New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-30

Park at Fifty-ninth-st.. is one Of the longes.and
erardest thoroughfares Of the world Its total
length is five miles as regards the purposes OF
this review. hut in reality Broadway Is the long
est known street in the world in mere point Of
,ength. for it is 100 miles long. extending to the
very centre of Albany along the bank Of the
Hudson River. and 1t IS almost continuously
lut up for that entire distance. 1t is not always
imposing but il is always interesting. ana in
general appearance variety Of scenes and in i'm
rressve air in business and social attractiveness.
Z, has all in all no rival on either continent 1t
IS the main business artery Of the city. on and
about it downtown are hundreds Of great build
ings. beehives Of industry, some Of which have a
business population equal to that Of country
town. and distinct governing autonomy Of their
own The street is packed from sunrise to sun
set with professions Of merchandise. trucks.
vehicles Of every other kind and cars and the
sidewalks are covered with hurrying crowds all
intent upon the affairs Of their busy lives Finan-
cial institutions shopping interests wholesale.
dry goods and subsidiary branches Of trade mo-
nopolize lower Broadway and adjacent streets
At its inception Broadway dgnified with
many great buildings. that is great for their day
and generation. The Hollanders. however, would
gaze in wonder and amazement. II they were
brought back 10 mother earth al the superb
business edihces hotels and theatres which now
cast the shadows Of their multiplied beauties
along this street as well as many streets contlg-
uous 70 H. The evolution Of improvement that
has been annually developing in realty in this
and other great highways has been very marked.
IN place Of the old stage lines running their omni'
buses through the streets commodous cable
cars convenient horsecars connecting with the
up and downtown lines Of cable at almost every
cross street intersection. The cable begins at
he Battery and extends far into the northern
limits Of the city. Almost within the memory Of
the generation that has nearly passed away,
Broadway terminated at Trinity Church opposite
Wall-st. II was about the close Of the Civil Wal
when four and five story buildings began grad
ually disappearing from the main thoroughfares
OF the city. The population Of New York began
al that time 10 increase with startling rapidly.
and when the high buildings came they appeared
in the forms Of fats and tenements. With the
fast cOngestng population in the lower wards
came a demand for high structures. This event
uated in the introduction Of the elevator which
has revoutionized the construction OF buildings
in New-York as it has elsewhere. 1t was the ele
vat0r and that alone. which made possible the
enormously high Office buildings that to be
seen in the great centres OF New-York to-day.
until now one can find buildings in lower Broad
way reaching toward the clouds 10 the height Of
twenty-five and twenty-six stories.
Every winter about the time of the reas-
senlbling If the Legislature bill is present.
ed against the further erection Of sky-scrapng
buildings in New-York City. There are many
property owners however. who opposed TO
any Interference with the privileges which they
have thus far enjoyed in this form Of architect
ural progress so much can be said in their
favor In no case has lhere been any failure in
management Of these vast Office buildings To
the city they have been beneficial in many ways
first by increasing the taxable value of realty
and secondly, by proving themselves 10 be self
protected against fire. inasmuch each building
has separate and independent fire department
OF its own. To the protector they have proved
Profitable investment in many ways The archi-
tseiural construction Of high buildings has in the
last few years made great strides in NewYork
In fact they have become a source Of never-fail
Ing interest 10 sightseers who visit the island
One Of the splendid sights OF the city is a view
from City Hall Park taking in the Tribune Build
ing. which was the pioneer In modern construct
I've methods; the Times and American Tract So
ciety buildings on the east. the Postal Telegraph
me Home Life Insurance Company. the Shoe and