New-York tribune., 1907-06-09

A recent controversy over the awards Of com
mission for the extension Of Riverside Drive from
15sth street north along Boulevard Lafayette mas
served TO call attention. as perhaps nothng e4se
could, 10 the enormous expense which has attendea
The BUILDING of this noted parkway from the days
3f its beginning. 4 summing up Of the whole
work from the starting point at I'D street north
10 the Hudson Memorial Bridge across Spuyten
Duyya Creek 10 which II is now planned to eX-
-e1d tss drive. based figures actually available
and o, conservative estimates by city officials in
a. position TO know. shows that if the work is com
ueted to the point named within the appropriations
now available the total amount expended VIII
have been $25 $4,000. This say experts. makes the
drive the most costly construction of its nature in
the world. but at The same time they contend that
there is no basis for q fair comparison with any
other.
Where can anything ike Riverside Drive be
found?' asked F. stuart Williamson. consulting
sneineer in charge Of the present work, when
speaking Of it the other day. There is nothing
else Ike it in the whole world. 1t stands alone;
unique construction"
Central Park containing over S43 acres. is said
10 be about the only public pleasure ground in New
York which affords anything ike a comparison
with Riverside Drive when completed, but in that
case the comparison IS not satisfying While it is
estimated that The present value Of the land In
Guided in Central Park is $2l0o9o.oo its original
cost 10 the city was only s. 02S,s44 TO- The figures
available show the cost Of construction and main
Park, Brooklyn, is now valued at S2S,eoo0oo, but
yas originally acquired for much less.
The other parkways throughout the greater city
afford g more accurate basis of comparison, and
they only serve 70 emphasize the great cost OF
Riverside Drive. The Speedway in Manhattan, ex-
tending north from l55th street. along the Harlem
River, about TWO and one-ffth miles, was con-
structed at expense OF S3o25oo exclusive Of and
values. but even these say real estate experts.
could not place II IN the class Of Riverside Drive.
Even present day values Of the numerous Brooklyn
parkways sink into insignifcance when compared
with the actual original cost Of Riverside Drive.
For instance Eastern Parkway. with the extern
sion TO Highland Park 81 800 go; Fort Hamilton
Parkway at 5000 900; Fourth avenue S2,0O0,000
Ocean Parkway. at 100000 and the Shore Road.
at 100000
Figures compiled BY the Metropolitan Parks Com
mission 81 the State OF Rhode Island. which in
1906 made exhaustive inquiry into the park sys-
Of the United States, so TO show that there is
nothing in this country compare in point Of cost
with Riverside Drive, when completed This report
shows that even the Philadelphia plan TO run a
broad avenue parkway from the City Hail
diagonally across the city 70 Fairmount Park.
through built up business quarter would cost only
ao0c00 The estimated cost of securing the land
for q great addition TO the baltimore park system
whole report which can be compared with the cost
Of New York's drive those relating 10 the pro-
posed Chicago scheme for the construction Of
chain Of eighty-four parks, aEgregating in area
$1,000 acres, extending twenty-five miles into the
country and TO be acquired at an estimated cost
Of S2500ooGO But this is IN the future. SO far as
actual construction goes, however the report tends
TO show there is nothing equaling Riverside Drive
10 be found in the country, and persons familiar
with such work are inclined to confirm Mr. VIII
iamscns assertion that there is nothing TO equal
# elsewhere in the world.