New-York tribune., 1921-11-06
Queens Streets Are
TO Be Renamed and
RousesRenunbered
Philadelphia Plan of Num-
bering To BE Introduced
in Eliminating Confus-
ing Designations

AZ queens IS now an Important see
tlon of New York City efforts are beina
made by the best interests of Queens
tc have introduced system of house
numbering that will remove the an
parent well deserved imputation that
designations in that borough are con-
1uslng and difficult to locate
Queens IS really d grouping of towns
and small communities, each of which
numbering particularly its own. AS q
consequence there are MANY duplica
tlons or names and lack of COM
pIehenSlve plan iii numbering houses.
The Typographical Bureau reports that
there are twenty-throe Washington
streets and as many Lincoln streets in
Queens. They are scattered all over
the county. In addition to these there
are many other Implications of popular
names.
The Chamber of Commerce, property
owners generally, civic bodies, resi-
dents, the local city government and
other Jealous for the advancement of
Queens are eager that this confusion
in the street system of the borough be
changed as speedily as possible, be-
cause of the great amount Of harm that
this condition has done the section.
Charles u. Powell, chief engineer of
the Geographical Bureau, who has
been studying the problem for some
time, is ready to introduce system
which ne thinks will bring order ous
of chaos. 1t is what is known as the
Philadelphia system and not only gives
a house number, but designates the
principal highway nearest to it.
In explaining the system Mr. Powell
said:
ssTba establishment oe -, o+e;,;or+
and accurate system. of house mum bers
depends largely on the choice OF suit
able names for the streets-names
that signify something and convey some
Idea of location. For example Smith
Street signifies very little, but 165th
Street at least suggests that there
should be about l64 streets preceding
It. Therefore, it was decided to adopt
the numerical system Of street names
upon which the Philadelphia System
Of numbering houses is based
The majority of the streets and
avenues throughout the borough are
given or will be given numerical
names. Of course, there are excep-
lions and also some localities where
this is imDracticable. For example,
Some parts Of old Flushing where the
streets are so irregular that it would
be difficult to join them up with the
numerical system to the north.
"Ihe terms avenue, road and drive
are used with the numerical street
names to designate highways that run
in an easterly and westerly direction.
This is logical, as the greatest volume
Of traffic passes through the borough
in this direction, and also the short
est blocks can usually be found along
the avenues. The terms street, place
and laHe are used to designate the
highways that intersect avenues and
run in north and south direction A
boulevard is an exception to this rule
They can run in any direction The
two great arteries of the borough are
Queens Boulevard and Northern Boute-
ward Jackson AvaAue), the latter
passing through The center of Flushing.
"Under the Philadelphia system OF
mum bering the first part Of the house
number is derived from the street to
the vest or the avenue TO The north
For example: 1870 111th Street Will be
located on the west side Of ll4th Street.
College Point, about 1870 feet south Of
Twelfth Avenue. Even numbers are on
the south side of avenues and west side
Of streets. A number is given for every
20 feet Of frontage. Similarly, 146-9I
Twenty ninth Avenue would be located
on the northeast corner of I46th Street
and Twenty ninth Avenue Odd num-
bers appear on the north side OF ave-
nues and on east side Of streets"