New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-16
UNDER THE SIDEWALKS
THE VARIED USES TO WHICH STREET
VAULTS ARE PUT.
CURIOUS COMPLICATIONS ABOUT LEGAL TrT1.ys
TO THEM AND THE ISSUING OF PER-
NITS TO BUILD THEM.

TO THEM AND THE ISSUING OF PER-
NIrs TO BUILD THEM
OF the millions who daily pass over the sidewalk,
few stop think of the vaults under their feet ana
the uses made OF them As general rule people
form the opinion that coalbins are laid out under
] the fagstones In the uptown or residence portion
OF the city this Is largely true. Downtown the side.
walk vaults serve for all kinds OF purposes. Base.
ment Stores cafes barber-shops, oo-blackIng e.
! tabshmcnts engine and boiler rooms all find room
beneath tho sidewalks OF New-York
The utilization Of this extra space dates bact
many years. In the early days tho principal u,s
made OF 1t was the storing OF coal Washington
Irving Is reported to have fallen into Of these
underground vaults on the way from a dinner In
telling OF the misfortune TO friend the mex, morn
ing he related how he had escaped serious injury
but had found the vault deep. Il being empty
that he could not climb out. When questioned by
the friend he admitted that at frst Il rather
lonesome but as several others Of the guests at tho
dinner fell In before the night was over they man.
aged 10 make quite a time OF r.
There are cases where building Ia OF such small
Dimensions that It's usefulness for business purposes
Is decidedly limited But. by occupying all the avail
able underground sidewalk room. II made TO
increase as a rent-producer almost 20 per cent A
notable instance found in the building tho cor.
ner of Duane-st. and Broadway. The building is
nearly triangular in shape. and the floor space at
one end amounts TO almost nothing. In the base
,rent &c a restaurant This takes up all the room
under the sidewalk and is surprised al the
amount of space which is thrown open for use In
the basement OF the "Staats Zeitung' building on
Park Row is another cafe which finds for Itself
comfortable quarters in the sidewalk vaults. stln
another underground cafe similarly placed, can b
found at the corner of Reade and Duane SITS
All the leading drygoods stores on Fourteenth-st
and Twenty-third-st. run their Easements out we'll
under the street and the space for the display
and sale OF retail goods. In some or the principal
hotels the vault space Is used for restaurant pur.
poses while most OF them make use OF II for their
steam plants. In fact. wherever engines and steam
ore used one IS sure 10 find the plant under the side
walk Two reasons are given for this. The heat
thus kept from the main part Of the building and
IN case the boiler expodes. less damage Is likely 10
occur to the building. This will no DOUBT ne COM
fortng piece Of news those who walk the streets
n boiler should explode the street would be blown
all TO bits and the passersby with IT,
In the wholesale districts the vaults under tho
sidewalks are made 10 serve for storage purposes
Many wine merchants use them as SUCH IL IS SAD
that even in the hottest weather they keep cool
Public attention has been called to this subject
by the recent action of the Commissioner OF Buhd-
ing Under date OF August T. the rule was maze
that thereafter the price per foot for side
walk vaults should be raised from 20 cents 10 a.
Since 1870 the price has remained at 70 cents, but
the matter has been under discussion by the Com-
missioner with the result that in view or the enor"
nous advance in the value Of real estate. II was
considered just thauan advance In the Price SHOULD
no made This action has caused many complaints
on tho mart OF those who made contracts TO put
I'M buildings and furnish all permits But the
Commissioner has decided that where II can %
positively shown that the agreement was mace
prior TO the issuing OF the rule the old price VIII
be accepted.
At the tino plans for underground railroad
were under discussion attention called TO tho
position OF the vault-holders in case the rapid
transit problem should be solved on the UNDER
ground plan. 1t was estimated that II an UNDER
ground railway were put through with four tracks
It would take all the vaults in the street through
which IL passed: a two-track road would take all
the vaults at the stations and one-haf OF them
the rest of the way.
An interesting feature in connection with Side
walk vaults is the uncertainty az TO the title IN
them II appears that the property-owners tito
N tho vaults has been questioned by those whose
opinions are entitled respect So far as the per-
mits issued by the Department or PUBIC works
are concerned there is nothing their face 10
show that the city retains the fee Upon carefully
reading the permit one would naturally infer that
upon compliance with the city's requirements and
payment of the fee required the vault space was
granted In perpetuty.
The Department of Public Works possesses rec
ords relating to sidewalk vaults which date back
as far as 1853. although only within The last year
n
property-owner and the Department. which bore
the date 1922 Without doubt the majority OF peo-
pie in the lower part of the city who are enjoying
sidewalk vault privileges would be unable. II called
upon. to produce the permits for them All such
vaults were undoubtedly built with the consent OF
the city. and the right 10 retain them would de-
pend upon the law relating thereto at the time
they were built
Permits are now issued under section Isl and 10
of Article TO- Chapter 8. Of the Revised Ordinances
of 1880. 1t is required that when application Is
made for permit, special plans shall be SUBMITTED
accompanied by certificate of the measurements
made by a city surveyor. Penalties are inflicted
for failure obtain permit TO file certificate
OF the measures taken by the city surveyor and
for exceeding the amount OF space required. Regu-
lations given for the manner OF building INV
protection of the public during building and tho
limits within which vaults may be built Inc IN
teresting feature Of these permits is the absence
of any notification that the city reserves the rsns
TO retake at any time the space granted
That the ordinances are loosely drawn and ought
10 be amended is openly admitted by department.
officials Here is instance OF how the city loses
ing OF the ordinances II vault Is pulIt w',I lisa
a permit there appears TO be no power TO cIoso
fine of 500 A fine OF 500 is much less than inc
fees would amount 10 in the case Of an ordinary
scrmpuious persons have built the vaults without
permit. the builders paying the peh h cr s
bntween those amounts and the city's charges
Although they were obliged to file the certlfcaus
~ measurement OF the city surveyor they founh
that the unlicensed vault was much cheaper man
ths licensed one Regulations have been made tor
Tho EXCESS of limits and where vault occupies
a crater number OF square feet than have pee, DeSn
maid FOR the owner and master builder are Hao'S
FOR n double fee per foot in excess - . -.
Fourteenth-st. marks the dividing line IN mat
,ars nertaining 10 the ownership or street roonn'
Reiow Fourteenth-st. owners or ADJOINING pic m
ses own to middle OF the street suoJece a. bovs
,,sa ~ the street public highway; Hoo'o
TT S when land is condemned Tor
a,roat a. becomes the property OF the city OF NV"
sIe , "a The owner of adjoining premises mas
no right to build vault Howeysr the PrV a5
0rohahv M no greater rate than II costs man 10
build a vault on his own .pEopSrty dow,1 cent.
q so,,are foot This money goes into the genera
fund.