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 [MPROVEMENTS 
 
 IN AND ABOUT THE 
 
 CITY OF NEW-YORK, 
 
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 PROPOSED BY /> . W' <^ A 
 
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 D. HOUGH, JUNR., 
 
 Including his plan to annex Jersey City to the future City of Hoboken ; to 
 annex Bergen Neck to New- York ; to build a B|ilkhead from Hoboken to 
 parts opposite Bergen Neck ; to make ground from this Bulkhead to the base 
 of the Palisades and Bergen Neck ; to bring water from the Passaic river, 
 above Paterson, to Communipaw ; to cut through Bergen Hill ; to extend, by 
 certain improvements, Harlem and Hudson River Railroads to Battery Place ; 
 to make Grround, Buildings, Streets and Piers on North River ; and lastly, 
 more in detail, his plan to Enlarge and Improve the New- York Battery, in a 
 manner furnishing connectedly unequalled commercial facilities, and the most 
 magnificent Promenade in the world. 
 
 L-^ 
 
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 ^ NEW- YORK : 
 
 OLIVER & BROTHER, PRINTERS, 89 NASSAU-STREET. 
 
 1851 . 
 
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 7^^ 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by 
 
 D. HOUGH, JuNR. 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the ^strict Court of the United States for the Southern District 
 " of New-York. 
 
 HS3 
 
IMPROVEMENTS, 
 
 BY D. HOUGH, JUNR. 
 
 As novelty and progress in farming, manufacturing and 
 traveling distinguish the present age, the public, I presume, 
 will not be unduly startled from its propriety by novelty and 
 progress in the methods of building, enlarging and improving 
 our cities. 
 
 Two great Manufacturing and Commercial Cities may, 
 with profit, be built, mostly on made ground, on the west 
 side of North River and New- York Bay, opposite to and in- 
 cluding Hoboken, Jersey City and Bergen Neck. 
 
 The States of New- York and New-Jersey should make 
 a compromise. New- York should cede certain water rights 
 to New-Jersey, opposite Jersey City and Hoboken. New- 
 Jersey, in return, should cede Bergen Neck to New- York. 
 Then let the chief Manufacturing and Commercial City of 
 New-Jersey be called Hoboken, on account of the excellence 
 of the word for the name of a city. For the same reason 
 let the part ceded by New-.lersey to New- York, and the part 
 now belonging to New-York between Jersey City and Staten 
 Island, be called Communipaw. Make Communipaw, thus 
 defined, as much a part of the city of New- York as Harlem 
 or Manhattanville. Build a bulkhead from the north shore 
 of Hoboken to or southerly of Bedlow's Island, and eventu- 
 ally to or beyond Constable's Point, Bergen Neck, in from 
 20 to 30 feet of water, outside of, but in range with, Ste- 
 ven's Point, Ellis's Island, Bedlow's Island, and Robbin's 
 Reef Make ground, with a suitable ascent for drainage, 
 from this bulkhead back to the Palisades and Bergen Neck. 
 
 "The description and localities of the materials with which 
 I propose to make the bulkhead and ground aforesaid, as 
 well as the manner of performing the work at such mode- 
 rate cost as to render large sections immediately practicable 
 
I reserve for those from whom I shall receive a fair compen- 
 sation for my discoveries. 
 
 Ten miles from Communipaw, across Newark Meadows, 
 into Belleville, a short cut will connect with a level of the 
 Morris Canal fed by the Pompton River, which level, also, 
 by means of a dam about two miles above Paterson, may 
 be fed by the Passaic River at an elevation in either case of 
 180 feet above tide water. Build this dam. Make the 
 canal below it four or five times the present dimensions. 
 Convey the water from Belleville in a double vault aque- 
 duct, beneath a continuous, indestructible stone or brick 
 building, the bulk and weight of which shall make the upper 
 spans of the arches tight and substantial ; or in cast-iron 
 pipes. 
 
