The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-30
WEST END AVENUE.
Aims OF, the Riverside Branch OF the
Womsn's Municipal League.

NHuhtNtp"t hNhSu's
To THE EDITOR OF TIE suN--sir. An
article, mo West End Avenue Peril.
says that residents have begged Mr..
Marks not TO tear up their beloved grass
plots, or destroy the trees" &c. Your
statements are not enlightening since they
make no explanations and might be con-
sidered reflection on the intelligence of
some who II possible would benefit the
West Side.
Perhaps Jon VIII call to mind that the
part OF the West side OF which West End
avenue IL the backbone is a narrow sec
ton between two parks. Seeing clearly
that save as "a high class residence sec
ton u had no future, It's best, most in
teiiigent residents tried to throw around
II safeguards for all time. You will recall
tho law placing the bulkhead lire In COM
paratively shallow water and the reasons
for this; you will recall the placing under
park control of West Side avenue. and the
three approaches from Central Park to
Riverside Drive and the reasons for this .
you will recall the vigorous protest in
1912, when the Park Department thought
or asphalting over the grass plots-all
indicative OF n fixed purpose on the part
OF the residents.
And yet, disregardlng all this. In the
summer OF 1918 the Board of Aldermen
quietly transferred these park streets
from the Jurisdiction OF the Department OF
Parks Certainly they did not consider
tho will of the people, nor OF the men who.
after long and careful thought. by special
acts of legislation tried TO preserve the
park character of this section. not only
for the sake OF their beloved trees but
because they saw that physical conditions
prevented this from ever becoming "A bust
ness section, and that IL must be pre-
served as high class residence section
or deteriorate.
Inquiring why traffic on West End ave-
nue. was no longer restricted and why the
grass plots no longer received care, the
Riverside Branch OF the Woman's Munich
pal League was told that II was because
OF the new ordinance of the summer OF
1919
so the ordinance means lack OF care.
and that at once. The Park Department
has now. of course, no fund for the main
tenance of these grass plots, ana the
Bureau of Highways certainly has none
indeed. one Of the evils OF tho ordinance
seems to be the confusion OF opinion
among the departments AZ to the admins
tration of the streets. We are told that
Mr.. Marks has stated that now any
property owner who chooses can asphalt
the grass plot In front OF his property.
and yet YOU quoN him as saying mat no
danger threatens. Could we believe that
every apartment house builder so loves
beauty and values 80 highly the health
giving properties OF vegetation as to pre-
fer roots OF trees rather than the addi-
tional space gained by bringing his cellan
out to the curb line at the sacrifice or
roots and grass, we might believe there Is
no danger from the new ordnanS
Since the grass now receives no care.
II we may trust our eyes IL II in danger
of its very life, notwithstanding your
assurances TO the contrary.
Believing that our new administration
is In earnest In saying II wants to do the
will OF the people, the Riverside Branch
OF the Womans Municipal League has In
formed West side residents OF the ordi-
nance and its effects, and though many
are so tired of informing each new ad-
mlnistration OF the wishes OF the people
that they are almost discouraged, we have
asked them to write the President of the
Borough. so he shall not be In doubt as to
what we want
We want the streets put back under the
Jurisdiction OF the Department Of Parks.
and left there; and we want a yearly
appropriate, for their upkeep. $4,000 or
$4,000 year.
The people on these park streets pay
high taxes. and as little repaving is re-
auired II is but fair that a part OF the
high tax exacted OF property owners
should be returned in the upkeep of these
little spots of green. which give to this
section the only value IL can ever hope TO
have.
The preserving OF the value OF property
Is what the Riverside Branch OF the
Woman's Municipal League IL striving for.
NANNETTE BRYAN,
Chairman, Riverside Branch Woman's
Municipal League.
NEW YORK, May 27.