The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
FOR A GRE4TER BROADWAY.
Tho Movement TO Have tho Name Applied "a
the Boulevard and kinEsbridge Road.

Tho Boulevard may cease soon TO be known
as the Boulevard. Within a few weeks q peti
tion will be presented 20 the Board OF Alder.
mon asking that its name Do changed TO Broad.
wav-the name which many portions OF 81
originally bore. The petitioners seek also u
have the name OF the K!ngsbridge road, which
continued north from tha.end OF the Boule.
ward to kinGsbridge. changed to Broadway,
thus making in name. as we'll as in fact, an cn.
broken thorouRhfare from tho Battery: 70 the
northern end OF Manhattan Island.
This plan was--formulated some time ago. 1t
was taken up by wealthy men living on the uppc
west side and on Washington Heights. They
have been executing it.quietly, making.a house.
toulouse canvass, and SO successful have their
efforts been thus far that they b.lieve they
will be able to present.to tho Aldermen a petit
ton Endorsed by names sufficiently numerous
and influential to cause the board to act favor
ably upon their request.
The object In changing the name OF tho bou-
vaid is three.fold. The petitioners think that
much confusion would be prevented. There
are several other boulevards 10 the city. There
are tho Eastern Boulevard, the Sixth and Sew.
enth Avenue boulevards, and the Southern
Boulevard in the annexed district. Then the
petitioners are anxious to restore 10 the street
its original name.
Running northerly from the terminus Of tho
present Broadway at Fifty-ninth street and
Eighth avenue, the Boulevard and the Kings.
bridge road nre the roads which. in the early
history of tho city, the Albany stage CO aches
traversed. In:those days these thoroughfares
were always spoken OF either as the K!rrs.
bridx" road or Broad The travellers. in
terry 10 Albany. Il is true that the boulevard
does not follow closely tho route of the old
Broadway. but the courses OF the two street.
are almost identical and tho feyy ya rio tf,na ~
broadway from the route of the Boulevard
have been, with one exception, effaced. This
the Boulevard running from.Manhattan street
north to about l33d street. where 1t bends 10
called broadway, and 70 many person, unac.
9uainted With the early history Of the city
both its name and;its existence are a mystery.
Finally, " Is believed that such a change Of
name would materially benefit property ada
cent to the Boulevard and the Klngsbridge
wav has a certain artificial value. The mere
fact that a building fronts Oh the great thor
oughfare or ts near II. is sufficient To cause the
property TO yield o better income than IL would
II situated on or near some other street. II
the Boulevard and the BinRsbrldge road be-
lieve the anne conditions would be found on
them us on the.present Broadway. Lots front
Ing on the boulevard which now sell for So. 900
or 81 1000 would bring $4,000 or $40, 900. and
the value OF all property from Fifty ninth
street To kingsbridge and from Columbus and
Amsterdam, avenues and rae Harlem River
over To the Hudson, would increase materially.
Those who are endeav0rinG To persuade tho
Aldermen to plss the act necessary TO change
the name expect TO find but two difficulties.
The fret Of these 10 the numbering. The Broad.
way numbers run up pretty high as It is. and
vera Broadway to continue on to Kingsbridge
the numbers In tie upper part OF the island
would probably be in the tens OF thousands.
Tho other obstacle is the little strip Of Broad
way running from Manhattan street north to
1891 street. There could not be two Broad
ways. and tho owners OF property on that little
strip OF road undoubtedly will object 10 the In
noyation. But neither of these obstacles is re-
carded as serious by the petitioners.