 Buy the water power of the Passaic up to and including 
 Little Falls. Allow the factories in Paterson the surplus 
 water, and furnish to each, in addition, steam power equal to 
 the water-power now used. Make about two miles of the 
 canal, from the dam proposed, sufficiently large for the whole 
 Passaic River except in freshets. At the Paterson end of 
 this enlargement, a short distance above Passaic Falls, take 
 out the surplus water, and sell the power for the use of 
 factories. Thus the water power of Paterson, with its 
 recommended steam auxiliary, will be more reliable, and 
 actually increased, as estimated by the present mode of 
 application. 
 
 Make a deep, wide, straight cut through Bergen Hill, op- 
 posite Communipaw, for a great thoroughfare from Battery 
 Place to Newark. 
 
 Widen West and Beaver streets. Widen and extend Gold 
 street northerly to Chatham Square, and southerly to Beaver 
 street. Extend Harlem Railroad through the Bowery, Chat- 
 ham Square, Gold and Beaver streets as improved to Battery 
 Place. Extend Hudson River Railroad through West street 
 to Battery Place. Let light stage cars, in pairs, having a 
 small improved locomotive between each pair, accomodate 
 the city travel on these roads. Let the fare on both roads 
 to or from Battery Place and 54th street be one cent ; and 
 to or from Battery Place, Harlem and Manhattanville, two 
 cents. These improvements, besides effectually relieving 
 Broadway, will immensely increase the value of property in 
 
all the upper part of the City, as well as on the entire line 
 of the roads as proposed. 
 
 Commence at Pier 1 North River, making ground for build- 
 ings, cross streets, and three parallel streets outside of West 
 street, opposite to which, at suitable distances apart, extend 
 piers into North river, 40 feet wide and 900 feet long. Let 
 _t his work be exte nded in sections to thejim)e£partofthej^^ 
 
 I propose a substitute for, or an improvement of, the plan 
 adopted by our City Councils, to enlarge the New-York 
 Battery. 
 
 For what is my invention, and valuable in application, 
 described in what follows, I claim inventor's rights. For 
 compensation, however, incase of success,! shall rely main- 
 ly upon the liberality of the City Authorities. 
 
 Make an Inside, an Outside, and a Centre, or Palisade 
 Battery ; the whole covering a space of 117 acres. 
 
 Let the Inside be the present Battery, below Pearl street, 
 extending about 300 feet beyond Staten Island Ferry Pier, 
 having, in all, an area of 10^ acres, with 637i feet front 
 towards Governor's Island, including 137| feet sea wall walk 
 hereafter described. 
 
 Let the Outside be wholly a new-made Battery, 1800 feet 
 front on North river, having, also, an area of 10 J acres, 
 with a water front, in all of 2,-500 feet. 
 
 Let the Centre, or Palisade Battery, be situated between 
 State street, the Inside and Outside Battery, and between 
 Greenwich street and Broadway, below the south end of 
 Trinity Place ; having, in all, including State street and 
 Battery Place, an area of 96 acres. 
 
 Demolish the present buildings between Broadway and 
 Greenwich street below the south end of Trinity Place. 
 Fit and make ground and bulkhead, in all, on Palisade Bat- 
 tery plot, for 17 blocks of stores with attaching balconies, 
 17 streets, 8 sea wall walks, and 7 docks. Let these blocks, 
 docks, and streets, exceptinij Pearl street and Battery Place, 
 as extended and improved, run in parallel directions, north- 
 erly and southerly. Build 8 blocks of stores, 200 feet apart, 
 all 5 stories high, 1650 feet long by 100 feet wide. Let the 
 inside block front easterly on the Inside Battery and State 
 street above Pearl. Let the outside block front westerly on 
 the Outside Battery. 
 
