The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-15

cal of the gay, careless, fashionable He is most in evidence. Following Broad ways uptown course onward one passes block after block in the region about the lower end of Central Park given over all most entirely to the automobile industry. Gasoline Alley" 1t is called in the local vernacular. Still further north Is the re- zion of great apartment hotels, the homes of those residents of the city who are among neither the richest nor the poor est, extending block after block in strue- lures of towering height for several miles. Where the street begins to mount the heights that form the northern part of Manhattan it enters upon another phase passing great institutions, the lofty arches of the Cathedral Of St. John, the halls of Columbia university, and fur ther up the College of the City of New York. Open spaces begin to appear. There are private residences as well as apartment houses. Broadway here over looks the lordly Hudson and the Pali- sades on the Jersey shore, and along this part of it's course, from the upper heights to the northern end of the island at Spuy- ten Duyvil will stand in the future in all probability the finest and costliest of New Yorks homes, residences of the fashion, able wealthy
 Broadway has two advantages which many other famous streets lack-a
 
 CT end is Battery Park, a spot of green cry looking out upon the busy waters Of the harbor and at it's upper terminus is to be placed the beautiful Hudson memo rial bridge which will form a fitting gate way to the city from the landward side Broadway will always be the street of spectacles and processions, the national parade ground and the national play ground
 Even in the matter of age Broadway has no mean record. In the early days of the city it was the natural highway from the lower to the upper part of the island. since the ground on both sldes now occu- pied by skyscrapers, was then only marshland. Down to 1642 the thorough fare bore a succession of appellations. First 1t was called simply the main road" Later 1t became the public road, the Hoog Veg or Highway. It was also called the Heeron Straat. of Street of the Masters. From about 164O on, however, it became generally known as Broadway, although its identity was established much earlier. Perhaps in way these early names corresponded to the newer titles given this much-nicknamed thor oughfare. On Broadway it was that the first clergyman preached regularly in a little wooden church near what is now
 
 Pine street that Col de Puyster in l6yo built what was described as 'palatial three-story dwelling mansion" Forty four years later, in 1739. public market house was erected in the middle or Broadway opposite Liberty street IL was a gigantic structure 42 feet long and 70 feet wide, but for some reason 1t was never popular.
 Of no other spot in the world are so many men able to say IT id oniy bought that property 90 years ago Tor 2 song, I'd be millionaire" The story or Broadway is one of unnumbered fortunes made by those who did invest, and as tne city moves northward 1t still apphes Back in 1892 lots on Broadway were soic m as far as Fulton street for about " each. Today those same lots are wortI hundred thousand times the orlSiha cost Purchasers were required to erect buildings not less than two stores Ill height and in some cases to cover the CIT. tire front Of the lot. Today an owner or Broadway property who did not do mofs than this voluntarily would be consiuereo insane, so great are rental values.