New-York tribune., 1901-03-21
WLDENING ANOTHER STREET.

A bill has been introduced at Albany for the
widening of Livingston-st., Brooklyn. by con
demning strip of private property along the
southern side of il. Such proposal, judging
from former experiences in Manhattan and
elsewhere is likely either 10 include and conceal
job of the worst kind 70 open the way
for an equally Objectionable grab" We do
not mean TO intimate that the Livingston-st.
scheme embodes Job" On the contrary. 1t
seems TO be put forward in good faith to meet
one of the most urgent needs Of that borough.
But it will be eminently desirable and neces-
sary 10 exercise strict vigilance in order to
prevent its being prosttuted into an oppor-
tunity for a most fragrant grab
We have said there is urgent need of some
such work. Fulton-st., from Court-st. TO Flat
bushave.. is now one of the worst crowded
thoroughfares in the world. II Is lined with
enormous department stores and other fire.
quented places of business. II is darkened by
elevated railroad. 1t is traversed by six
OF the principal surface car lines of the bor-
ough And it is the chief avenue of travel to
and from the bridge for three-fourths of the
vehcular traffic. The resulting conditions are
tumult intolerable Inconvenience and delay,
and no little danger 70 limb and life. Another
thoroughfare, parallel and near by, is impera-
TO Fulton at the south, and is admirably adapted
10 being made a thoroughfare for half of the
traffic which now congests Fultonst., but it
will need 10 be much widened and repaved On
the north side it is lined with the big depart
ment stores which front in Fulton-st but on
the south side it has few buildings of impor-
tance value. Widening it on that side would
therefore not be costly.
The bearing of the cost and the subseoupnt
occupancy of the street the important points
TO be considered The present bill proposes
that half the cost shall be borne by the city
ana half by the owners of the property on the
north side of the street. That may be euuita ble
though it certainly does not err in the direc-
ton OF depressing the property owners We
are by no means sure that the benefit the i'm
provement will be to property owners on both
sides or the street would not warrant taxing
them with the entire cost. The transformation
of narrow back street into broad main ave
nue. will revolutoniZe realty and rental values
1t is not beyond bounds of reason 10 think that
the property owners on the south side part of
whose land is to be taken for addition TO the
street, VIII find the remainder of their land
worth as much as the whole is now AS for
thcse on the north SIDE the benefit to them will
be enormous, and for it they should be willing.
or should he required, to pay fair value
| Still more important, if possible is the cues
| tion of the use to which the street is to he mt
/ The general uses of a public street. It will he
said. Yes; but it is added that, of course the
trolley lines will be run through 1t to relieve
| their overcrowded tracks in Fulton-st That
VIII probably be desirable. 1t would be an ex-
ceilent plan TO run all the City Hall and Fulton
ferry cars in both directions through Iiv,
ihsston Court and lower Fulton sts., reseryinc
upper fulton-st. and Westinghouse ST for cars
winch run TO and across the bridge. That di
vision OF traffic would relieve congestion. aud
make 1t possible TO run many more cars with
iar less crowdlng than at present. But-and
this is the gist of the matter-the car com
panies should be made 10 pay roundly for the
use OF the new street. They should not be per