Let the space between these 8 blocks southward be occu- 
 pied by 7 docks, each 1100 feet long by 125 feet wide, having 
 a street on either side 37J feet wide ; and northward by 7 
 blocivs, all 5 stories high, and 500 feet long by 100 feet ^h,V<i^ 
 having streets on either side 50 feet wide. Let the north- 
 erly ends of the 15 blocks described be on Battery Place, 
 except the outside block|, which shall be parallel with the 
 rest, but situated on a notch of the Outside Battery. 
 
 Let underground passages be made, for water to pass free- 
 ly to and from these seven docks and the North River Docks. 
 
 Fronting on Broadway and Greenwich street, build two 
 blocks, 12 feet apart, each about 600 feet long by 100 feet 
 wide, graded on the tops, mostly to a uniform ascent, rising 
 from the junction of Trinity Place and Greenwich street, 
 and from Broadway, opposite, to an elevation of five stories 
 at Battery Place. 
 
 Make Battery Place 150 feet wide, and extend the same 
 to the Outside Battery. Let State street be, at no point, less 
 than 100 feet wide. 
 
 Extend Pearl street parallel with Battery Place, passing 
 the north end of the Inside Battery through eight arches to 
 be made in the eight blocks before mentioned, and between 
 the northerly ends of the docks and the southerly ends of 
 the 500 feet blocks before described, to the Outside Battery. 
 
 At the south end of each of the eicfht blocks before named, 
 build a tier of five balconies, making forty in all. Let each 
 balcony be IdO feet long by 16 feet wide. 
 
 Make, at the base of these balconies and at the ends of 
 the streets on either side, sea wall walks, all 25 feet wide, 
 six each 175 feet front, and two — one connecting with the 
 Inside and the other with the Outside Battery — each 137 J 
 feet front. These balconies, it will be noticed, all front South, 
 opposite to, and westerly of. Governor's Island. 
 
 All the blocks before mentioned, being massive, inde- 
 structible, self-extinguishing fire-proof work, made in a new 
 and peculiar manner, as hereinafter described, to last for 
 centuries, let the tops of all — making an area of 41 acres — 
 be covered by earth for a promenade, which shall have, 
 beside its novelties, the usual attractions of walks, grassplots 
 and trees. Sixteen iron bridges, each sixteen feet wide — 
 two over the east end of Battery Place, and fourteen midway 
 
between Battery Place and Pearl street as extended — will 
 connect the tops of all the blocks, and, consequently, all of 
 this promenade. 
 
 , The main entrance to the Promenade here proposed, will 
 be by the graded Ascents opening on Broadway and the 
 junction of Trinity Place and Greenwich street. Twelve 
 stairways will, also, lead to it ; on^ in the inside block at the 
 northwest corner of the Inside Battery, one each in the 
 north ends of the 3d and 6th 1650 feet blocks, one in the 
 north end of the block on the Outside Battery, and one each 
 through the 8 tiers of Balconies before described. 
 
 The Batteries, Balconies, and Sea Wall Walks proposed, 
 devoted exclusively to the purposes of a Public Promenade, 
 will contain an area of 64 acres, and present direct, unob- 
 structed fronts on our noble bay and harbor, making in the 
 aggregate 10325 feet, or 8675 feet more than we now have 
 from the present Battery, including the part obstructed by 
 Castle Garden. 
 
 The number of stores in all the blocks will be 709, each 
 25 feet front by 100 feet deep, and all 5 stories high, except- 
 ing those over the Pearl street Arches, and under the graded 
 Ascents fronting on Broadway and Greenwich street. Of this 
 number 16 will front on Broadway and a rear yard, 16 on 
 Greenwich street and a rear yard, 23 easterly on a street, 
 and westerly on the Outside Battery, 43 easterly on a street 
 and a dock, and westerly on the Clutside Battery, 43 west- 
 erly on a street and a dock, and easterly on the Inside Bat- 
 tery, 345 on two streets, and 258 on two streets and two 
 docks. 
 
