The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19

parks is something of a trans
formation. Yet few New Workers
have any realization of the wonderful
strides the city has made in building
the beautiful Bronx Parkway, which
Is To form part of a continuous motor
road from the heart of Manhattan 10
North White Plains.
Far seeing folks in upper Manhattan,
The Bronx and Westminster county
or long suffering ones-conceived the
idea several years ago of putting
through the Bronx sewer, which should
drain large district and insure health
to thousands. But sanitation - not
everything, and they wished also to
beautify the country stretching inland
from the Hudson. or rather to assist
Nature. by eliminating the unsghtiy
blemishes created by man.
The outgrowth of much imlS nation,
negotiation and foresight was a commits
sion appointed in 1895 u determine
what should be done Measures for the
reclamation of the Bronx River from
pollution had been discussed for many
years. and the Bronx sewer was under
construction. The commission invest
gated the feasibility of constructing a
parkway along the valley of thu Bronx
through WestChester county AMI the
upper part of New York city in orGer
to save the stream and to make good
roads and beautiful landscapes.
To carry out the sugg astion of the
commission the New York geological
Society proposed legislation for the APP
pointment of commission to icquire
the lands adjoining the Bronx RNer
from Bronx Park to Kensico reserva-
tion. The plan was approved by the
City and by WeStchester county, and
the necessary legislation was passed in
1906. Gov. Higgins appointed as the
commission Madison Grant. James G.
Cannon and Dave II. Morris. William
w. Niles was appointed secretary and
j. Warren Thayer engineer.
After full investigation the com
mission unanimously urged the great
Importance of freeing the Bronx River
from pollution, and pointed out the
cheapest and most eXpedent means of
restoring the river to freshness and
beauty. The plans met with general
approval and were accepted by the New
York city authorities and the Board of
Supervisors of Westchester county.
whereupun the Legislature provided for
permanent commission. Gov Hughes
sion Madison Grant for the Borough of
Manhattan. William W. Niles for the
Borough of The Bronx, James G.. Cam
non for Westchester county, with j.
Warren Thayer as engineer. As no
money was available for its expenses
the commission proceeded to work
without compensation at its own cost
The remarkable parkway will be the
result of it's labors
The marvellous transformation al
ready effected can be shown best per-
haps by "hefure and after" photo
graphs. To create "A paradise out of IA
rubbish heap is one of the noblest works
of man.
The Bronx River Is the largest stream
in the metropolitan district, although
ii Is very shallow, scarcely more than "a
tiny rlvulet further up in Westminster
county liut it has figured large i'm
history. Thus 1t is gravcly reCountcd
in an English history how, in revolu-
tionary times, the British soldiers sailed
their warships up the Bronx River.
The little stream flows through the Zoo
logical Park ana Botanical Gardens, and
extends upward through the pictur-
esque valley Of Mount Vernon, Bronx
willie and White Plains to the Kensico
Reservoir, its channel sometimes widen
ing from 800 to 900 feet.
1t is said that the valley of the Bronx
contains over 900 species of native
plants and trees and certainly one
need not be IA hntanist to realize that
much Of Westminster county is still un-
spoiled, picturesque and abound!ng in
beautiful scenic and park possibilities
The New York geological Park and
the lironN botanical Gardens are Wis
ltcd by 100 600 persons yearly and cost
this city about Si000000 DIR. w. T.
Hornlday makes the statement that
New York could not afford TO have the
lakes OF these parks b,otted out or re-
produce them arthcial'y for $4,000, 900
nder the Old conditions there was con.
siderable loss and detrIment to every
th'ns adjacent To the river zone.
l. some OF the land necessary for the
p"' way VAS acquired by purchase from