New-York tribune., 1899-02-12
OF HANDSOME ARCHITECTURE.

Albany Feb. 1l.-Albanys rea"dhchiH" 40"
begun She has been In sleep trepy @s
prolonged as that Of Rip Van Wlnke' Ou'
now her days OF slumber are over Ihe Uans-
formation Of the quaint old Dutch city INTO
modern one Of fine architectural appearance
goes on with leaps and bounds. Those hiDahia"s
Who have been absent the last year would be
astonished at the changes they would observe Ia
statc-st North Pearl-st and. indeed, all over
the cjtv marked by handsome new buildings.
The new building Of the Albany Savings Bank,
a 100000 granite structure; the Hotel Ten
Evck one OF the handsomest hotel buildings In
the state; the big group OF new buildings 10 Dc
occupied by the Albany Hospital. the Rail-
road Young Mems Christian Association build
ing. the Empire Theatre and the rejuyenated
Uarranus Rlnecker Theatre are among the pub
lie buildings that have taken shape within
wear and a large number Of beautiful residences
have taken the place OF smaller ones TO the
west OF the city a residence section known as
Pine Hills has spread out rapidly.
The streets have been greatly improved. some
account should be given OF this in describing
the growth OF Albany. Most OF the city rests
On a plateau two hundred feet above the Huo-
son River. and there is little change In the eie-
vation along the river. Deep ravlnes run east
and west and intersect the plateau NJ three OF
four points. 1t is necessary to know thls III or
der to understand the street improvements maze
and contemplated. The Patroon's Creek IN the
north Canal-st in the centre and the Normahs-
KIN on the southern outskirts form the raVIhes
To span them with iron viaducts would be TO
make the whole plateau one And TWO VladucS
have been built while third is contemplated
TO cross the Normanskll
1t was about eight years ago that the Hawk
,t yiaduct was constructed 1t passes Sixty
feet above the surface OF Canal-st.
~The viaduct is all right" old Abanians said
Ibut II is the finish OF Canal-st" And they
xghed to think that instead OF retaining the
street. for It is a broad thor1ughfare with less
grade than the streets about it. the Niaduct
would plunge it down deeper and make It worse
than It had been before.
Then Senator Hill came on the scene. Joseph
K. Emmet died leaving a suburban estate on the
Rensselaer, Road on which he had lavished
home sl5OOOO It was famous as Frtzs Villa.
II contained many rooms each furnished with
Articles brought from some one country In Eu-
rope The grounds had a dog kennel provided
with special cook and an artificial pond for
swans The Senator bought the place and
named il Wolferts Roost. The Rensselaer, Road.
which runs along the high ground in front OF H.
u one Of the most picturesque drives along the
Hudson The Patroon's Creek and the New
York Central Railroad tracks made il necessary
to drive down to Broadway near the river to
enter the city An iron vaduct now spans the
chasm ninety feet above the tracks, and 1t Is
one Of the conspicuous landmarks to those who
enter the city from the west The Northern
Boulevard, which meets the Rensselaer, Road.
Sas connected with Knox-st.. and Knox and
Canal SITS. were paved with vitrihed brick And
now ex Senator Hill drives from Wolferts Kocst
10 his office in Albany and back again without a
Jolt while a beautiful suburban residence sec
ton is thrown open to settlement.
The same kind OF Improvement has been pro
,ected in the southern part Of the city, and
VIXEN an iron viaduct has been built over the
NormansMll farmers from the south will be
able to keep On the high ground and enter the
city near its centre over handsome boulevard
which is destined t. inte-scct The plateau diago
rally from the NormansfiH to Delaware ave.
II will be "A mile and a half IN length
In the western part Il boulevard. popularity
called the Manning Boulevard partly encircles
tn city running from Western-a ave. north and
east around to Central-aye 1t is under the
ParE Department. and IT Is proposed to extend
n around Tivo Lake to the Northern Boule-
ward At Il point near Woierts Roost, making
splendid circuit from the southern to the north
parts Of the city.
The Pine Hills owe their improvement to the
trollcys and Albany kas a well equipped trolley
Itrcel tear system, which Is one OF the founda-
tons Of It's recent growth. Two interlacing belt
bres connect the central and western points.
and cars run to Troy. Cohoes, Lansingburg and
Mocha nicsville crossing the river In the south to
Rensselaer,.
One Of the prettcst spots about the outskirts
b the site Of the new hospital. bounded by Lake
and Myrtle aves which cross of right angles,
and the grounds OF the Pententiary. The Park
Superintendent has his home near by, and the
greenhouses are adjacent. Beyond Is the Ben