New-York tribune., 1913-06-27
v,u Workers. Used to Walking
IJu and Down StairWays,
He Says, and Can
Keep Doing It.
nnESN'T SEE GAIN, ANYWAY
,,,den to Real Estate Owners
Eis Main Reason for Refus-
ing Consent and Oppos-
ing ALI Others in Es-
innate Board.

yayor Gaynor yesterday killed the
..,,ostion TO move the entrance TO
=. park avenue tunnel from SD street
:, s4th street and lower the grade Of
,gh street SO II would cross Fourth
.vsrue on the level All the members
=. the Board OF Estimate voted for the
inject several weeks ago except the
v,vor. The charter gives him power
., ssnarate consent and he refrained
.o,, voting al the time. The Mayor
MA a public hearing al which many
,,,onents Of the proposition appeared.
The property owners in the vicinity as
rrted their property would be dam
,,si 100000. In reply, Borough
President McAneny, who was the spon-
60, Of the 34th street plan, said engi-
,srs had assured him the total cost
and damages Of the improvement
would not be more than S350,Oo0.
In his memorandum vetoing The
roposition the Mayor said:
Il have been opposed to this change
al along but was very desirous of Civ
nr assent thereto in order to be in
harmony with the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment. but on serious re-
fiction l am convinced that l should
not do so. Nothing is more manifest
han that this city must now avoid
al expenditure which is not absolutely
necessary, for the relief of the real
sstate Of the city. which is burdened
with the great bulk of all of our eX-
Hnditures."
Literature Of Park Avenue.
Giving his reasons in complete form
for yetoing the plan, the Mayor said;
The continuation Of Fourth avenue
from 34th street TO 42d street is called
Park avenue. Park avenue has a his
tory, and almost a literature, all its
own The Fourth avenue surface cars
ezisr tunnel at 34th street. and that
tunnel runs under Park avenue to 10th
street.
The tunnel was formerly an open
trL but was covered over. and a park
irty feet wide was laid out through
as centre of Park avenue from 34th
street. To 10th street over this tunnel.
Il was laid out by the Common
coLcil in 1851. sanctioned by the Leg
stature, which provided funds for it.
and has continued a park ever since.
The owners Of the property in each
Ease will be entitled to damages for
TIE change Of grade. And then the
ripping out Of the park in the centre
d the street between 34th and Both
streets will obviously damage the prop
city on each side Of Park avenue.
The cost 10 the city would be great.
We all know the disposition Of COM
nis'ioners Of appraisal to give large
asnages under such conditions. And
his thing be done, l am not able TO
se what is gained by It.
But II is said that passengers on
ns said Fourth avenue surface road
lsVe to go up a fight Of steps TO 34tn
sIeet in order TO change cars 10 the
surface road on that street, or 10
ensnge from the 34th street TO the
fourth avenue cars they have TO 60
'oSn the same fight Of stairs, and that
MS inconvenience would be done away
Win. But this gain is more imagins-
i've than real
All over the city we go up and
'oSn fights Of steps. to and from the
'aoways and overhead roads and we
nihk nothing Of il. The other alleged
gan is that we will have Fourth ave-
nue. entirely surfaced over and in use
t'Ween 34th street and 33d street. in
'ssd OF having the cut which is there
D'W approaching the tunnel. / do not
see that This ap,c,,Vfo IN rntICh -