New-York tribune., 1910-10-20
NEEDS MORE FINE STREETS
John D. Crimmins Says City Should BE
Liberal in Dealing with Queens.

Mayor Gaynor has received letter from
John y. Crfmmins about what the city
ought 10 do 10 meet the rapidly increasing
reeds Of the Borough Of Queens MI
Crimmins urges that the city be liberal ia
appropriatfng moneys for laying out
streets. improving public highways ana
N helping in many other ways the growth
of the borough.
His letter Is as follows:
hon William >. Gaynor, Mayor OF New
Ny Dear Mr Mayor: I am quite as
familiar with The physical concluons OF
the Borough OF Queens - II We're q
resident mere. Erecting buildings anu
Viewing properties nave nouSnl ne ~
that borough very frequently Curlne IIle
past lev, years, II shouId say on t"o
Gays a week on the average J snouId AoA
iJe cXag2 era lIIl-5-
. The i5orougn of Queens contains large
acreage. the largest III extent OF any OF
ing rapidly. The borough was brouehl
into our -reaJer city IL largely primitive
condition. that is, II consisted principally
OF farm lands. with roads tnat mel lhe
requirements OF its people;
Conditions have changed greatly, ana
the surface OF the former meadows ana
gardens IN many parts We see GlVldeu
into streets ana avenues, and IN NAM
places improved with dwellings. TINS
change Is going on. and the clJY must
take cognlZ2nce Of Il, anticipating re
QUiremenIs by providing sewerage, nIllu-
these improvements are OF me lrsI i m
portance TO the Borough Of queens, they
are important 70 the city as a Whoie,
Queens is part Of our CITY ana beaIS d
relative part OF the cost OF the GIN az
ministraLiOn. While the pTopOruon OF
this cost borne hy Queens has not oeen
relatively as large as that borne by Man
haitian, IL can he greatly increased uS ne
carrying out Of these improvements, N
CreaSing the taxa ble value of property IN
that borough and thus adding to the city's
income from taxes sz
In many sections Of Queens the roads
T,endirures for their Improvement will
have 10 be made, the streets viii nave
70 be maintained II they are permllleo
10 remain in their present condition II
VIII be detrimental 10 the Citys interests,
as the development and growth OF the
Borough Of Queens ana the erecuoh OF
buildings viii he retarded.
I would not urge the Beard Of Estimate
and Apporuonment al TINS TINE 10 pc De
liberal in its dealings with the borough
were II not for the fact that the neeo
j. very urgent We should look at the
1oiTt a. We expect our city affairs are
Icing conducted in d husinesSiike way
Il is not 10 he expected [nat heSf yf
rlrIldert At the best. judging from the
Progress being made in the borough. they
are sure 10 fail short Of the necesslties
The extent OF the borough is so large
Snd diversified that there is no condltloh
n life. whether II he az the waterslde OF
in interior situations that cannot oe found
within its boundaries 70 meet the needs
Of every class from the humble lahor1ng
man 70 the man Of wealth, where he
NAV have mis- home.
The opening of the tunnels. the Queens
F,oro Bridge and the progressive develop
r1eu+ in the steam railroads VIII result
in economical rapid transit in time ana
money. enabling the present and future
residents Of the borough 70 reach the
situations 7 picture. and which We see
so frequently illustrated in the dete7,sshe1 7,stl
houses and the two family dwellings,
which ara being erecred. aJtr2 citing the
working people away from tenement Ire.
Il every mans house Is his castle. the
. man Of moderate means NAV here ma e
Thouse which viii be his caEtle. and N
which ne NAV rear his family in modest
cornfo~r Such Ffa affords much better
means FOR bringing up family than ara
70 he found in the crowded tenement dis
-ric-S- associations sre likely to be better.
as the Young people are free from the
distractions II oi-~ life i viii mean and
vorul- IN rha davelonrnn0t Of more
healthv and better 0eorle.
Tai-Ef171v -oI1TS
T0EN = CPINNT%S.