New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-07
TRINITY NOT AN OBSTACLE.
HOW THE PROPOSED PARKWAY MAY
CROSS THE CEMETERY
COLONEL cRUGER EXPLAINS THE POSITION OF
THE CHURCH CORPORATION vEsTRY

COLONEL cRUGER EXPLAINS THE POSITION OF
THE CHURCH CORPORATION vEsTRY
TO ACT TOMORROW EVENING.
The only quarter from which the promoters OF the
Riverside Drive extension plan have feared oppose
ton has been the vestry OF Trinity Church which
has control of Trinity Cemetery II Is the privilege
OF The Tribune TO make the gratifying statement
this morning that the cemetery authorities approve
the scheme a n whole and not inclined TO offer
serious opposition to IT, II Is necessary to use
part OF their grounds for the proposed parkway
The first bill relating TO this subject introduced at
Albany provided that a viaduct should be con-
sructed around the cemetery and over the tracks OF
the Hudson River Railroad. The second bill pro-
poses 10 run the road through the cemetery. mar
rowing II to a width OF 100 feet between One-hun-
dredand-hfy third and one -hundred-an d-ffty-sev-
enth SITS
AT the office of the Trinity Church Corporation. In
Fulton-st the views OF the vestry. so far as they
have been expressed, set forth yesterday by
Colonel S. Van Rensselaer, Cruger. who said that
the subject had been considered by the principal
committee OF the vestry on Friday. and would come
before the full ves;ry at meeting 10 be held TO-
morrow evening. In the mean time careful sur
vey will be made to determine how many graves
would have to be disturbed II a strip 100 feet wide
on the western end OF the cemetery grounds were
surrendered for the parkway Colonel Cruger said:
In my opinion, the proposed driveway VIII make
a desirab connection between Riverside Drive and
the Boulevard Lafayette bui do not think the city
should enter on more than that at present lie
provision Of a handsome boulevard all the way TO
the upper end Of the island would be a fine thing
of course but 1t Is needed now. and there Is no
reason WHY the city should be committed 10 IL.
though ii will doubtless come In the future 30
am not in favor OF the bin first introduced Inc
connection provided for by the second bill. however
is In the public interest As far as TRINITY 'eme-
tory IA concerned | think that the matter can be
arranged satisfactorily. | by the printed copy
of second bill. which has been sent me tnd' ine
Sa b a5 ID 10 500 feet cas-, Of the railroad
between One hundred y-hrst and Onr- nun
dred-and- fifty-ffth SITS That would send directly
through part Of the cemetery occupied by many
graves. -. . a.. as,.,,v
line Of the cemetery there graves. The rail-
road property Is sixty-sx feet wide there oe'ens
Now IL seems to me that IT would be best TO arch
over the railroad tracks for the new road, and DO
not think there would be any objection on me part
OF the yestry of Trinity Church surren1erng thirty
four feet of It's property 10 make the required
width Of 100 iee,' Ipe simple way Of doing i would
he 10 build brick stone walls, ana either JON
them by an arch OF masonry or by steel beams ana
cement floor. Anyhow. one such wal w9uid have 10
not be necessary raise the road more than ifeen
twenty feet above the Level Of the raroaa:
IF the drive should be carried through the western
end Of the cemetery width OF 100 feet. ID not
know exactly how many graves would nave 70 o.
removed Full Information on that point VIII be 'aid
before the vestry at It's meeting on Monday night
The expense Of building such structure as have
mentioned over the railroad tracks would NOT De
great 1t has been suggested that the cemetery au-
thorities might prefer to allow the road TO pass
through their grounds rather than have vaduct
constructed along the river at such height as to GU
off the view from the cemetery. can sre no reason
why lofty structure should be necessary and THINK
the road should be carried the cemetery AT as
low a leve possible-just high enough to clear the
tracks. | Assemblyman Austin early in the week
and he told me he had been up 10 look over the
ground. TO have a clear UNDERSTANDING or the
matter when ii came up In the legislature. .
Ii Is interesting circumstance that remarkably
similar situation exists in Brooklyn In relation 10 the
connection that will be necessary between
Ridgewood Park and Forest Park. Both these parks
lie on the range of hills sometimes spoken 0f as the
backbone of Long Island" and separated by
Cypress Hills Cemetery. II Is understood that the
cemetery authorities have already given their con-
sent 10 an arrangement by which right Of way over
one OF their drives will be allowed TO the public II
this could not be had long and troublesome de;our
would be necessary, and more property would have
70 be purchased 70 make Forest Park accessible.