Year: 1875

The subject of the TepaYlng OF Flith
Avenue is one which will never cease to be
discussed until the Avenue is put into proper
condition. The present approach To the PARK
is discreditahlo to the City. Our beautiful
breathing place can only he reached by the
great Avenue which crowns the crest Of the
island. Fourth and Sixth and Seventh Avenues
being rendered impossible to carriages by
railroad tracks Fifth Avenue should there
fore be put INTO state to serve as the appro-
pirate and fitting entrance TO the Park, which
is at once the finest show the city can offer
to strangers. and the greatest luxury which it
can afford TO It's own citizens who need relaxa-
ton from their work, or to invaids in want
of its refreshing and hfegiving air. What it
most needs is smooth and nOiseless pave
ment, easily cleaned, adapted to the wants of
horsemen and the lighter class of carriages.
The present pavement inilicts purgatorial pains
upon all sick or delicate persons who are
forced to drive over it.


We have hitherto referred TO this subject
and have mentioned approvingly two kinds of
pavement which might serve the purpose one
is the macadam and the other the genuine as
phalt pavement. Every month during which the
"Grahamiten pavement on Fifth Avenue in front
of the Worth Monument has preserved its in
tegrity has afforded an additional argument
Cor that kind of material. Ii is subjected to an
enormous amount of wear and tear. Gen.
Averill asserts that an actual count, made by
his order, showed that the vehicles passing
over that strip during one day omounted to
14,000 Yet the effect Is as yet, after q lapse
of two years, almost imperceptible. Dr. Allan
NJ. Hamilton of the Board of Health, states
that the patches Of this pavement now In use
do not wear more than one twenty fifth of an
inch per year. This proves that such pave
ment would produce no dust to speak of, and
that a street furnished with it would be free
from all filth except what was carried into it,
The advantage in respect to health and clean
hness is too evident to mention. 1t must be
remembered that other pavements which have
been called "asphalt" haze no claim TO the
name. and the genuine article should not suf-
fer from the disgust which the repeated failures
of the "poultices" in various streets have
naturally excited. The Grahamitep is a true
asphalt, and does not melt or become brittle
under any degree of heat or cold which is
likely to test it in New-York.


There is some doubt among the members Of
the City Government whether they have au-
thority TO- undertake this needed work without
authorization from TIE Legislature, and careful
readers of the constitutional amendments have
expressed some fears in regard TO the power
of the Legislature to authorize it. This should
be a matter not difficult To settle by the re-
sources at the disposal of our city fathers, and
no time should be lost in coming to decision.
Mr.. Simon Sternc has given an opinion III re-
gard to the matter, in which he says very de-
cidedly that the amendments to the third arti-
Gle of the Constitution do not affect such leg
islation as ia here referred TO. We do not see
how Mayor Wickham can gain more credit
with less trouble for his administration than
by exertmg himself TO secure pavement for
Fifth Avenue which strangers can ride over with
minds at ease to enjoy the panorama of pal
aces leading to the Park, and over which in
yalids may glide i'll expressive silence musing
bia