The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-10

NEW YORK. March elf u foreigner, ignor-
ant of his whereabouts. were to sail up New
York harbor about sunset and see for the first
time the eccentric skyline of the lower city,
he would probably wonder if his eyes were not
playing him a trick, for distance and twilight
lend the chaotic masses around the Battery
certain wild grace, suggestive of Titan strong
holds or prehistoric abodes of Wotan, rather
than the business part of practical modern
metropolis. But as John Drew used to say,
what Il difference in the morning." when Il
visit to his banker perhaps takes the new
ARRIVAL down to Wall street, and our uncom-
promising American daylight dspels his ilu-
sions. Those familiar with the symmetry of
the Old World structures must be strangely
impressed on arriving, perhaps, ut the Bowling
Green, for the truth would then dawn upon
them that what appea red to be the ground level
of the island, was in reality the roof-lne of
average four-story buildings from among
which the kee pers Companies, which had so
pleased their fances when seen from the Mar
rows, rise like gigantic weeds gone to seed in
a field of grass. This heterogeneous architec
ture of the lower parts of the city is simply ap.
palling at times. Far from seek harmony, the
various buildings have all seemed to he trying
| TO go" each o.her lone story BETTER" and if
they can belittle neighbor in the process it is
clear gain and so much solid advertisement
The full scope of this, of course does not, as a
rule, impress the habitues of these structures,
and, least of all, the average pedestrian. for
they lack the necessary prospective, but from
the deck of an incoming steam er or lower ferry
boat, even a veteran New Yorker must realize
the unsightliness of the graceless piles that
| crowd some of the best sites on the island
But belated relief seems at last TO be at hand
Some of the artists among the builders, those
who are architects i'll fact and not IN name only
| have formed a committee to arouse public
sentiment, or perhaps should say TO cooperate
| with it, to save the city from the unenviable
reputation she Is fast acquiring A specia
committee also, of the Board of Trade and
| Transportation, has for the last three years
been considering the question regulating the
height of buildings in New York. They have
at last drafted an ordinance, which is now
recommended to the Municipal Assembly fol
/ enactment, and it is possible that the multiple
| cation of "sky-scrapers" may now be arrested
1t must be admitted of course, that this last il
not inspired by any special artistic suscepti
| bilty in the members of the Trade and Trans
| portation. Their motive is unitarian merely
| it having been frequently demonstrated tina
/ the income from the four or six additions
| stories did not by any means neutralize the fir
risk thereby run, several office buildings within
the last year having been seriously damaged
and one practically destroyed because the hos
could not be used at such height at the shor
| notice given. The result will be quite as salts
factory, however, whether credit for the muc
! needed reform be accorded the artists or tn
tradesmen, the idealist or the utiitarians.
Apropos of the accomplishment of "muc
| needed reforms" may be mentioned the fac
| that the recent turn oil aroused by the disseH
! sion OF the Manhattan Elevated affairs, has II
directly given fresh impetus to the clamor 70
various impr ovements in surface transports
ton. More and better electric cars are d.
mauded, and two conduc tors are talked of fo
| some of the larger and more frequently use
cars. The Anticipated Fifth avenue stages
may shortly be replaced by commodou
automobiles. There are, of course, no ca