The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-11
APPROVES 9TH AYE. WIDENING
JOHN ID. CRTMMINS RACKS UP
THE CORPORATION COUNSEL.
He Thinks 27Feet Is Enough for a sidewalk
and That Inc Added IA Feet FOR the
Roadway Would 1s&uSSA ,Esag an IRA me
Other owners Ready TO Fight.

-Otner ONners Neau} 10 flSnl.
Corporation Counsel Ellison received
several ettere- y eSterday from property
owners who favor. his scheme Of widening
Fifth avenue from Twenty-third street
TO Fifty ninth street. John d. Crimmins
wrote at length arplauding the project
and others sent brief notes of congratula-
ton.
Mr.. Ellison said last evening that real
estate men b. declared that the values
on Fifth avenue would be enhanced from
$40 900 to $40 600 a lot if the avenue were
widened.
Il have not as yet begun to figure on
that end of the propositio ion, " said Mr.. Eli
son. Il expect first to nave a fight overthe
proposition and l will be ready when the
fight begins, but meanwhile | will go ahead
notifying the owners along the avenue that
they may have time TO take what action
they may"
The Corporation Counsel's announcement
has not as yet caused much fear to the
affected property owners. They hold that
when the matter is taken to the Court Of
Appeals the city will find it. impossible to
carry out Mr.. Ellison's plan. The general
feeling was expressed by a man at the
Knickerbocker Trust ~Company's building
AAAIty-AOuil stAtt dlb u I dNtllct no
said:
Il don see anybody at work outside
tearing up our steps and I don't believe
our directors will worry much until that
happens
Action has already been taken against
che Knickerbocker Trust Company to COM
pei IL to trim down its building. Justice
O'Gorman decided against the company,
but the case will be taken TO the higher
courts. The Knickerbocker company will
lead the fight in the test case for all the
Fifth avenue property owners. 1t is said
that the company has. the backing of the
Astor estate, which owns millions Of dollars
worth Of leased property along the avenue.
In giving his views Of the situation Mr..
Crimmins wrote;
I heartily applaud the movement you are
taking toward restoring the Fifth avenue TO
the uses originally intended by the COM
missioners who laid out orr avenues and
streets in 1871. The permission to enclose
for ornamental purposes part of the side
walk and by that means narrowing the road
way did not at any time extend beyond
Twenty-third street. and the reason Of the
petitioners has long passed that the roadway
was not greatly used as a thOrOughfare.
The permission was not to continue beyond
the pleasure of the Common Council. There
are so many cncroachments to-day on the
6NFhhrE Th'h ~ AFu' - hhb NhAlF
there are steps opening down from the side
walks, that the thirty feet Is reduced to fifteen
feet for surface sidewalks.
My idea has been that the sidewalks be
made twenty-five feet of free space between
curb and house line and ffty-six feet for road
way. The additional sixteen feet in road
way means more.for the movement Of vehicles
than the proportion of sixteen 10 forty. for
vehicles can 1novs IN aud out. passing the
slower moving vehicles, while now the move
ment il but a procession.
In the movement you are making ! would
suggest that you first determine the width
of the sidewalks. Having decided that. the
Bureau of Buildings should be advised that
any encroachments beyond the honse line
are not permissible. Second. the Bureau Of
Highways should be advised that no permit
must be granted FOR any vault to extend more
than 20 feet beyond the house line. If that IS
the width You adopt forthe sidewalks. There
are several vaults building to-day which ex-
tend 80 feet from tbs mouse line. This should
not be permitted.
Having established the width of the side
walks and roadway, an example should be
made by the city by setting back the curb
in front of the Consolidated Library, the City's
property. from Fortieth to Forty-secOnd
street. The relief at this ron gested point
would be so great that | believe the opposition
would fall away. When | had the situation
canvassed many property owners on Fifth
aNeuue slkneu lne pelUlOn iOF widening the
roadway and narrowing the sidewalks.
For the widening of the roadway between
Fortieth and Forty-seCond streets an APP
preparation should be made so there can he
no use for Withholding the change. if you
adopt the suggestion. Now is the time to
obtain the money. when the Board of Estimate
h considering the budget. A sum sufficient
can be allowed the Bureau of Highways.
The consensus of opinion will favor the
position you are taking. You may find on
position from "A few owners. but the people
date relief from the conGested ondition of
Fifth avenue. which can only be brought
about by widening the roadway J ~
n. A. Loring Of the Etna Real Estate and
Loan Company wrote that as a property
holder on Fifth avenue he favored the
widening. He said that if the houses were
kept within the house line five feet could be
taken of the sidewalk on each side Of the
street, thereby making the roadway ten
feet wider and doing away TO a large extent
with the congestion Of traffic.
The opposition view was expressed by
Mr.. Martin of Martins Restaurant at Tween
ty-sixth street and Fifth avenue. who said:
OF What Use will increased width be to a
thoroughfare like Fifth avenue1 It is the
trucks and business wagons that cause the
congestion now, and IL the avenue is widened
the fact will be all the more announcement
20 more of that class Of vehicles, because
there are no trolley cars. The solution
Is to forbid the avenue to the Use Of heavy
traffic as is done on the Champs Elysers,
which Ii the same sort Of street al Fifth
avenue
Mr.. Martin declared that he and the other
property owners affected would back the
K~nickerbocker Trust Company in the fight.
-Rr