The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-30
AID STREET RISES and CRIES,
o, JACOB A. CANTOR, GO DIG IN
DISTANT GUAM.
The Proposed Bridge at Fifth Avenue
Regarded by Merchants rs the Last
Deadly Blow ut Their Trade-TheyN
Need Elevators at Their Front Doors.

second street he should walt until alCer
dark, or else 20 in disguise.
That Fifth avenue bridge Of his Ia the
last straw, and every owner and tenant
between Sixth avenue and Madison is
ready to fight.
The property at stake includes millions
of dollars worth of modern store and office
structures Some of the owners and lease
holders are Commodore Gerry, the Hon.
Levi P. Morton, the estate OF the late Dean
Hoffman, Hawk & Wetherbee of the Hotel
Manhattan, A. G.. Spalding, Joseph Mil
bank, Walter j. Solomon and Mrs. Caroline
Z. Coe.
Among the tenants are the Grand Central
branch Of the Corn Exchange Bank, the
Lincoln National Bank and a score Of big
retail stores. All of these interests, with
out single exception, are opposed to
the proposed depression Of the street level
IA feet and the carrying OF Fifth avenue
traffic across Forty second street on
bridge.
Homer Foote, a real estate expert has
been authorized by the Interested property
owners to fight the thing at every point.
"What is proposed" he said yesterday.
'is the crucifxion Of Forty-second street
trade. The depression Of Forty-second
street to carry it under Fifth avenue
bridge would utterly destroy the proper
physical relations now existing between
the two thoroughfares. 1t would divert
all Fifth avenue traffic from Forty-second
street, and vice versa, because carriages
could not go from one street to the other
without going around an entire city block
by way OF either Fortieth street or Forty
first. Pedestrians could not go from one
thoroughfare to the other, except by climb
ing a flight of steps. Does Mr.. Cantor
think that such an arrangement would
be in accord with the American habit OF
doing business quickly?
"You cannot divorce two streets which
have belonged together for years without
injury to both. In this case the divorce
would be- fatal to the business Of Forty
second street.
$50 much for the inevitable results.
Now, there is just one other point to con-
slider: Does the necessity for the change
exist? 1t does not The condition Of
Forty-second street has been abnormal for
years. 1t has never had chance to demon
strate what 1t can do as an artery OF tranic,
because one improvement has followed
another and there has been no time in the
last seven years that the street has not been
torn up and its value as thoroughfare
impaired SO per cent. Restore Forty.
second street to normal conditions and
nobody will talk about the need Of bridge
to relieve congestion.
IF the street is depressed every store
entrance will be left up in the air, with the
sidewalk IA feet below, and each door Will
have to be- reached by flight Of steps
There could be no worse handicap to trade.
There are still some persons dwelling in
Forty-second street. One woman, whose
home IL In that street, when asked what
she thought Of the bridge scheme called
her young daughter .,,
was born in this Forty-seoond street house
eight years ago. She outgrew her long
clothes and got into short dresses. She's
been through kindergarten and now she's
in the intermediate grade. Next year she'll
be In fractions, and that child has never
vet seen her native street when it wasn't
torn up. Please tell Mr.. Cantor that III
buy him a tin pail and shovel so that he can
90 to the beach and dig all he wants TO-,
but please ask him to stay away from
Forty-second street. Isn't there beach
on the island Of Guam, or some other lar,
far away placer"
McHugh, the furniture man, was asked
what he thought Of lowering Forty-seoond
street.
you can't do it, he said. -Forty-seoond
street is the lowest street In the world,
and nobody can make il any worse.
As he spoke, Mr.. McHugh gazed sadly
at two big holes in the sidewalk In front OF
his store.
"See those holes2" he said. Until about
a week ago two Corinthian iron lampposts
stood there. The pair was worth 5000.
Now they're Junk One blast apiece did
for them. The first blast knocked the
west lamp over. A minute later the second
blast came and finished the east lamp.
There Is no redress. had complained
about the blasting a day or two before,
and was laughed at.
NO, no bridge, thank you, no more i'm
proyements for me. Our trade has been
tagged away. Prosperity has been wig
wagged to other parts l am not speak
ing fipuratively, but literally. For years a
man has been in this street with red
flag which he waves at Fifth avenue and
FoTtv-second street before every blast
That's great for the women shopping
trade, isn't it2
These hot days the fagman doesn't
take the trouble TO walk 100 yards or so
10 find out when the blast Ia coming He
sits on his barrel all day and keeps the flag
going all the time lust to make sure.
We've all kept cheerful and hung on
go far because there was hope. Water
mains. sewers gas mains, car tracks Of all
kinds and the subway have kept us be