Year: 1877




Tho Department of Parks will in few days issue
the report OF President Martin, made December 20,
1876 TO the commission, the subject OF laying out
the Twentythrd and Twenty fourth wards, which en-
bodies many OF the suggestions made in the report OF
the landscape gardener and the engineers. published
some months ago In the HERALD exclusively. Mr.
Martin calls attention to his report the same sub
ject made the 3oth OF March, 1875 wherein the ex.
pense OF constructing the roads and laid out
was 81 200 per acre, not including sewers
and "a, 500 per acre, including sewers


FEATURES OF


The sub ect OF laying out this district, Mr. Martin
says, is OF paramount Importance TO the city and to
the property owners. The city is now built up to
about Fity.ninth street From that point north
wardly l55th street, for length OF about five miles
tho land has been subjected to the rectangular plan of
streets ana and TO level grades The work Of
constructing these streets and avenues is about half
completed. Tho plan was cxtravagant, the cost of
construction has been enormous and the length of
time needed to do tho construction work has
great that the occupation Of the region with buildings
will be indefinitely delayed, and the property mean
while overburdened and swampod by the load of taxos
and assessments.


Beyond this, extending from 155th street and the
Harlem River to the northcry line OF the city, is tho
region now under consideration, over which the old
plan proposed to extend system with the same de-
structive effects and from which the plan pro-
poses to save it. The cardinal principles OF the now
system THAT the region shall be connected with
the business part of the city by lines OF rapid transit
that. by sewerage and drainage, it shall be made
healthy; that it shall receive the advantages OF a
proper treatment OF the Harlem River; that 1t shall
be laid out in accord with the general topog-
raphy with the future and ultimate occupa-
md CHI of
ent sections that tho title to the land needed for
the public shall be acquired speedy and Geo.
nomica method, and that the mode and order OF
structng improvements shall be such as In the
meantime to depopulate the region and destroy the


ApvAyTAGEs TO COMMERCE.


The city, Mr. Martin maintains, needs an Affirmative
policy. based upon the principle that the prosperity Of
city Is secured when all It's citizens are engaged in
profitable and productive labor. He concludes that
the natural advantages Of the city for internal and
foreign commerce unsurpassed that the facilities
tor local transhipmeut OF freight Ueng behind rival
cities has driven commerce Ia Long Island New Jersey
and elsewhere; that what Is needed is to bring the
railroad and vessel side by s:de He suggests
remedy the construction OF rapid transit elevated
railroad upon the ci'y border a belt iail-
road for commercial purposes such has been above
described ana the enhanced value woud 10 all
the piers and bulkheads he believes, could be made
very productive OF city revenue. The increase
OF the tax valuation OF the property within 1t by build
ing business aud industries OF the city, and by
facilitating the settlement OF all it's material growth
within its own limits, as 10 be subject to its own
taxation is another natural result, in ms opinion


Mr.. Martin strongly urges the Importance OF rapid
transit along the line OF the Hudson River and in
Welcheser county so as to relieve the city OF den
sy 100000 people TO the square mile and distribute
them In The outlying district about 20 900 TO the square
mile.


Tneso considerations. he says lead inevitably to the
conclusions That oil ali tho streets and avenues the
preme Importance belongs the railroad routes that
thread through the district and connect IT, the
Harlem RIVER with the lines Of rapid transit 10 tho
CITY Hall These railroad routes should be laid out
upon the principle OF permitting the construction OF
surface road, through an open cut OF slight de-
pression at such grade that intersectng streets and
avenues may II in under or grade. They
should be frequent lonstudinny as to bring every
point In the whole within quarter OF mile of
station and nave suitable cross connections.


PLAN FOR PARKS
The features OF the plan tor parks and parkways
instead of massng the area devoted 10 park purposes
In or two places, there viii be distribution OF
The In greater number Of places, connected by
parkways OF sufficient width for the adjacent country
10 be planted OUT so as TO preserve the appearance OF
q park to the persons who walk drive along them.
This plan be we'll illustrated If suppose that,
instead OF taking the Central Park in one mass, the
same number OF acres had been taken 10 several parks
along the banks OF the East and North rivers aud
the commanding and picturesque portions OF The
Central Park, and then had peen connected by
broad parkways The quantity OF land taken and tho
would have been no larger but the drives would
have had 1--WE times their present length, ana the
variety of character and prospect would have been
much greater. They could nave been designed TO in
clude all the points OF beauty Tor which this island Is
mutchess The effect on the value of property would
have been limited to u border avenue, but would
have extended over the whole region. These parks
will vary in extent Ihey will be connected by park
IRON 200 10 400 feet III width, so as to present
the advantages OF large park with every variety OF
surface and brought INTO contact with every portion


PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.


The report dwells at length upon improvements pro-
posed TO benefit the upper end OF the Island among
which cited the opening OF He'll Gate, the proposed
channel connecting the Hudson and Harlem rivers the
lines OF rapid transit up Third ana Eighth avenues,
the construction OF two bridges the Harlem
a head
13sth street, and elevated bridge north OF High
Bridge from Tenth avenue at lSlst street, 10 Fordbam
Heights.


Tho construction OF these two bridges, Mr.. Martin
thinks be regarded as the right thing 10 do now.
The ultimate plan Tor the embankncnt aud treatment
Of the river and the tunres under IL, which may be
constructed to give unobstruced Davigaton have all
been studied out and the plan is as near completion us
It cnn be until the final revision at The point oi cxccu-
ton.


The construction of bridges will defeat that
ultimate plan but will demonstrate Its necessity and
hasten It. This the practical thing TO do, and the
thing that can be done now with an expenditure that the
present circumstances justify The work on those two
bridges has advanced as tar in plan and preparation
ar be done until the expenditure for tho con-
structon Is authorized


THE POLICY OF EXPENDITURES.


Notwithstanding the fluctuations OF the times Mr..
Martin continues, this city has grown and Will con-
sinue, taken In long periods TO grow as metropolis
with tens OF thousands OF population ana tens oil mil
hons OF taxable property, year after year. The vital
point Ia the prosperity OF tho city Is to secure this IN
crease Of population and wealth within It's old pound-
aries and to subject them to its own taxation during
the last ten years 400, 600 OF population ana
$500, 600, 600 OF taxable wealth accrulng 10 tho
city have settled upon Long Island and
in New Jersey, and become subject to
their taxation. During the next ten years
the natural increase be attracted 10 settle In the
city itself I this Is done, lots town which
now pay $40 taxes Will be built upon aud taxed as
houses ana lots, and thus pay 300 taxes, and the
000 900 OF real estate now the man resource or
the city for taxation, Will be increased TO sL50O-
600, 600, which would electually relieve the burden
II this Is DONE Long Island and New Jersey viii
bo enriched by gathering our increase, the ruin OF
vacant property up town will become complete, and a
part of the taxation thrown upon vacant property
up town must be borne by improved property down
town. and its taxes increased


OBJECTIONS TO TIE PLAN.


This leads at once says the report, TO the staple
objection that the prosecution of these works would
increase public debt II Is conceded thai 1t WILL
but the extent ~ comparatively small. The results
will be large enough and important enough warrant
the expenditure II will add millions OF dollars 10 tho
real taxable value OF real estate and Increase the
sources OF the city tho purpose OF taxation Tho