New-York tribune., 1900-09-09
IVES WALL OF THE STONE APPROACH.

The rtaduct adds another attractive feature 10
-5e already lnpressively beautiful east bank OF the
Hu5soz River al Riverside Park and Washington
Heights Il completes chain OF architectural and
gardening improvements % the natural ruggedness
OF The s-o-e that probably IS excelled by no other
series o1 landscape effects in the metropolis One
nay gaze The shore from the river or the heights
II New-Jersey and behold much 70 admire without
a1creciatlug fully the s-upendOus chain OF costly
masonry and grading which has made the New
York side for over Two miles an unbrokeu stretch OF
beauty. \ drive from Seveuty-secoud-st. north
ward however creates far different impression.
The zrhoreaI effects asPhaIted walks, terraced hill
s-ces, closely cropped lawns and many flower beds.
with the well made winding avenue and cycle path.
E-5 then Riverside Park itself with the tomb and.
finally. the new via6uct connecting the chain with
the heights beyond AIanhattanviIle represent the
expenditure Of millions Of public money The mag
1-t1ce Of the works which enchanJ from distance
can be appreciated only after near view.
Even when standing high Up the northern slope
q Riverside Park the new viaduct IS so well pro-
porrloned ard 50 graceful that one does not fully
comprehend is strength and massiveness. To gain
proper impression Of those features the visitor
should descend the stone stairway on the side
o. the viaduct on which the sun IS shining AT the
tine and view at close quarters the height and
thickness OF the steel columns and the grand sweep
OF the groined arches. Only from below the road
way may adequate conception OF either the
beauty or rhe strength 0S the vtsduct De obtained
From above il Is simply q broad and level road
ton hardly surpassed in lis inpressiveress By the
vfsducts that span the Harlem and have
brought expressions OF admiration from the travel
te-S q ali CIVILIZED countries From below, 100,
ne beauty Of the southern approach Of solid and
e-Cu-1g masonry IS best The ced stair
ways and the curved walls that shut them IN ap-
2eer lo~ and uninteresting from above but from
beneath they he lofty and beautiful
walls, with massive bUttresses and subst antial
Isdsstsls- designed 10 bear light ornamental sup
ports which viii enhance the effect Of the whole
structure
The southern approach Is IN the form Of q semi
circle large thai. except from the high ground
s-ce Is toward the park and the periphery Is pierced
1E the vladuct proper in such way that the Two
C-a6rau-s lend themselves perfectly 70 any Of
many possible applications OF the skill OF the land
scape gardener At present the whole space OF
--ls selni-Clrcle Is cTergroWu with rank weeds so
tai that they almost hide the pedssCalS at the
ergrzz q rhs b1rrIer1errs outs walls Of
me Eeui-CirCie bacLerne-ts curved IN reverse.
E-C be-Tee-. them and the inner walls the stair
EaTs which lead down 10 the vale which the via
duet spans built. over One-hundred-and-
rWscty-sevenrh-st- there IS magnificent arch OF
l-zsolr The interior Of which IS faced with glazed
-rck. The steel arches OF rhs TiscucI proper are
win Cle exception. Uniform in width. height and
design The exception IS the arch which spans one
luud-sd-and-th thiTtieth-st Il Is much wider and
arches q steel trIsswCrk are strung beneath the
Tladucr from column 70 column. afording q groined
effect and making Of the roadway beneath the VIA
C1c- long and shapely arcade
While. far the actual construction OF the
Ezluor-t-g steel framework and stone approaches
g cc1cerred the work IS approaching compile
c Ea-e which the viaduct VIII be thrown open
70 w-eerneu drivers and pedestrians The asphalt
roadway is yet 70 be laid the slperStructural orna
ueC-s and the lights are 70 he placed the PARK
gardeners have their part 10 perform, and the
whole steel framework must be carefully and thor
uug--v painted. I IS improbable that the ytadUCt
vfT Ee r-e-ed for use before next spring. but II
attained structural beauty that VIII repay
E0rHers for a journey 10 Riverside Park.