New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-12
no RAILROADS THERE.
BROOKLYN STREETS WHICH ARE EN-
EMPTED BY LAW
NEED OF DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT IN A
COMPREHENSIVE wAY-wHERE FREE THOR
oUGHFAREs SHOULD RE MAINTAINED

COMPREHENSIVE wAY-wHERE FREE THOR
orGuFAREs SHOULD Re MAINTAINED.
The recent discussion by City Works Commissioner
White of the question OF reservng certain streets
permanently and compref ensive plan Tor the use
of the people OF Brooklyn. without allowing them
TO be invaded by railroad tracks on the surface or
overhead together with the efforts made by the
trolley corporations to seize a large number or
streets some Of which ought by all means to be
kept free from railroad tracks has directed atten-
tios to those streets which by acts Of the Legis-
latre have from time to time been delivered from
the blight railroads that nearly or remote
Is overhang almost every desirable street In the
city In his report for last year the Commissioner
spoke of this matter briefly. without recommending
anv plan of action and as a supplement to the re-
port he forwarded TO the Mayor map on which
were Indicated by red lines all the streets on or
over which the erection of railroads has been for
bidden by the Legislature.
Heretofore information this subject was to be
obtained only by study of the session laws for the
last twenty thirty years; and such study VIII
show that the reservation OF streets has been pro-
ceeded with in a haphazard and whimsical FASH
ion. without reference to any underlying ana COM
prehensive plan such as Mr. White would be glad
to see adopted Apparently, whenever the people
living in any street, or few of them came 10 the
conclusion that there was danger or troliey-poies
and wires being placed in front of their houses they
stirred up their representatives, In the Legislature
and secured the pa ssage of bill relieving them from
worrment on this In some cases the initiative
has been taken by Assemblyman or Senator IN
reference to the street in which he mad ms nome
and in other cases city officials have been the EFF
fcient causes" OF action.
A glance at the map prepared by the CITY WORKS
Department will show that the only part of the city
in which large number Of streets have been freed
from the railroad blight Is section of the TWENTY
third and Twenty fifth wards, where there Is an
interesting collection of red lines.
To begin with the Heights region the map shows
that all of Clinton and Henry SITS Is reserved ana
Hicks-st from Futcn-st. to Atlantic-ave All the
other fine residence streets here are open TO in
vason by the railroad companies II the latter could
have any object in Selling upon Pierrepont-St''
Rcmsen-st.. Columbia Heights, etc.
To 20 uptown. Schermerhorn-st. and Lafayette
ave are marked off in red, and so are Clinton-aVe.
and Waverly-avc. and Classon-ave. from Myrtle
ave 10 the point whore Il coalcsccs with Washing
ton-avc The same is true Of the whole of BEDFORD
ave as IT used T. be-that is from Division-ave to
the Eastern Parkway-together with the three or
four blocks between Division-ave. and Broadway
which were formerly part OF Fourth-st Nothing
else I'm the Eastern District IS exempted. with the
exception OF Icwcs-s' from Casson-ave. TO fiarri-
son-avc To the streets running in north and
south direction. Stuyvcsant and Bushwick ayes.
must be added.
Turning now to those running east and west. the
map shows the following streets exempted from IN"
invasion Of railroads without the consent Of the
tr-,wn,rs Grcene-lvo. east 81 Franklin ave
uhe western part is already occupied by railroad
tracks,. Cuincy-sf. from Franklin-ave.. the whole
~ Mad son-st. IItram-ay'. cast Of Nostrand-ave;
I.ferson-ayo. east OF Nostrand-ave, Hancock-st..
McDonough-si.. pccatur-st. and BainbrdEe-st ON
the south side Of Atlantic-ave, Pacitc-s,. is re
served from Bedford to Troy ave. and BROOKLYN
ave from Fultou-st to Park Place. ON the fark
slope SlNth-aN". and Eishth-aN" ar" exempt; ana
utou-a'e. and also sixth and Eighth ayes. In the
Thirtieth Ward ,,
To show the Importance OF preserving streets on
a systematic and far-reaching plan from me eHectS
Tint almost inevitably follow the use OF them by
railway companies. The work could doubtless be
most wisely done by an intelllsent coinii'Ssoi,
willing devote TO m" subject the time necessary
for examining T. in detail , J.. -, ,,,,
IL - certain that II an attack were made on any
other street similar to that OF which Monfoe-st
"nually strong opposition manifested. and equally
JEALOUS measures would he taken 10 prevent the
rarrvine otii ~ tho scheme. But those who agree
win Mr Whites proposal feel strongly that the
propert v-owu.rs on any street should not be sub
iocfed TO the annoyance and expense involved IN
Such a reht with railroad company. The residents
OF Monro.-st doubtless felt themselves reasonably
safe because there is a trolley railroad only 20
feet away In Oates-aye while the adjacent streets.
Mad .son-st and Putnam-aNe; II VIII DE onserN'u,
have had laws passed for their benefit IL is a
curious fact that Classou-aNc, shown ny the map
10 b- an exempted street. was included In the
No,hins can be palmer than the need Of ressrvins
certain streets in addition to those already SET
,pari AS thoroughfar"-. Which streets should con-
siifutc ihrs ihorouchiarcs j. I'm part AZ least sug
eestcd by the plans under way for providing smooth
ray.uerts IN various parts Of IN" city 81 Marx +
av. is clnnrlv one of these. State-st is another,
and with IL naturally goes Hanson Place Ths por-
ton of Gatcs-a'c. not now u'' lol XII,
noses should also o.. reserved. commissioner nlte
has already pointed the necessity OF maintaining
Washington and Grand avs as 3 W , n
I'm his Judgment l.,ouard-s should De kept rs Il
fhornughftrr 20 the Eastern District ana fftet-
noip, Snhiie Throop and brooklyn avcs which
with Loonarl-st. form nearly continuous me OF
travel across the city ought also 10 he Kept Tor 'e
use Of tho public at large" .
Already bills have been Introduced In the present
LEGISLATURE for the exemption OF TWO or three SreetS
from ne railroad grabbcrs. These pcccmeai etiortS
show how essential IL - that the matter as "hole
should he Thoroughly considered ana plans car
fully manned out for the guidance OF the cliy lot
Mt least "A score OF years or more.