 I now proceed to the more important part of what I have 
 to say — important, because the main question in regard to 
 the feasibility of my whole plan rests upon points which I 
 am about to meet. Let the principal materials of the blocks 
 before named be stone, iron, brick, and cement. Let the 
 walls rest on inverted arches, over foundations made as good 
 as possible. Let the partition walls be about 11 feet apart 
 in the clear. Let all the blocks contain a succession of ce- 
 ment laid, brick partition walls, and arches for floors, 
 and roof, of that space or span, excepting arches passed 
 through by streets. If necessary, let all the arches be ribbed 
 by I plates of iron. As each store will have a partition 
 
8 
 
 wall through the centre, let these walls have frequent 
 openings, faced with iron or stone. Let all the walls and 
 arches be sufficiently thick to withstand any weight or pres- 
 sure that may be brought against them. Construct the 
 front walls with brick backs and brown stone facings, in 
 the usual way. Let the tops of the arches, both for the 
 floors and the roof, be covered by large flag stone, laid in 
 cement. Let every door, window, hatch, and stairway, in 
 all the stores, have a fire-proof iron shutter, lined on the 
 shutting edges with India-rubber, or other elastic mate- 
 rial, in such manner as, when closed, to be water-tight. 
 Let all the shutters be movable (to close or open,) by 
 means of tiller chains leading to, at all times, easily accessi- 
 ble wheel-houses in the first stories. Let this be done on 
 the same principle that tiller chains are made to control 
 the rudder of a steamboat. 
 
 Lay water pipes,(S:ept "(empty except in case of fire) pass- 
 ing up partition walls from the main line in the street oppo- 
 site, in such manner that each, by means of valves controla- 
 ble in the wheel-houses, will fill separately with water any 
 required story or floor of two stores. Let all the stores be 
 thus furnished. Let all the pipes have street waste-valves, 
 to let off the water in the stores when necessary. 
 
 Capstone the partition walls at the base of the roof arches. 
 Let these capstones be wider than the walls upon which 
 they rest — wider than the base of the arches resting upon 
 them. 
 
 Let these capstones have gutters on either side, with cen- 
 tre outlets, passing through partition walls into dock sewers. 
 If necessary, under the roof arches resting on the capstones, 
 let there be movable tin roofs. Let this roofing consist of 
 a succession of arched, rim-laping troughs, tied at the ends 
 by small cords to iron rods fastened to the capstones. 
 
 Let the top arches be covered by a grading with a de- 
 scent from the fronts of the stores to the centre inwards, 
 T^et this grading be covered by flag stone laid in water-proof 
 cement, having the edges filled with artificial slate cement, 
 thus making the whole surface over the stores a solid face 
 of stone. 
 
 Along and over the centre of the stores, build a sewer 
 with occasional openings down partition walls into dock 
 
sewers, with many openings on either side to admit ground 
 water ; and with frequent openings to small sewers giving 
 quick transit to surface water coming from gutters on the 
 inside of the front walks. Over all lay rich loam about 5 
 feet deep in the middle by 2J feet on the sides, graded with 
 a descent from the middle to the front walk gutters 
 
 Lay out this ground in four principal walks, and three 
 lines of grass plots and trees parallel with the store fronts. 
 Intersect these lines and walks by frequent cross walks. 
 Let two of the four principal walks lie along the fronts of 
 the stores. Let these walks be flagged with flag stones 
 having a slight descent inwards. Make a flagged gutter 
 along the inside of these walks ; and at right angles, for out- 
 lets to the same, make small sewers, leading to the centre 
 or main sewer. Let the centre of one line of grass plots 
 and trees be over the centre of the stores; Let the two 
 remaining lines adjoin the front walks. 
 
 Let the spaces between these lines be occupied by the two 
 remaining principal walks. Let the lines named be planted 
 with grass plots and trees in due order. 
 
