New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02
MAY BREATHE FRESH AIR.
On Roofs of Wharf Property Along
City Waterfront.

A scheme has been found to give the tenement
house jewellers of this city seashore resort within
a short distance OF their homes. The first step
has been taken to convert the spacious river front
of the metropolis into a series of promenades,
where the crowds may seek at their will a cooler
and fresher air. The plan will not hinder the
commerce of the marginal streets. does it con-
template the destruction Of shipping wharves and
the erection in their place Of recreation piers 1t
is simply another phase of the story above story
mode of city life. The people to be permitted
to use only the roofs of the municipal piers.
Hitherto, It has been regarded necessary to con-
struct expensive recreation piers to offer the tene
ment house population opportunity to escape
from the sitting atmosphere of the streets. Such
a structure always meant a double expense to the
city. Not only were tens Of thousands OF dollars
needed to build IT. but the municipality was unable
to rent this property further for commercial pur-
noses In the winter these piers were OF little
use for at that time even the humblest tenement
house. II it were warm. afforded greater com
fort.
AS for the shipping wharves no one ever thousht
Of them as a source OF pleasure Their oarnliKe
fronts extending for miles along tho North River
en6 East River shores never inspired thoughts or
recreation or wooed away the cares OF the weary
laborer. They were regarded as only the "oiA
houses OF the stevedore and the truckman' Inc
great ships that moored beside them, although
thew might have brought home thousands OF pleas
,re seekers from Europe the Orient, meant
nothing to the hethouse jewellers who looked DOWN
on them from adjacent houses, except perchahce
Job for the husbands or sons in loading or uioaohs
their holds.
When MacdougaI Hawkes.. the Dock Commission
ar visited Antwerp some months ago, he discov-
cred that there the wharves answered q tWoIolo
purpose. Not only were their lower noors USED LOT
commerce. but the populace had access TO their
roofs and enioyed themselves as they might III
the marks Here the mothers sat in the evenings.
and let their children play as they pleased secure
from fall into the river below, because OF the
substantial ratings which bordereo the TOOLS
At Copenhagen Mr.. Hawkes. found that the Danes
annraciated the double value of their piers much
as the BeIgians Here, too, the shore front was
utilized for both commerce and recreation.
When Mr. Hawkes. contrasted the limited water
frontage of Antwerp and COPENHAGEN Win t1ie
great shore extent of New-York CITY ne was as
tonished that the chief metropolis OF the New
World should be so behind these two small cities OF
Continental Europe.
"Uhy. New-York has room for good part
of its population along its river fronts, ne sAIa
IN an Antwerp official. I'VE have 44i miles Oh
- tira of which eighty-hve miles belong 10 the
citv. and vet only here and there can the people
flock down to the water where We nave Jun. $50
alton piers. We have some marginal par T Few and
is a different matter. Even our PARIS are le" anu
Tho nT rest Of TIE world" remarked the Belgian
1--WE try be in business, sao the New" 49,, aU1
land so we often forget about our recFealioh anu
I; re+,,rnina home Commissioner Hawkes. sought
o. In+ INTO nTactiCe what he had learned abroad,
hI,t he soon saw that it could only be accomplished
Stan at a time First of all, an experiment kaS
necessary to convince the New-Nork puplc. Inc
central Railroad of New-Jersey happened ABOUT
mis- time 10 be contemplating new piers and ferry
sims at Iiberty-st According TO the arrange
rnent the CITY was to build the structures and then
rent them to the railroad !, >,
And we want the roof for public promenade,
said the Commissioner, IN taking Win the rail-
roads chief engineer. -,
For our passengers?' asked the engineer, with
little surprise ,,r,. -. -
who wants to go up and walk around. We can
build an iron railing around its edge, so that the
babies wont fall into the North River"
Never heard of such thing!
It's done in Antwerp and Copenhagen. and
if the Danes and Belgians can do 1t, We ought TO.
It won't interfere at all with your business. The
city will police the promenade. You Will hardly
know that 1t exists.
The engineer consulted with the other officials of
the company and reported to MI Hawkes. that II
the city would police the roof and make allow
adopt the plan. Satisfactory arrangements
finally made, and the city is now going ahead
with the work.
The pier Improvement of the Jersey Central
stretches for 500 feet south from Libertyst. West
st is to be widened from 20 to 200 feet, and its
outer edge will be bounded by the heavy stone
wall which the Dock Department is slowly extend
ing along the whole shore front. The terminal
street, narrowing its width TO 200 feet or 100 feet
more than at present. a tWo-stOry structure will
occupy this 30 by 500 strip the northern end OF
which will be built with a handsome tower and
clock and will be used for the entrance to the
connecting with its second floor will permit passen
gers TO reach the upper decks of the ferrvbOats
without lodging the trucks along the shore front
The southern part Of the wharf building will be
used for freight and will connect with two great