The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
RoADMAKiNG ~ OLD NEW YORK.
Methods of the Old Dutch Burghers In Maxi
Ing Public improvements.

The historian winthrop an authority on old
New York a. II existed under Dutch burgh rule
before IL passed under English domination and
before the tide of foreign immigration set in thus
summarized the view Of many inicllg gent defenders
" the Dutch government of New Amsterdam.
II canno, claim for the Dutch that they were a
fast moving people: they considered long over all
their projects Of improvements many pipes were
smoked in silence before the decision came, II re-
grcts followed they sprung from what had been
omitted and not from what had be, n done"
One Of the most conspicuous of the omissions
Of the early Dutch rulers Of New York was the
failure To make any adequate provisions for road
ways on Manhattan Island. the local DUTCH plan
apparently being to retain the whole population
IN the southcrnmost part Of the town and a. erect
u substantial! stockadc for the purpose ul prevent
ing the Inhabitants, from proceeding further north
II was by reasons Of this deficiency that there Vas
much complaint and some Of those roads establish
ell were on lines which would I've likely To- get very
little approval from surveyors NJ present / he
Bloomingdale road. for instance WIS thus oil
Cially described beginning from the house at the
nurlhcrly and so ON by Great Kills and through
Iunis Edis,s and Capt DE- hay irIm sg't EI's's
definite lines tho 81 ,omincdalc road bcraur
Brundway north Of FIFTY ninth street Another
Of the railways designed by Ouch residents was
what was known As tn Monument road. leading
to what was called the town 81 Sapocanlcan.
atterward known Grecnwich Village ms
IL the description Of it From Rehcc,G'S house,
in New SorS lane. there is ~ be n road the said
road RUNNING To the left ward Of the house late
oi Capt Douwe. deceased" The NeX York lane
referred To - the present lowrry. and 1t appears
e. haze been a starting point Tor most New York
roads especially for what was known as the H. st0n
+ post road. which ran through what cane 10 be
known aftcTward as the Harlem Flats Us early
as 1890 by formed dcCh rSfiun Of the Dutch author
tiles this resolution was adopted
The road between this city ami the village Of
New Harlem bring impossible. anI IL being ncCcS
sarv road Spul he maintained, many com
plants having been made that people lately wish
ing To- traycl over that road on horseback have
been in danger of losing their lives 10y It's bad
condition II Is ordered hat III" ovcrsccrs Il IIar
lem Law out n suitable road and that II 30 made
by III" inhabitants Of Harlem. in conjunction
with thos" living on the other side 81 Fresh aIcr
The progress II the work being slow there
were appointed later, though not under Ihl'ch
author les. Commissioners ii Highways To pan
n road to Harlem bcginning a uha was known
the Spring Garden Gate, IN" intrrSc, eli, II Il
Water Pond on Canal st'cct and thence "ly n
small turning to the tree on the highway 81 'thr
hill - ,nesI t." sui qurnt site 81 h.'t Bow ".
now the rhalia Thcatrrl, and thence along the
lane Ghc present Bowcry) TO tho fur'h"rmuSt
house in the same and thence To Kips Kun"
stream enptying into klps iihT, near Forty
fOu tn street and from that to the Turtle Bay
Farm and ~ on over creeks and brooks. along
the lower line Of hills to the south boundary II
tn Harlem River al Third avenue the Rrs, bridge
over the Harlem al this point not bcinE hult until
many years later during the Revolutionary War