 Let the style of the store fronts be nearly plain Gothic ; or 
 a mixed Order of elaborate workmanship. Make the north- 
 ern ends, on Battery Place, Tower like. On the fronts of all 
 the "Walks, balconies and promenades construct an Ornamen- 
 tal Iron Fence. Let this Fence represent Plants, Grasses, He- 
 roes, Statesmen, Ladies, Children and numerous ^>^v^*^^yr»u^. 
 Through the middle of each block build a line of chimneys — 
 one for every two stores — each about 30 feet above the Ele- 
 vated Promenade. Let these chimneys resemble, somewhat, 
 in outside appearance, the top part of Trinity steeple, hav- 
 ing however globe caps of iron surmounted by eagles of like 
 material. 
 
 Construct, in every store, a water closet, supplied with 
 Croton water, ventilated by pipes leading into the chimneys, 
 and opening to passages swept by constant currents of sea 
 water. 
 
 Let the fronts of the Balconies consist of cast columns and 
 
 wrought plates of iron. Let the beams be timber with iron 
 
 end fastenings. Ceil the beams with sheet iron. Pave the 
 
 floors with a composition chiefly of fine gravel and Asphal- 
 
 2 
 
10 
 
 turn ; or overlay the same with fine open-work castings hav- 
 ing said open-work filled with a mixture of tar and chalk. 
 
 Let the walks and crossings of the streets be flagged with 
 flag stone ; and let the streets be paved with Russ or simi- 
 lar pavement. Thus I have given an outline of the manner 
 of constructing stores and appurtenances answering the pur- 
 poses I have set forth. 
 
 I now proceed to estimate the cost of the Battery Enlarge- 
 ment herein proposed. To make calculations short and 
 simple, I call the number of stores 700, all 5 stories high. 
 
 650,000,000 Brick in stores |8 per 1000 $5,200,000 
 
 1,400 Brown stone store fronts .'$1700 2,380,000 
 
 19,0jft- Feet bulkhead 70 1,332,000 
 
 9,9^,M0-Feet flagstone 15 cts 1,492,000 
 
 10,755,liG Cubic yards of earth 30 3,220,535 
 
 26f^0ajj(L Cubic yards of earth on Elevated Promenade 42 111,000 
 
 700 Store foundations 2000 1,400,000 
 
 14,000 Iron window shutters 20 280,000 
 
 2,800 Iron door do 22 61,600 
 
 5.600 Iron h;itchvvay do 20 112,000 
 
 2,800 Sashed double doors 10 28.000 
 
 14,000 Window frames with sash and lights C 84,000 
 
 1.400 Offices finished & 50 70,000 
 
 78,000 Feet curb and gutter stone 62^ 48,750 
 
 12j3«^- Yards grooved Russ pavement 6 50 801 ,77.'j 
 
 1,400 Rise and fall fixtares 150 210,000 
 
 5,600 Flight of stairs 75 420,000 
 
 17$^0 Feet capstones 50 87,000 
 
 350 Chimneys 600 210,000 
 
 2,400 Feet 12 inch water pipe 2 50 .''>,000 
 
 24,500 Feet 6 do do 80 ia,600 
 
 17,900 Feet 9 do do ', 1 30 23,270 
 
 350 Hydrants 20 /',000 
 
 3,500 Valves C 21,000 
 
 1,820,000 Feet tin roofing '.*.' 10 182,000 
 
 15 Sluiceways 300,000 
 
 5,G00 Hatchway castings 40 224,000 
 
 5,600 Stairway do it) 336,000 
 
 16 Iron bridges 8000 128,000 
 
 5l,7t7fl Feet iron fence 10 517,000 
 
 Trees set and walks made 20,000 
 
 8 Tiers of balconies excepting fence 17.000 136,000 
 
 1,600.000 Feet tiller chains lO 160,000 
 
 n,00 Wheel houses.. Y?«- IDO 140,000 
 
 '32 Block ends of brown stone 6,000 192,000 
 
 Facings for arches 800,000 
 
 To pay for leases canceled, lots and houses bought on Broadway 
 
 and Greenwich St., Inventors' compensation, and damages paid to 
 
 persons having deeds from the Corporation, with a clause to the 
 
 effect that the Batterry shall not be appropriated to private uses. 1,100,000 
 
 For allowances and unestimated work 634,470 
 
 Total net cost #'22,000,000 
 
11 
 
 I estimate the rents of the stores annually, thus : 
 
