New-York tribune., 1894-10-23
FLATBUSH-AVE. EXTENSION.
THE PROBLEM CONSIDERED FROM
COMMON-SENSE POINT OF VIEW.
THE NEED OF RELIEF FOR THE MOST CROWDED
PART OF FrLTON-sT. IMPERATIvE-No
Use OF TRYING MAKEsHIFTs OR

4 good deal or interest Is leit ny tHc pc'P'' N'
BROOKLYN in the plans for the relief ot fu'oh-s''
nv the extension of Flatbushave. or in some other
way other plans have been proposed, some Oh
which are notifications OF this, while some SEEK
10 solve the problem by different method. IL Is
agreed on all sides however. that something must
be done as speedily possible to prevent the over
crowding Of Futon-st between the city Hail ana
Flatbush-ave.. which has become excessive ana Il
the cause of much delay and annoyance.
The commission recently appointed by the Mayor
10 consider this question and report upon IL Is COM
posed OF intelligent who have gone ABOUT their
work in an intelligent way and with desire 10 hhd
out what Is best for the city in view OF all the ex-
listing circumstances. Recently an effort was made
TO show that Mayor Schieren was committed 10
the proiect of cutting Flatbush-ave through in a
straight line to the Bridge. AS citizen II Is uh-
doubtedly true that Mr. Scheren has certain con-
vctions on the subject the result OF his interest IN
the city and his desire to promote its welfare But
II is a fact that in his official capacity he mas
given his adherence to no special plan
The commission which has been requested 10 act
IA nurely advisory in its functions and its members
are giving their time 10 this work without COM
pensatlon simply because OF their regard Tor the
welfare Of Brooklyn and their desire 70 ASSIST inc
Mayor in reaching solution Of problem or great
and growing Importance. 1t does not appear that
the members OF the commission are committed 10
any particular plan of action. although one OF them
has rather strenuOusly insisted on the widening OF
Livingstonst. as the simplest and cheapest way OF
providing an additional outlet for uaVel that no"
has TO pass through Fulton-st
IIvIneston-st lies one block south OF Fulton-s ana
parallel with II from Nevins-st to Boerum Pace
Several of the big drygoods houses on the prin-
cipal thoroughfare Of the city run back to lAv-
tngston-st the rear Of the stores being used for
.heir delivery wagons etc. The consequence Is tha
L.vngston-st.. a narrow and poorly paved thoroush
fare is pretty well blocked up in parts ALREADY ana
even II 1t were widened by forty feet on the south
side there would scarcely be room enough even then
TO afford much relief for Fulton-st Besides the
traffic going through that street would be forced
hack into Fulton-st. near the City Hail. Tor IL Is
Idle TO s,Ippose that people would be WILING 10 go
so far out OF their way as would be necessary u
they had to get the Bridge by either Chntonst or
Henry-st The widening OF Livingston-st could DE-
no better than a temporary makeshifi at the best
and while the estimated cost of this work Is less
than that of some Of the other projects II IS aI'o-
gether likely that 1t would prove much more eH-
pensve than is now supposed
member Of tine city government VINO d'n not
care TO be quoted in connection with the matter
talked about II freely the other day ana WAS out
spoken in his declaration that nothing bat the eN-
tension Of Flabush-ave 10 or nearly to the FiiSe
terminus would meet the demand and supply the
needs OF the city
There is no use of talking about it,. he re-
marked with emphasis relief has got to he pro
vided for Fulton-st. and the way ~ 10 " Is 10
shorten the distance between Flathush-aNe. ana
the Bridge. ANY who looks even casuaiS ~
the map Of Brooklyn must see that this is the
natural and necessary solution Of the problem thai
confronts us This talk about widening Livingston
st and S., making q roundabout way ~ me hrHse
is as Idle as 1t Is shor,-sighted. We must pr'Vl'e
for the future as vel as for the immediate present
This work must be done sooner or iater' ana ''e
time t. do IL is now /, ought 10 have been done
ten or a dozen years ago "heh the ht''t' ""' az
proacning completion
"Aboye Flatbush-aye there Is no difficulty. ani the
trolley ears run fast enough But belo" that point
there Is a constant congestion which must he re
moved These other projects ihat are hlKe1 "i
would undoubtedly In the end cost as ""'h as
cutting F.atbush-ave. rsht through ana 'h'' "o"'
be far less satisfactory
"s,,e ,irrc ago there was talk about private
company being formed To- buy up the land on the
lin. OF the proposed extension II "as ID acquire
a strip 80 feet vide. give the city l@l f"'t Tor
street and then sell out the rest That WAS 4 pretty
scheme but 1t would not Boo practicable pubic I'M
movements must be made AZ pubic expense BE
.i1.s su,b q, c,rpan, would meet with insuImount-
able obstacles It would have and cou.i have no
mower Of condemnation. and II certain owners were
unwilling sell the Company ""ul '4'h'T d.
