The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-16
ONE NAME FOR BROADWAY.
A Plan to Make n Single Thoroughfaro or %
from Bowling Green 10 Honkers.

n kL1n 10 MAKO q B1nRIo TnOFOuEnrnFO OF u
from Bowling Green TO Honkers.
Incidental to the proposition now pending to
construct a bridge across the Spuyten Duyvil
Creek at Kingsbridge in place OF the present
foot bridge. there is a movement to drop the va
rious names given to parts of Broadway. Ii
forms n continuous thoroughfare from Bowling
Green to the Yonkcrs line. and 1t is proposed to
give the title Broadway to the whole of 1t. At
present 1t is Broadway to Fifty-ninth street,
then it becomes the Boulevard as far as 10th
street, from there to Spuyten Duyvil Creek 1t 10
the Ringsbridge road, and in the Twenty-fourth
ward II again becomes Broadway.
When, how, and why the chief business
thoroughfare OF the Greater New York was
first called Broadway" Is one OF the mysteries
of Gotham. 1t is not broad. and many Other
streets. tho Bowery conspicuously, arc better
entitled to such a designation. Originally, in
fact, in old New York. lower Broadway was
called Hero straa. Afterward. the northern
portion was called Great George street, under
the English rule, and the extreme upper Broad
way WAS called Bloomingdale road. In the early
part OF the century Broadway had a length Of
about two miles only, ~thclower half being paved:
Sris ii.n ana Il Elf Is on nt Of i t Isf dist aimstiiins Of ho Wraa St
way, that the first sidewalk constructed IN New
York was quilt on it between veseS and
ways growth seem to the present generation OF
New Workers somewhat remarkable. for at what
NhS hiici hn'holy oliccl pIudlNhy JIulEtt
sharply, into the Canal street valley. bctwccn
Fresh Water Pond and the Lispenard Meadows.
and at what is now Aston place Broadway ceased,
being crossed at this point by the wall of the
Randall farm. This wall put n stop temporarily
to the growth of Broadway, but the removal OF
the obstacle was only Il part Improvement, for
many years afterward the upper part of BrOad-
way, north OF Thirty-fourth street, was widened,
and the proceedings not only consumed much
time, but also entailed cost and litigation.
The extension OF Broad way across the Spuytcn
Duyyil Creek line by the construction OF tho
bridge ut kingsbridge, in the ANNEXED district,
Is part OF the local improvements which are in
cident to the construction or the Harlem River
Ship Canal. For several years work has been
going on there, and the channel has been greatly
improved. The work Is under the direction Ot
the Chiefo f Engineers Of the United States Army.
The project Of making a navigahle connection
between the Hudson River and the East River
took shape more than twenty years ago, n sur
yey of the route having been made in 1874.
The first appropriation was made In ISIS,
and plans for the work were completed
expenditure on the Harlem ship Canal was
81, OOO,O 900, OF the estimated COSt of ~. TOO.unO,
hui the bridge, which. il Is expected. viii aid ia
tho development OF upper Broadway, IL not 10
BIO paid for from this fund. but by The city Of
New York under bond issues authorized By tho
legislature for bridges.
Broadway may not be, technically. n broad
way, but The amount OF business done on IL con.
tinues to he larger than that done on any other
street In the United states, probably. IL Is ono
of the duties Of the Board o. Aldermen 10 SUI
pervise the street names. and the attention of in
members has been invited TO upper BROADWAY.