New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-16
Civic Organizations Urge
Legislation if Changes
Are Not Made.
WANTTRACK REMOVED
FROM ELEVENTH AV.
Full Development of Riverside
Park and Roofing Right of
WAY Proposed.

The City Club. the Citizens Union
the Merchants Association and nine
other prominent civic organlZauohs'
acting concertedly, called on the city
administration yesterday to go before
the next session Of the Legislature ana
demand the passage of law torbldd'ng
the operation of New York central
trains on grade crossings in the CITY, II
the railroad will not agree to remove
its tracks from the city's streets on
reasonable terms.
+ Representatives Of these organlza-
tions Yesterday called on Controller
Prendergast, chairman OF the commit.
tee on Port and Terminal Facilities OF
the Board of Estimate. They urged as
of first importance that the city pre-
pare a general plan Of its own Tor the
solution Of the freight and terminal
problems of Manhattan Island that
would be fair to the New York Central
Later in the day DR.. John 7. Peters
chairman of the conferrees OF the
twelve civic organizations back or the
movement TO end what they term tine
nuisance in Riverside Park and to re-
move the tracks from Eleventh av.'
sometimes called Death av., sent a
lettor to the Mayor and other mem
bers of the Board of Estimate suggest
ing a plan.
The chief features Of the proposed
plan. which includes placing the tracks
on Eleventh av. either in subway or
on an elevated road, are:
Remove Tracks from Surface.
The railroad tracks must be removed
from the surface of Eleventh av. and
other streets and public parks and
places.
Riverside Park as park must he
developed TO its full extent by the I'M.
provcment of the park lands west oil
the present railroad right of way, the
planting of the necessary grass and
shrubs 10 complete the landscape and
the roofing over of the railroads right
Of way. but without wider right OF way
than at present occupied.
The title Of the city TO lands along
the waterfront should be investigated,
and no such lands owned by the clty
should be alienated.
Title TO the streets and avenues
now owned by the city from 59th ST.
10 72d ST. must be retained by the city,
and such Of them should he opened as
public thoroughfares by means of via
ducts over the tracks as are required
for the convenience OF inc puDllt'
Instead Of continuing the freight
yard north Of 131th ST., a yard for
terminal and market facilities ade-
ouate for the needs both of the rail
road and of Harlem must be devclo. ed
east of the railroad and south OF the
north side Of l34th ST.
Any additional facilities for the rail
road company south of 60th st. must
be on such conditions as will neither
block the waterfront nor give any rail
road company monopoly of freight
facilities on the West Side.
Under no circumstances must any
arrangement permit the railroad to es-
tablish a stockyard on Manhattan ISL
and, or a railroad yard or terminal on
or along Riverside Park or the Wash
ington Heights or Inwood Hill section.
Such terminals should be established
at Manhattanville and Dyckman Valley.
The right of way of the railroad
north of l35th st. must either be COW
cred or put in a tunnel except at
Dyckman Valley.