New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
OLD STREET MES GOING.
WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE IN
THE NOMENCLATURE.

when the Wertern pioneers began 10 convert
their froniie- settlements into villages and towns
having streets and avenues they pronted by the
experience Of their fathers in this part OF the
country an avoided making some mistakes the
fruits OF which are stIll source OF annoyance In
many Eastern cities. In some places they chose
the mans Of prominent geographical points pa
fr!ots statesmen ami sometimes trees for streets
running In one direction. and numbered the streets
which ran At right angles with these. When the
proper GU, they began with the letters
81 the alphabet they chose some other series
Having TIE streets laid out In that way. the num-
berng became an easy matter. on the numbered
strectg the numbers along a. they do on the
Ncw-YO-k avenues. but on the cross streets every
block had 80 hundred. Just the numbered streets
have In N'w-York. Some important artery was
chosen AZ n line to divide the east and the west
Or the nor'h and the south side. and the Key Tor
finding a number was thus established
Most New. Workers know where the 1908 and the
zoos can be found IN tho streets running east and
west and those who well posted know that
there certain mathematical calculations by
which an avenue number may be fixed For In
stance. knowing a number In Thrd-ave., 10 ma
rs situation cut on the last figure OF the number.
d.vd, by . and aid 10. Thus. to find No 1000. cut
of the las, ngurc leaving 100; divide by .. you get
e.: add 10 and you have CO., your number must be
within few doors OF Sixtieth-st For numbers
below Fo-ty-second-st. should be added Instead
OF 10
There are rules Cor other avenues. But In the
Western town a perfect stranger can find a house
at once when he knows the number. He knows
that No 100 Sycamore-st must be between Seventh
and Eighth sts or avenues. and that No. 1907 Pa
ciAc-st cannot be more than four doors from
Thrtleth ST.
CHANGES IN STREET NAMES
The new city has an advantage in that respect.
but whether II will have the same experience as TO
proper names when another halfcentury mas passed.
as Eastern cities have had remains to be seen. IN
that part OF the State of New-fork where the carry
Dutch pioneers made their homes. where they built
houses with bricks which came from Hoiiihu. anu
where they taught other early corners the blessings
OF Industry thrift and economy. they named streets
and roads In honor OF their conspicuous feiiow-ctl-
Gems. The PATRON and his friends saw the h'sh-
ways OF the city OF their adoption named Tor thsm
tho PATRON and his friends passed away, ana
another generation unlike In WAYS nanhGrs: , as
signs and replaced them with other names.
NewYork has had It's snare oi u's s," ~" M''i 49, ",
shown in the alteration OF street nomenc.ature
There cases on record WHERE eho'iS wene
claim wbatcver TO such distinction. Aside from the
sentimental objection to changing me naines Oh
streets. there are Pracuca' re"So"' ''' 'e'@
good enough alone
CONFUSION AND MISTAKE
F. r Bell. Deputy-Tax Commissioner In speaking
on the subject said that the changing OF names led
to confusion and caused much trouble IN the various
departments In many instances people continue 10
az ply the orIgina. to the street ana only ater
they SEQ that their letters and their parcels 90
astray do they yield and abandon the oid TOT the
@..... 4, nan,
chatham-st. named for Lord Chatham, IL now
Park Row. Nest Twelfth-st wac Iroy-st, named
so becase the nrst settlers there came from Troy;
Wee, Eleycnth-st. was once haminond-st., Soi'
rr.ss-s, was known to the early inhabitants OF
the leland as Smiih-st and what is now Waversy
Place was known as Fact9ry-st am no n .m9
recent changes part OF Madson,ave. 10 NOUN cum
Morris park East Twentieth-st 10 Grameicy farN
South Twenty -hrst-st: TO Gramercy PARK N9 T
Elcventh-ave above Flfty-ninth-st TO West Enc
ave Tenth-aye above FIFTY .nlnth-st 70 amster-
dam-aye Ninth.ave above Ffty-ninth-st 10 Coluin-
bus-ave and a part OF Eishth-ave TO Cen'ra' fark
West. ,,.,, r,.o
washington Park North was Way ,d PiaSe.
Washington Park East was University Pnce, WASH
ington PARK South Fourth-st.. ana W ashingtoh
PARK West was once Macdougal-st me most re-
cent change was a part OF Fifty-ninth-st TO Cen
trail Park South. , ., ,.r.. ~. r.n.s
Of streets fear that unless "A movement ~ started
10 check Il the names OF Barclay. Delaney beck
man Hleecker Chrystle. Clinton Cortiandt Hous-
ton Baxter Franklin and others when snouiu De
sacred 10 New Workers may be wlpeu out some
OF these streets may have degenerated since they
were named, but that IL not held reason Tor IA
npW