 7 Docks #6,000 $42,000 
 
 700 Stores 3,000 2,100,000 
 
 Total annual rent, . . .• 2,1^,000 
 
 The annual interest on the cost of the work 
 
 would be ^^^^sy-^. e--^-. $1,100,000 
 
 Balance or yearly profit for sinking fund 1,042,000 
 
 This would pay the estimated cost of the work in fifteen 
 years. The value of the work when completed, making the 
 rent 7 per cent on the amount, would be thirty millions and 
 six hundred thousand dollars, or eight millions and six 
 hundred thousand dollars over the estimated cost. 
 
 The cost of the docks will be about $900,000. The 
 wharfage will not pay a fair per centage on more than 
 $600,000 ; yet thereby will be gained great attractions to the 
 Promenades and great Commercial facilities. The cost of the 
 Balconies and Promenades, including the extra cost of the 
 stores, which will give to these Balconies and Promenades 
 their peculiar position and effect, will amount to five millions 
 of dollars, from which of course no direct income will be de- 
 rived. The gain, however, to the general business of the city, 
 by the influx of strangers from all parts of the world to see 
 the New York Battery, will, without doubt in my mind, be 
 more than the annual interest on five millions of dollars. 
 The free use, too, by our citizens of the Balconies and Prom- 
 enades proposed, will, I am confident, be estimated (if esti- 
 mate can be made in money) at twice the annual interest of 
 the sum last stated. Wharfage and rents of stores, there- 
 fore, are far from being the basis from which to estimate the 
 full value of the Battery improvements 1 propose. ^ 
 
 These improvements will increase the value of property 
 in the vicinity, at least one million of dollars ; and also make 
 a new and large demand for dwellings in the upper part of 
 the City. 
 
 Let our Corporation carry out the proposed Improvement 
 of the Battery chiefly by borrowing money of foreign capital- 
 ists, in large sums, and at low rates of interest. 
 
 Let all the Balconies and Promenades be open to the pub 
 lie, thus setting a good example to the Bishop of London in 
 respect to Saint Paul's Cathedral, and making obsolete our 
 present permitted charge of " One Shilling" " to view the 
 beautiful scenery of our noble bay and harbor." 
 
12 
 
 The wharves of the 7 docks before described will be, in 
 all, 16,275 feet in length. The fronts of all the sea wall 
 waliNS, balconies and promenades, will be in the aggregate, 
 like the length of the fence before named, 9 miles 4,258 feet. 
 
 The views of the city from the Elevated Promenade, up 
 Broadway to Grace Church, up South, Front, Water, Pearl, 
 Beaver, Greenwich, Washington and West streets ; and the 
 water views, south of the bridges, will possess attractions 
 which no other promenade in the world can equal. The 
 seven long, double rows of shipping in the seven docks, dis- 
 playing the flags of all nations, will prove a most beautiful 
 sight. I bespeak the fame of the Balconies for the magnifi- 
 cence of their views, and for their cool and quiet shades. — 
 The views of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heiuhts, Long Island, 
 Staten Island, Jersey shore, the Bay and the Islands in the 
 Bay, as seen from the balconies and promenades I propose, 
 will be most glorious, surpassing any^S^ in Venice or Con- 
 stantinople, and far superior to the views from the present 
 Battery in distinctness, variety, and spaciousness of outline. 
 
