or repairs .of any OF these
works Shall be necessary such u construc-
tion would be 80 enormously costly that opir-
ions differ rs to tho adysnblity oi ii. yet it is
not hard to see thnt II 1t were completed il
would be Of groat value. Whether the v,lUn
would be commensurate with tn" cost may
well be debated, but it may be Justly called tho