"Bowery Extension," New York Times, Dec. 17, 1856
| This valuable improvement is now going forward rapidly, and the eastern section of the City will soon begin to realize its benefits. A large number of workmen are engaged in lowering the grade of the extension between Oak-street and HARPER'S building. For a considerable distance the new street will be about six feet lower than the present surface of Pearl, leaving many of the houses on the west side nearly a story above the sidewalk. Of course, to render them serviceable, they must either be rebuilt or have the floors of the first story proportionally lowered. Already new stores are erecting on the east side between Oak and Cherry streets, all four or five stories in height, and some having brown-stone fronts. A sewer will have to be constructed through a portion of the extension, and will somewhat retard the completion of the work, while the presence of the railroad track is another obstacle in the way of progress. As the excavation goes on, the ties will have to be let down by degrees so as not to interrupt the travel. At the rate of speed public work is usually done, we may expect to see a clean street from Franklin-square to Chatham-square sometime next August, but if finished a year from now we shall have reason to be thankful. |
Harper's Building, 1855 |
|
This
illustration did not appear with the original article
|
