New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-17
FAVOR PELL-ST. WIDENING
LOCAL, BOARD TO RECOMMEND PREsl-
DENT COOGAN's PLAN.
FATHER MIOUGHLJN AND ELBRIDGE T. GERHi
THINK CHINATOWN SHOULD BE WIPED


THINK CHINATOWN SHOULD PIE WIPED
OFT OPPOSITION rY PROPERTY
OWNERS AT THE HEARING.
pres,dent Coogan OF the Borough OF Manhattan
oavo uubllc hearing yesterday afternoon on MS
suggestion TO widen Pell-st. from Mulberry De"o
Park to Chatham Square, with the PuIpose VI
wiplng out the most Objectionable pars u W
town Several property-owners ana others ",e'
ested I'm the proposed change attended the hearlnE
President Coogan exhibited map showing ft'i-
CT widened 10 100 feet The Rev Thomas }. NC
I,oughlin pastor ~ the Church or the lransnsu'"
ton. said he was convinced that the widening OF
Pell-st and Of Elize beth-st also. would result ~
the sanitary Improvement OF the city.
II don't think anybody can speak more autumn
tativcly on Chinatown" said Father McLough"'.
'and 7 will say that there Is not vier nest OF
inioutv than that section around Park and Doyers
SITS and Chatham Square. ! can see from my muir
seven gaming houses. They are guarded pF 'n
police Sometimes there arc arrests nut '"''''
convictions Gross immortality is everywhere pr''"-
lent II is not peaceful neighborhood. but ono OF
the nolslest the city It Is the section TO "n n
strangers are taken and is pointed out as the
place where vice nourIshes. II Is 50 bad thar no
woman Of respecta bility dare go through F"l-s''
or Doyers-st. alone at night"
Father McToughn said that the Church Of tho
Transformation and the school would bo much
spirited citizen he was willing to aid IN securing
tho change
Elbrldge r. Gerry said ne appeared on behalf NJ
tho children Of the poor In favor Of the improve
ment which would result in the wipng out Of num-
berless dons OF lniquy. The crimes Of the East
he said were practsed In the dark in these places
James Hanlon. who lives at No. 80 Mott-st.. asked
Mr. Gerry how many children he had taken out Of
that section. and added Il say that our children
arc as moral as those OF the wealthy"
Are you against the improvement asked Mr..
Coogan sharply
II am I believe Il Is unnecessary
Mr. Coogan engaged IN a heated argument with
Hanon and with some OF the others who opposed
the widening.
Michael j. Mulqueen. repre- ;entlng tho estate Of
j. r. Norton opposed the improvement. He made
a reference to the elevated railroads. but Mr..
Coogan shut him IF by shouting "Conhne your
self To the subject,
Give him a chance" exclaimed several prop
orty-owners who opposed to the plan. Presi-
dent CoOGan said that II there was any more DIS
order he would clear the room. ,,-,.- ...-..
Jon +. Hedges. representing tho Weeks estate.
opposed the Improvement, on the ground that prop
erty would be hurt while no material 6eneht WouIId
be derived because the widening Of Pell-st would
not wipe out Chinatown, he said ....
Don't you know that rent Is high there nGca nr
poses?" asked Mr.. Coogan.
Yes and know that they are liable to lndict-
ment for renting them for such purposes. re-
torted Mr.. Hedges. 1T is almost crime IN this his
clients insovent. The Tenderloin is "a black
morally as Chinatown. yet IT would he as sensgIess
10 say that crime could he wiped out Of the Ten
derlon by cutting another street from Twenty
fourth 10 Thirty first St. between Sixth and Sew
cuth ayes to say that he crimes oi chinatown
can bc wiped out by the widening Of Peil-st
Edward j. Kiley John II. Moss and Alexander
BOYD also opposed the change
Everybody who opposed tho Improvement wa;
either interrupted or stopped by Mr.. Coogan untl,
many Of them left announcing him as Ignorant ana
unfair and the hearing as farcical chuck CON-
nors interested listener At the hearing.
Mr. Coogan and the Board Of Local improvement
for the district interested decided 10 recommend
the Improvement 10 the Board Of Public Improve
ment and the Board OF Estimate.