The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-23

IN its work. 1t has for excuse the loss Of
the month OF May through strikes and the
loss Of large part of June through rains
Yet even then 1t il far behind, and at the
pace at which the present tearing up OF the
streets Is making new work the prospect
OF its catching up is far from encouraging
this saying nothing Of the twenty-five miles
OF streets that are contracted for
TO meet this difficulty Commissioner
Livingston Is in favor of having asphalt re-
sections and making the head OF each Sec
tion responsible for the prompt and effective
performance of the work. as is the section
boss on railroad.
How the asphalt company has delayed
its work is shown in several instances.
For example, the digging up OF Second
avenue from Houston street to twenty
and the work of putting down the asphalt
and restoring the street to decent condi-
tion was not begun until this week, and
then only at the peremptory demand OF the
Highways Department.
The north side OF Eighty street
between Riverside Drive and West End
avenue has been neglected so long that
grass is growing in the litter. In many
cases in which the asphalt company has
reported to the department that repairs
have been made the inspectors, who are
always sent out to verify these reports,
have found that they are false and that
the work has not been done.
On the other hand, the delay Of the sub
way companies in doing their work is also
in many cases fragrant. In Broadway
from Thirty-fourth street to Forty-second
street the Edison company has left q trench
open and in snail like progress for month
or more. Twenty-seventh street from
Fourth to Sixth avenue Ia in q chaotic con-
dition, and has long been 50, because Of the
81 ~ ~ Hn al r<rin n
In Thirt y-ninth street from Fourth to Sixth
avenue, and in Nineteenth and Twentieth
st reefs. the Water Department has a yawn-
ing chasm where new water mains are
going down. In Fortieth street from Ninth
avenue to Tenth avenue there is still anothe
protracted case of upheaval caused by
one Of the electric companies. In Eighth
street there is similar state Of affairs.
Hanging over the city and soon to be
precipitated is still another era OF street
upheaval This is the trench work to be
done by the New York Mail and Newspaper
Transportation Company, Of which Howard
Gould is president. This concerns plans
involve the digging up Of more than
ton Of more than 10000 square yards OF
earth. The trench will run:
From the General Post Office down Park
place to Church street, along CHURCH to Canal
street. along Canal street to Post ONCE Sta
to Sixth avenue. to Greenwich avenue. to
Seventh avenue. to Twelfth street, to Eighth
avenue. to Bethune street. to Washington
from Twelfth street along Seventh avenue to
Seventeenth street. along Seventeenth street
to Station o: from Seventeenth street along
so to station E; along Thirty-second street TO
Seventh avenue. to Fifty-nrst street. to Tenth
avenue, and so on up to Amsterdam avenue
then across the city and down the East Side.
Apleasing prospect of mess and upheaval
lasting many months even after the work
is at last fully under way, the residents will
find il.
The enormously increased demand for
electric light and power and for telephone
service in houses already built and in those
in course Of construction is fruitful cause
OF the tearing up OF the streets. Still
another ia attributed to the gas pipes.
In the good old village way which still
to great measure holds In the meth
ods OF doing subterraneous work IN
New York, cast iron gas pipes are lad
down in the soil. In course Of time the
pipes leak, tne gas pepetrates the soil
and works its way upward to the under
surface of the asphalt. This causes the
pavement to disintegrate, leaving weak
places which under the street TRAFFIC speedily
work into big holes. This process lie going
sS sa on s aspn ppeps sa
The rapid growth Of the city and the con:
sequent enlargement Of the underground
plants to meet the demands OF the increased
population is at the bottom Of large part
OF the street upheavals. The Bureau OF
Vital Statistics shows the population OF
Manhattan and The Bronx to have been
Hiss, 832 last year. For this year up to
July 1 the statistics show a population OF
2, OF for the two boroughs, an increase
of a, 1856 in six months. For the balance Of
the year it is estimated that there will be
an increase Of another $4,000, total In
crease OF o., 1856 for the year.
Brooklyn is growing ,proportionately
even more rapidly, for there the year g
increase Of population will be $4,000. or q
total increase for the three boroughs OF
178 1856. Add Queens and Richmond, and
the annual growth Of New York will not
be far from 20O,O 900.
In Manhattan and The Bronx on July l
there we're 454 miles OF paved streets, and
by January eleven more miles will be added.
For next year seven miles are already
planned, making a total Of 472 miles by the
end of 1904.
Brooklyn had 4s3 miles Of paved streets
on Jan. and it is estimated that by the end
of next year twenty more miles will be
added. Brooklyn will then have 5l3 miles
Of paved streets, making a total for the
three boroughs alone Of ss5 miles, enough
to reach in continuous line from New