New-York tribune., 1908-08-02
MANHATTAN BRIDGE
Clearing Ground for the approaches
almost Completed.

When New York City foots the bill for the new
Manhattan Bridge not all of the money will go for
the spectacular work which can be seen by the
travellers on the old Brooklyn Bridge in position
to look out Of the windows Of the cars on which
they are crossing the East River. Down at either
end of the bridge swaths have been cut diagonally
across number Of blocks wiping out the buildings
on hundreds OF city lots. The simple purchase of
the land necessary for the approaches swallows up
a large percentage of the sum appropriated for the
bridge. It is believed that the bridge. its ap-
proaches terminals and the F1atbush avenue ex-
tension made necessary by it will cost the city
SOS 600 COS Cs this approximately $8,oo"oOo
will be spent for real estate
The land required for the terminal and approach
in Manhattan numbers 173 individual pieces. What
the city is to pay for them has not been definitely
fixed in every case The property is assessed in
round numbers at 100000 1t includes the old
Hecker mill. which has already given way to the
anchorage, scores of East Side tenement houses
each occupied by many persons. number Of Iods-
ing houses the old Bowery Mission and the old
windsor Theatre The terminal is to occupy the
two entire blocks bounded by Canal street. the
BoEery Bayard and Forsyth streets and will take
in seventy-six lots. The approach will be 25lo feet
or almost hals mile. long
The Brooklyn approach of the bridge will be 2Sl0
feet long and terminate in the square bounded by
Bands Bridge. Nassau and Jay streets The ap-
Troach terminal will occupy lb lots, valued at
about & 900 o00 Stretching away from the terminal
is the Flatbush avenue extension opened as an
aDproach TO the bridge. 1t was necessary buy
approximately lots for the opening of this street
The Temporary and permanent awards made for
this private property foot up s2,745 01 IS The old
Montauk Theatre acquired at private sale, cost the
city $500 600 in addition
The preliminary work of clearing away the con-
denned land and buildings in Brooklyn leading up
to the bridge entrance through what is to be
known as the F1atbush avenue extension has been
quietly going for many months, until now only
two buildings of any size remain to be torn down
for a
few scattered wrecks Of what were once homes or
places for public assemblies only the old church
building of the Roman Catholic parish. Of Our
Lady Of Mercy and the picturesque vine covered
Public School g. the Of which not dis
continued until the close of the last school year,
are now standing the last items of interest in
this 'blazed trail
The approach TO The bridge Brooklyn lies
through the oldest part OF the city, and follows
the direction Of Flatbush avenue produced to the
northwest cutting diagonslly a dozen blocks
midway between Fulton street and the navy yard
and intercepting buildings of every description.
most Of them dating back to the first half OF the
nineteenth century The massive stone anchorage
10 which the ends of the supporting cables of the
bridge structure will later be secured stands
two blocks from the waterfront on the East River
and stretches back from Plymouth street and
across Water street which is spanned by huge
Roman arch The bridge entrance proper extends
beyond this point for distance Of six blocks until
It comes TO Nassau street where the street level is
reached and the FIatbush avenue, extension begins
Among the interesting old ruins removed to make
way for this part OF the bridge structure was
the Roman Catholic Church OF the Assump
ton one of the oldest in the borough, organized
in 1872 and standing Jay and York streets. Near
at hand in Jay street, is a tumbledoEn frame
building long forgotten the OF schol-
arly instruction. but still bearing over the
weatherbeaten door the name under which II once
acknowledgements Literary Institute" Two
blocks further on. at No 1s7 Jay street. between
Sands and High streets, is the partially disman-
tied building of the Mayfower Branch of Plym-
outh Church, organized in 1874 and used as a
church building until few months ago. One
block beyond IS Nassau street. where the Flatbush
avenue extension viii meet the bridge entrance
Midway between this point and the entrance
to FTatbush at Fulton street is the old
building Of Public School 5. bounded by Johnson,
DufieId and Gold streets. three story brick affair
OF obsolete construction for purposes. soon
to be torn down. Not far away the build
ing 10 be occupied by School this fall. II is
fine example Of the up-todate form of school artli
lecture being In the English collegiate style and
covering half block bounded by Bridge, T!iiary
and Lawrence streets. Directly opposite the
building across Tary street. is large public
playground Number lie used grammar