 And reader, what will you see from the west side of the 
 block fronting on the Outside Battery 1 Why over the outside, 
 Battery, and under the trees where you stand, you will see 
 north, both sides of the North River to Weehawken Rights, 
 and south, our noble bay and harbor to the Narrows. All 
 this, too, you can see in changed, yet most delightful aspects 
 on the entire front of the Outside Battery. I have sought, 
 with much patience and application, great diversity of views. 
 Consequently, at almost every step you take over the pro- 
 menades I propose, you will meet new views of our city, bay, 
 harbor, and the surrounding scenery ; — here forests of ships, 
 in stately and orderly rest, there a hundred sail obedient to 
 the pilot and the breeze, — now a new scene in the bustle of 
 business, and anon, a new view of the country in the distance. 
 
 The views of the structure I propose, as well as those 
 from it, will possess great attractions. The graded ascents, 
 as seen from Broadway and Greenwich st. will have a fine 
 effect. From our bay and harbor you will see, situated 
 between two splendid parks, seventeen lofty blocks of ware- 
 houses, connected at the tops by bridges, and covered by 
 trees and promenades, interspersed, perhaps, with statues of 
 Washington, Adarfis? Jefferson, Jackson, Clay, V\ ebster, 
 
13 
 
 Taylor, and others. The eight blocks before named, will 
 appear like so many most picturesque promontories, pro- 
 jecting boldly between beautiful inlets into a tranquil sea. 
 
 To meet objections, I remark that, East river, between the 
 Inside Battery and Governor's Island, will be about 2500 feet 
 wide ; or, in addition to Buttermilk channel, about 350 feet 
 wider than the entire width of said river at Fulton Ferry ; 
 that the distance from the southwest corner of the Outside 
 Battery to Governor's Island will be full 3000 feet, and to 
 Bedlow's Island over 6000 feet ; that the distance between 
 the Outside Battery and the proposed Communipaw Improve- 
 ments will be 3500 feet, or 500 feet wider than the present 
 width of North River, opposite 13th st, and 1300 feet wider 
 than the present turn of East river at Corlears Hook ; that no 
 part of our/^rbor will be in the least injured by my improve- 
 ments — that these Improvements will greatly improve the cur- 
 rent, as wellyimcrease the safety and accommodation of ship- 
 ping at all seasons, in the docks and channel of North River ; 
 that the chimneys of the stores will produce a splendid archi- 
 tectural effect, and not encumber or in any way injure the Ele- 
 vated Promenade — that the smoke from these chimneys in 
 winter (there being none in summer, the time of most recre- 
 ation), will possess, in a degree, the attractions of volumes 
 emitted from so many volcanic peaks, which certainly, in any 
 place or position, can be offensive to nobody, except per- 
 chance to some daring aeronaut in the sky; that the streets 
 between and adjoining the blocks and Promenades proposed, 
 being sprinkled and swept every week-day in the year, except 
 when washed by rain, frozen, or covered by snow, will prevent 
 dust rising— that these streets— open to and ending on the Sea 
 Wall Walks, the Inside and the Outside Battery — being va- 
 cated by vehicles and business, evenings, Sundays, and Holi- 
 days, will then be delightful Promenades, making the entire 
 space for recreation 96 acres ; that the regulations of the 
 port of Liverpool, which forbid the use of fire on board of 
 ships, being applied to the 7 Docks before mentioned, will 
 prevent every thing offensive from that source ; that an Act 
 of our State Legislature will enable our City Authorities to 
 improve in full the New York Battery as I propose ; that the 
 persons having deeds from the Corporation of the property of 
 the block fronting on Bowling Green, Whitehall, Bridge and 
 
