New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-16
NO LONGER LIES DORMANT.
THE BOULEVARD vITALIzED BY BETTER
BUILDINGS AND TRANsrT

Wnen the Boulevard. now upper Broadway, was
planned thirty odd years ago II was believed that
! II was destined 10 become the most beautiful home
thoroughfare in the city. The broad avenue be-
ginning at the Grand Circle at Fifty ST. and
extending northward presented physica, advsn-
tages which made its future one of great promise
Inc opinion prevailed among men whose judgment
was generally considered good In questions OF this
sort that In course OF time the Boulevard would
rival In beauty any street In this any other city
! Unfortunately. what should have been the natural
growth OF this avenue was retarded by the fac;
that large blocks were held by men who had bought
the land at exceedingly low figures, but who would
| neither improve II nor allow others to do When
they offered TO sell. the prices asked such as
TO be practically prohibitory. and while other parts
OF the West Side being rapidly developed. the
Boulevar1 lay dormant and inactive.
Those who had bought large plots held to their
| land satisfied time went on. with its increased
! value. Gradually. the owners OF SINCE lots OBJ
served the lack OF general improvement and con-
sdered the expense OF taxes. they allowed their
holdings to be bought in Some OF this vacant
| land came into the hands OF builders and active
operators. and the improvement OF the Boulevard
began 1t was not rapid growth by any means
nor did 1t at the outset fulfil the promises made
when IT first laid out. But Its history Is In
many respects that OF the whole West Side. The
pioneers in the building movement were men whose
Intentions realize. and reai lie quickly. on
| their investments They made the same mistakes
that made elsewhere In the district north OF
| Fifty-nnth-st. and west Of the Park. They built
cheap hathouses and tenementhouses on the broad
avenue. and the thoroughfare, which had ali the
requisites FOR beauty. was thus disheured
The person who walks along the Boulevard to-
day. however. will find strong indication OF rapid
and Interesting evolution. In Itself. without consd-
erIns the improvements the Boulevard Is extremely
| picturesque and in some respects unique. The OBJ
! server standing at Fifty -ninth-st and looking
northward sees a broad roadway stretching smooth
~ until II Is lost to sight In the distant gray-olue
haze Of the horizon. Two rows Of verdant trees d.
vide the street and their foliage rich in the uxu-
rant tints Of early spring forms natural canopy
which extends all along the way. Birds twitter In
the branches and the grass plots are pied with
flowers.
But 1t is not the natural beauty that will APP
peal TO the observer most forcibly at present. II
will not matter whether II be early In the morn
ing or late in the afternoon. he will see signs OF
energy and life Hundreds OF men. ed-shrted and
grir1y are digging trenches which TO form the
channel for the and mighty power by whose
influence the torpor OF years IL 10 be converted
into vigorous and active life Great piles OF yell
| low clay are hesped on either side and the pick
and shovel make music that must be sweet TO
those who are interested in the Boulevard and who
are far-seeing enough TO realize what an improve
ment the method Of transit will accomplish.
For this Of the things that the Boulevard
needed Another the realization by owners
that the cheap Improvements were mistake. and
this realization seems TO have come ut last
The Boulevard will not necessarily be street
made up Of fine dwelling houses. In fact. a; pres
the buildings there do not suggest SUCH posi-
bility. But with the neehborlng sreets rapidly
filling with homes and with the gradual northern
encroachment OF fine buslness-h houses it will be
only a matter OF a few years before this splendid
avenue develops character at once dlsnlhed and
suggestive OF prosperity. The improvements which
have been made within a compare lively short time
OF the kind which would add beauty and solid
ity any section OF any city. To describe the en-
tire Boulevard in detail would be a subject for
many articles the length of the present one, but
passing glance at few blocks is interesting At
Seventy -frst-s Christ Church, with It's vine COW
apartment-house which covers the remainder Of the
block. At Seventy-third-st Rutgers Riverside
list Church illustrate the architectural superiority
which marks the West Side houses of. worship
Two blocks further along new seven-story apart
ment-h house has been constructed recently and It's
outlines such az to add TO the imposing charac-
pan 81 make luxurious displays OF rare flowers in
their shop windows, suggesting. the thought that
better little further along; on the opposite
side Of the street. there is market where every
place. and the goods are temPtingly displayed
site Of the Amdon one o. the apart
ment-houses in that part Of the city. The build
The entrance is up a Short flight Of white marble
stairs on both sides OF which stand ornate wrought
The home of the West Side Republican Club ad.
Joins this building and is itself picture OF refined
S%D shd street the e as Set
proved. but It is not likely that the plots will be
most desirable As elsewhere along the street the
trees are fine: and add their share to the general
that the laying OF conduits will deprive the trees
Of their share OF the eaTths nour'n Is i said
things. And as it is therefore unlikely that the
greater ornament as they grow larger and their
foliage develops to its full extent. AT Ninety
tie remainder of the block The Blenheim az
noting noting as indeed are many others which lack Of
space prevents mentioning, r..,,
Nnety-seventh-st. was reported sold yesterday.
and this is only one Of many transactions In this
In sale Of the Emo estate properties plot Of
s te and nd the Boulevard which cost $500 in lss.
was sold TO S S nr 2t o tba noT 9fn
opsfatopT eGr ~ S'O which Mr.
Emo bought in 1854 for $3.50 lately sold FOR
@ 9nG bfwel P0 or and
One-hundred-a and thirteenth street for which NJ
si47 600 and that the price was not excessive Is
by the fact that it ha: since 5 bee . rss1S a.
Increase in values in this section Of the city.
There 1o has See been and s
assured Its present is all that co h nave yoy
expected we from antiauaed methods Of transit
and mistaken notions Of Improvement, The new
fon that viii be fairly rapid and rs introduction
will mean much TO the residents along tne way.
viii bring marv persons 70 the Boueyard ana |
wheheT he as Terasads With T it, a.veopsn
AGAINST BAY STATE GAS COMPANY
Boston NAV ia bill in equity was filed in the
United States Circui, Court to-day by C. r. Het-