New-York tribune., 1911-02-05

place for business. for the pursuit OF cult
ure and for diversion. Perhaps few per
sons may live here. but no poor man could
afford TO. and any man Of wealth may
fy away 10 the mountains of Pennsylvania
in half an hour If he go chooses. He could
DO II in two hours to-day.
The mistake in principle. which Mr.
Lamb points out, is that there Is greater
facility in crossing town than in moving
up and down. II the up and down avenues
were 200 feet apart instead Of 500 and the
crosstown blocks laid out 20 match them,
the desired end would be achieved. The
only thing 10 do now, since the city is
built. is to rip it TO pieces in necessary
places build il over again, and relieve the
longitudinal congestion by diagonals and
midway avenues. Both London and Berlin
made money by their destruction OF valu-
able property followed by reconstruction.
The fire was q blessing in disguise to San
Francisco. Chicago missed her opportunity
after he- fire, or rather only partly i'm
proved IT,
washington is admirably laid out. partly
as has just been discovered as the result
Of A sentimental accident. George Wash
ington was g. better Mason than his coun-
trynen knew. and in carrying out his IDEAS
the city plan is found TO be full OF Masonic
SYMBOLS. which are excellent civic engineer
inc. These, however, are not good for New
York. and il Is fortunate that Washington
had nothing 10 do with planning the
metropolis.
Taking up the proposed and precipitated
improvements mentioned. one quickly gets
the impression that. however lacking In
imagination we're the gentlemen OF 1871
there are to-day abundant planners well
eouipped with it-as well as with practical
sense.
In the improvement from the Pennsyl-
vania Station north to a new circular plaza.
the lower rim of which will open into 5Oth
street. and the upper be touched by the
Sixth avenue elevated railroad in SD street,
the houses that must be torn down are
nearly all OF the old-fashioned browns;one
front or brick type-there are very few
modern improved buildings, factories or
stores The houses arc Cach as would 60
down under the renting space pressure IN
q few years. and there was never time
more propitious than this. Undoubtedly
such a plaza would become great life
centre. The present subway, the proposed
West Side subway, the surface cars ana
the elevated railroad would make 1t con-
venient so far as transit facilities go.
The Lcng Acre Square-59th street plaza
thoroughfare. the proposed name OF which
is Mckinley Concouise, in commemoration
of the former President, would fill long
felt want There is a vast flood OF human
traffic between the district east Of Central
Park and Long Acre Square. Carriages
and automobiles, to say nothing of pedes-
trians by thousands, pour down to the plaza
and then south to some cross street by
which they can move over 10 Broadway
and vice versa. There are two long blocks
of suprr:iuous travel. \ subway running
from Long Acre Square 10 the district east
OF the park would 90 a greater business.
many believe. than any other line I'm the
city Nearly half the buildings that now
block the way are Of the same character
as those between Seventh and Eighth ave
nues. between 3ith and SD streets. The
other naIf comprise some noted clubs.
theatre or two. some eight apartment
hotels, a number Of apartment houses and
many high class houses. but the advocates
OF the plan believe these could all come
down alyantageously.
The McAlpin Hotel proposition is one OF
Brohdingnagian nature. The buildings
east OF Broadway and south OF 3ith street
are now coming down, and yet Andrews S
Co. the promoters. have so far withheld
most Of the details Of the project The
mere statements that there will be twenty
five hundred rooms. that enough employees
TO recruit two regiments will be needed
and that a whole national political conven-
ton could be housed and fed under the
same roof are suggestive enough. The sub
terranean plans, not yet made public in
full. include the station Of the short sub
way that will link the McAdoo system with
the Interborough system at Greeley Square
and Times Square. and a subway with
small cars for passengers and a special
runway for baggage connecting directly
with the great Pennsylvania station
The prospect will be hne and gives the
architects encouragement To work out n
building OF great beauty. one OF the plans
said To be included is "A set of removable |
walls and ceilings on two doors that will
enable the management TO throw two whole !
floors into one great room free OF every |
thing but the elevator shafts az the side |
such a room for huge ball a military
review. society circpr. u football game