14 
 
 State sts, in which there is a clause to the effect that the Bat- 
 tery shall not be appropriated to private uses, have recently 
 offered to sell this property to parties intending to build a 
 large hotel upon it — that, without litigation or delay, a mod- 
 erate sum would, at the present time, make void the clause 
 referred to ; that, although the trees shading the northern 
 part of the present Battery will be destroyed, yet that a more 
 attractive growth will supply their loss, shading, with those 
 untouched, not, as at present, 10 J, but 62 J acres ; that a cel- 
 lar in a Commercial district is more valuable than an attic 
 — that the attic stories of the stores proposed will not have 
 half the dampness of a cellar ; that an arch is now erected 
 over Furman street, Brooklyn, showing the feasibility of the 
 arches I propose ; that a brick store can be made to hold 
 water as well as a brick cistern; that a common brick store can 
 be built to withstand the action of fire as well as a common 
 brick oven ; that the vent for fire in the stores proposed, being 
 only when closed, through warning holes over the window 
 shutters, will be less than that from an ordinary coal pit which 
 emits nothing but smoke and makes nothing but charcoal — 
 that a fire might exist for a month in any of these stores with- 
 out other damage than throwing out smoke, and, by slow 
 process, making charcoal of the merchandise within its reach ; 
 that any separate floor or story of any of these stores can be 
 filled with Croton water with as little difficulty, and nearly as 
 quick, too, as a canal lock at West Troy can be filled with 
 Mohawk water ; that within the next five years, our Mer- 
 chants and Capitalists can as profitably expend twenty-two 
 millions of dollars in increasing the attractiveness and Com- 
 mercial facilities of our City, as they have at least thirty mil- 
 lions of dollars within the past five years, in building railroads 
 in the Country ; that in two fires alone within the past fifteen 
 years the fire-proof stores I propose would have saved the 
 Merchants and Capitalists of our City nearly twice twenty- 
 two millions of dollars ; and that, judging for the future by the 
 past, a wise economy requires the erection of stores, in num- 
 ber and description as hereinbefore given. 
 
 My plan to improve the Battery is a democratic plan. 
 At least three-fourths of the cost will go directly into the 
 pockets of Mechanics and Laborers. The rents, after paying 
 the cost, will go into the City Treasury, thus benefiting every 
 
15 
 
 man. This Improvement will be to our city what the Erie 
 Canal has been and will be to our State — a source of just 
 pride and renown, of public revenue, and of innumerable 
 general and special advantages to individual prosperity. 
 
 To carry out all my plans would give steady employment 
 to more than ten thousand men for the next twenty-five 
 years. Employment is what the people want. An army of 
 laborers will get us greater riches and more just fame, too, 
 than an army of soldiers. 
 
 As my Improvements will answer important public pur- 
 poses, and promote the interests of many individuals, I so- 
 licit subscriptions to enable me, l)y the aid of architects, me- 
 chanics, and others, to perfect, and to make complete models 
 of all my plans ; to make, upon some vacant lot or space in 
 the city, specimen walls, arches, floors, roof and ground for 
 a Promenade, such as I design for my Improvement of the 
 Battery ; to procure surveys, maps, drawings ; and to form 
 an Association, the object of which shall be, to advocate and 
 support a vigorous prosecution of the improvements herein 
 proposed. 
 
 •^ , * • 1 oner my services 
 
 as Real Estate Agent and Commission Merchant, in the 
 hope that in this way, also, I shall be assisted in bringing my 
 plans prominently before the public. I have models of my 
 plan to enlarge and improve the Battery, which (when not 
 otherwise engaged,) I shall take pleasure in showing to those 
 disposed to aid me in starting the comprehensive system of 
 improvements herein recommended. 
 
 Citizens of this lovely island of Manhattan ! you who have 
 capital ingenuity, and labor to employ, adopt the hints 
 and suggestions contained in this pamphlet (the result of 
 most of two years' survey and study to the author), and the 
 present generation will see the City of New York the Com- 
 mercial Metropolis of the world, possessing in art and works 
 of gigantic industry, more that is wonderful and pre-emi- 
 nent, than can be found in all England, Greece, Rome or 
 Egypt. 
 
16 
 
 And citizens of New Jersey ! make the Improvements I 
 propose for your borders, fronting on that fairest of rivers, 
 the Hudson, and you will have a city larger than Brooklyn, 
 and second only to New York in commercial facilities. 
 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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Conservation Resources 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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