Year: 1863

PLANNING FOR P0sTERITY AND PAYING THE
Cosr.-There never was anything more foolish,
ill-consdered and unnecessary than the act
constituting the present commission for laying
out the upper part of this island It is In ad-
vance of the necessities of our population at
least half century. and even this calculation
is speculative Whatever movement is taking
place up town. Is confined entirely TO the
wealthy classes, and has already found its
limits. The aristocratc quarters Of largo cities
rarely expand beyond certain area. The
Park will bound this in our case for genera
tions to come. The real movement OF our
business population Is spreading itself in
other directions. Whilst one portion,
and that but fraction, are moving up,
that is to say, moving to Brooklyn,
Hoboken and Jersey City, where cheap and
convenient dwellings are to be found at an
easy distance from Wall street and the other
great business centres. When men can get
houses at less than half the rent which they
are compelled to pay for less comfortable
quarters at this side Of Thirtieth street, they
would be fools to subject themselves to the
extravagant rentals and the other inconve-
niences to which they are obliged to submit in
New York. A merchant living in Brooklyn,
Hoboken or Jersey City can generally reach
his home from his Office in from fifteen to
twenty minutes. Is 1t natural then, that those
who care nothing about fashion or fashionable
amusements should prefer expensive dwellings,
the discomfort of crowded cars and long dis
tances to the pure air, roomy accommodations
and close propinquity of the neighboring cities!
The proof that they do not is to be found in
the enormous increase that has taken place
within the last dozen years in the population Of
the latter.


In the face of these facts, the Legislature, at
the instigation of small knot Of specula-
tors, not long since issued q commission en-
powering the parties named in 1t to lay out for
building purposes the upper part of the island,
including. the beautiful region known Is Wash.
ington Heights. In the map which this body
has prepared it has projected, between the
Kingsbridge road and the North river. no less
than six new roads and avenues running paral-
lei with each other, and between the Kings
bridge road and Harlem seven or eight. The
effect Of these will be to cut up and destroy one
Of the most beautiful regions on this continent.
and that without the slightest plea Of necessity.
Tho existing roads, with little widening, and
the addition of one or two avenues at the most,
will be sufficient for all the traffic to the upper
part of the island for half a century to come.
AS inducements to building, any additional
number Of the roads must prove failures,
for the simple reason that the inclinations OF
our business population do not take them out
In that direction. We're they to be made the
result would merely be to promote the inter
ests of the promoters Of this bill, and to destroy,
without in any way bepeAting tho city, the
most beautiful and enjoyable Of its suburbs


We rejoice to say that the schemes Of these
speculators are about to meet with defeat. A
movement Is on foot in which not only all the
property holders, but many Of our leading
citizens, will unite to prevent them being car
ried out. The facts once properly repre-


sented to the Legislature, II cannv,, ws..nu.
outraging justice and common sense, refuse to


revoke the powers which have been 80 shame


fully abused by the commission.