booked entirely or else have - pay enormous
prices For instance. the Jay-si chth'lraI -
one Of the building that VIII have 10 be- removed
course IL could not b. bought unless two or three
rrires war. paid for IT, l. would be- great ihiug
II the city could condemn strip 30 feet wide make
the desired Improvement AMI then s".i on the ihhH
II would ~; need each side ~ the new street
Bat that is something We cannot DO. We can only
condemn property for public purposes ana c'Hi
no, sell of a foot. Ny own idea though. would be
10 use the small CORES. etc. that would be made Dy
the extension FOR publc purposes-;o convert thein
into ntie parks. would deal thus with every piece
of land not more than ~ per cent OF city lot We
have too few small parks and ought 10 ADJ 10 the
number. as We readily could In this way
Instead Of widening and extending i.lberty-si. 50
As TO make an approach 70 the Bridge from Clinton
st. IL would IN my Judgment have peen fir beil~I
+, spend the money used there on the F.atbush-ave
extension The Lberty-st. improvement Is gooi
enough in its way but it not absolutely needed
as this other is The only question In regard to
the extension of Faibush-ave is as 10 the cost and
whether the city can AFFORD 1t. ! know II Will in
vo.ve a large expenditure but II seems to me that
as a matter OF fact ;he city cannot AFFORD not To
make IT,
THE extension Of Flatbush-ave partly in
parallel line with Fu.tonst. Is advocated by some:
but what is the use Of only going part way with
the thing The cost would be about the same In
either case. and the best way Of making the inn
provemen, is to go 10 the Bridge by the shortest
way. The plan OF running tne new s stree, to the
corner OF Myrtie-ave ana I t x,p,,pg
the Bridge to the city Hall or Us immediate neigh
borhOOd. But expensive Bridge station Is now
being built and that ought to settle the question OF
the Bridge terminus for all time The bridge TOO;
has made certain agreements with the elevated
roads which would stand in the way Of any further
change. II Fatbush-ave. Is run down TO the Bridge
the Bridge terminus question would be settled
again.
III we make broad. fine street IT should. in my
judgment be kept perpeiually free from elevated
roads OF il Will be necessary To run trolley
cars in IL. but | do not why they could not be
confined TO 4 narrow strip on one side leaving at
least three-quarers OF the street free for ordinary
driving and trafiic. | know there Is talk about de-
preciaiing the value of property on Fultonst west
OF Flatbush-aVc.. IL the extension Is made. but
think that Is all moonshne. That part OF Fulton-st
will unquestionabiy continue To be the shopping
centre for a good while to come. The public build
ings will remain where they are. No property In
that part of Brooklyn Is going to decline In value
and the opposition OF those owning property or
doing business there Is foolish In the extreme.
brooklyn is confronted with condition-not
theory. There rs just one proper way OF solving
the problem That Is by the extension Of Fla;bush
ave [ ID wish 10 aniIclLalc the rennri OF The