New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-17

taken away and tho tunnel closed up Tho avenue
lal ont "a 20 form one OF ~" hroad"St
streets ~ the city and FOR time great hopes wer"
entertained Of IT, Bat FOR some reason business wa'
not attracted to H. Compared with Futon-st., Il
Ike a wide river In contrast with narrow
and winding stream but somehow business men of
all kinds preferred the established channel despite
SIS narrowucss and crookedness. Nor did people
looking for sites for fine houses see anything 10
attract them In Atlantlc-aye. Ia the lower part
one or two large stores were established and held
their places Tor years but even these at length saw
that II was useless TO wage an unequal contest
with their rivals IN Fulton-St II was apparently
the manifest destiny ot Fulton-st. To be the bust
ness thoroughflre OF brooklyn. bat when one large
firm that had ,onE held the fort I'm Auantlc-ave
decided upon a change IL did not remove to Fulton
st. proper. but went few doors away In Flatbush-
ave- stl within easy reach ~ the tide " shoppers
that flows and GIBBS in the great business street OF
the city.
In spite ~ the possibilities that seemed to be
within reach after Atantic-avc. was freed from
steam on the surface and established with width
OF 10 feet. its character did not change. That 1t
would have done 80 with the expansion OF the city
is the opinion Of some had IT not been that sixteen
seventeen years ago the railroad tracks were
again laid down upon Il and the whistle ana roar
Of the locomotive returned to blast IT beyond hope
of recovery When the designs Of the Long Island
Railroad Company To seize the avenue were deVel-
oped the owners Of property on and near IT were
Instantly up In arms. but despite their opposition
the company had its way and by working AZ night
ana GA Sunday succeeded in getting It's tracks laid
and ts trains In operation. The result is familiar
to the people Of brooklyn.
Atlantc-ave. T. seven or eight miles long, ana
for more than three-auarters OF its length Wide
strip in the middle. fenced in, TO be sure Is given
up to railroad tracks. In all this part nothing
nourlshes except third and fourth rate shops ana
tenement houses. ana 1t seems impossible TO eX-
pect change the character or the street.
The railroad blight does not extend west Of Flat
bush-ave but It's influence seems 10 be felt. anu
the proper growth OF that part of the avenue IL
interiered with. At various times there has been
talk OF placing the railroad tracks In n tunnel.
Of depressing or elcvatng them. and more than
once bills have been laid before tho Legislature
TO accomplish another Of these ends.
Last year Mayor Scheren considered the question
OF appointing advisory committee OF citizens.
10 determine what ought to be done with the At
iantc-ave. problem, and what the probable cost
would be. but. after looking into the matter and
learning what the Long Island company was likely
70 demand. he gave up his .dea ana decided 10
do nothing. Whatever is done would involve an
enormous cost and the company 'hinks the city
should pay u large share OF H. The rights OF me
Atlantic Avenue Surface Company are involved.
since II surrendered to the Long Island company
its franchise emitting It to run Its cars on the
surface all the way Jamaica. and IN return re-
ceiyes percentage all fares paid over this
part OF the Atantic-aye. division OF the Long
Island Company
1t does not seem possible that Brooklyn can
face through Atlantic-avc forever. Some ar
-angcment must be made for Kidding the surface
or this fine avenue-potentialiy fine AZ least-of
what Is serious a drawback to its development.
Tho Fourth-ave. Improvement In New-fork seems
ave. but even with the steam railroad track/ re-
moved. IT is practically certain that Atpntc-aye.
stamp Of popular disfavor has been set upon it.
and It is more than doubtful Whether 1t can recover
from the bighting influence that has told heavily
against II In tho past