The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-26
BRONX PARKWAY
SOON To Be OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC
COMMISSION REPORTS THAT ST.
$4,000 IN REAL ESTATE
BOUGHT FOR THIS DE-
VELOPMENT

New York. July 25.-Developmen
of the new Bronx river parkway,
stretching fifteen and a half miles
northerly from New York city to the
kensico reservation and linking the
metropolis with its outer park sys-
tenn, has resulted during the past year
in the purchase of 392 parcels of real
estate at a cost of s2,525000. The
public will soon enjoy its benefits,
This announcement Is made in the
report of the Bronx parkway commits
sion made public recently. The report
discloses a new policy for the acquisi-
ton of private lands for public use
involving the elimination of condem-
nation proceedings which have prev
sously cost the city and owners long
delay and many times more than the
actual value of the property.
On 153 parcels obtained from
parties acting through condemnation
lawyers asking prices far In advance
of the real value the commission
saved 1921. o94.sS. that sum being the
difference between the total of orig
inal prices submitted and the whole
amount finally paid. The commits
sion based its estimates on a uniform
system of appraisals and OF purchas
ing prices secured by direct negola
ton at private sale.
Work i'm Harmony.
Working with the authorities Of
cities and towns along the reserva-
ton where improvements were pro-
jected the commission has succeeded
in obtaining results that are in har-
mony with the park development. The
commission is now advising ON i'm
provements at Gun Hill road, Will
lianlsburg; proposed Mclean and
Wakefield avenue viaducts IN the
borough of the Bronx. Bronx valley
sewer connections so as to preserve
natural features of the reservation;
designs for the Broad atreet-Vermont
avenue viaduct, between Mount Yer
non and Yonkers. and on bridges
over the Bronx river at Mount Vernon.
Bron1ville and other places
A study has been made OF the en-
tire parkway area under direction OF
Jay powner. engineer and secretary
Of the commission SO that immediate
ly upon completion of Typographical
surveys, a general Improvement plan
Will be prepared upon which all
future work including the laying out
Of driveways will be based.
Wherever practicable the lands ac-
quired have been made available for
recreation purposes The river has
been cleaned, foresters have trimmed
0Nti brpIR trees anu &taAoNSu over
! 800. a nursery on a small scale has
been established, advertising signs
and all flinsy structures removed and
more substantial buildings sold and
taken away.
Sewerage Eliminated.
Sewerage has been eliminated and
turned into the new Bronx valley
sewer, and as a result OF all the re-
clamation operations the commission
ers expect the river VIII be restored
TO its original wholesomeness and
beauty
The report states that the methods
Of direct purchase employed by the
commission have been greatly appre-
ciated by all those property owners
who were willing to accept a fair COM
pensation for their lands and partic~
uiariy by persons OF other national
tiles along the river In whom a feel
ing of confidence has been engen-
dered. Some parties, however. acting
in the interests OF some large property
owners and condemnation lawyers
have endeavored in vain to induce
the commission to institute condem-
nation proceedings So that the lucra-
tive fees obtained by condemnation
attorneys, expert witnesses and ap-
praisers might not be lost
The work Of determining the val
uations OF the 1900 parcels involved
in the reservation required as much
consideration as though the commits
sioners were condemnation board.
The smallest plot was fortv-three
square feet and the largest fifty acres.
together with s20 houses and expen-
slve factories including retaining
walls. fences and other improve
proyements-
Inspected All Parcels.
The individual commissioners took
frequent trips over the entire reser-
walton. inspecting every one of the
i,2oo parcels several times and in
vestigating every house and struc-
tnre.
In fixing the standard values the