AND







(Copyright, 1917, by The Record and Guide Co.)





NEW YORK, MARCH 24, 1917





HUNDRED YEARS OF CITY PLANNING IN NEW YORK





The Plan of Manhattan, Between Houston Street
and   155th   Street,   as Laid  Out  in   1807-1811





By HERBERT S. SWAN*





PART ONE.
/^ N February 16, 1807, the Common
^^ Council of New York memorialized
the Legislature on the necessity of pro¬
jecting the streets and roads in the un¬
developed area of the island "in such a
manner as to unite regularity and order
with tlie public convenience and benelit,
and in particular to promote the health
of the city." Its own powers for this
purpose the council considered radically
defective. Regulations adopted by one
council were not binding upon the ne.xt;
any plan not completed by an administra¬
tion might be disregarded or annulled by
its successor. The memorial also gom-
plained of "the diversity of sentiments
and opinions which has hitherto existed,
and probably will always exist, among
the members of the Common Council, the
incessant remonstrances of proprietors
against plans, however well devised or
beneficial, wherein their individual inter¬
ests do not concur, with the impossibility
of completing those plans thus approved,
but by a tedious and expensive course of
law, are obstacles of a serious and per¬
plexing nature." As these evils were con¬
tinually accumulating by reason of an
increasing population, and the rise of
frequent subdivisions of property, the
Legislature was petitioned to adopt such
measures as would obviate the difficulties
lying in the way of the improvement of
'the city. A bill accompanying the me¬
morial indicated what kind of relief the
council   thought   desirable.

The Legislature accordingly passed an
act (Ch. 115), April 3, 1807, appointing a
Commission of three persons vested with
the exclusive power to lay out streets,
roads and public squares, of such width,
extent and direction as to them should
seem most conducive to the public good.
The power to lay out streets was accom-

*ThIs series of papers is based on data col¬
lected by the writer for the Committee on City
Plan. References: William Bridges, Map of
the City of New York and Island of Manhat¬
tan, with explanatory remarks and references,
1811, 54 pp.; Remarks of the commissioners
for laying out streets and roads in the City ot
New York under tbe Act ot April 3, 1807,
Valentine's Manual, 1806, pp. 756-763 ; Henry B.
Davis. Compilation of the Laws of the State of
New York relating particularly to the City of
New York (1853), pp. 435-441; John Randel,
Jr., City of New York, north of Canal street. In
1808 to 1821, Valentine's Manual, 1864, pp.
838-856.







MAP    OF    NEW    YORK    CITY,
SHOWING  OLD   FARM   SITES.





panied with the authority to shut up any
streets or parts of streets previously laid
out and not accepted by the council. No
square or block of ground formed by the
intersection of streets laid out by the
Commission was ever to be divided by
any public or open lane, alley, street or
thoroughfare after the new streets were
once opened.

The Commissioners were instructed to
lay out the streets, roads and public!
squares of such width as they might
deem sufficient to secure a free and abun¬
dant circulation of air when built upon,
but the leading streets and great avenues
were to be given a minimum width of at
least 60 feet, and all other streets a mini¬
mum width of at least 50 feet.

The plan was to be final and conclu¬
sive with respect to both the city and
the owners and occupants of the island
north of Gansevoort street, Greenwich
avenue, Waverly place, Astor place, the
Bowery to its intersection with East
Houston street, and thence north of that
street to the East river. As some of
the streets named in the act have since
been closed, the above is only an ap¬
proximate boundary line.    The line de¬





fined in the act began at the wharf of
George Clinton, on the Hudson river,
then ran through Fitzroy road, Green¬
wich lane and Art street to Bowery road;
thence down Bowery road to North
street, to the East river. No avenue qr
street could after the filing of the map
be laid out by the city except as shown
on the plan, except by legislative au¬
thority.

For the purpose of regulating and
constructing slips and basins, and for
running out wharves and piers, the act
considered it essential that the land under
water below low-water mark should be
vested in the city. The Commissioners of
the Land Office were, therefore, directed
to issue letters patent granting to the
Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty all
right and title of the State to the lands
covered with water for a distance of 400
feet from low-water mark along the east
shore of the Hudson river from Best-
aver's killetje northerly for a distance
of four miles, that is to about 75th street;
and on the westerly shore of the East
river from the north side of Corlear's
hook, or between Stanton and Houston
streets, for a distance of 2 miles, or to
about  40th   street.

The act nominated Gouverneur Morris,
Simeon DeWitt and John Rutherford as
Commissioners. John Randel, Jr., was
appointed as the secretary and surveyor
of the Commission. The members of the
Commission were not to purchase or con¬
tract for any land, either directly or in¬
directly, in that part of the city to be
laid out by them during the time that
tliey should be in office. Any such deed,
contract or conveyance was declared
void. The Commissioners were allowed
a period of four years in which to com¬
plete their work and they were entitled
to receive $4.00 per day for each day they
were employed upon the work. The plan
of the Commissioners was filed March 22,
1811, and confirmed by the Legislature
the same year  (Ch. 246, Sec. 35).

The Commissioners were men of
vision. They planned for a city of the
first order. It was not unreasonable,
they thought, to suppose that the city
would in half a century contam a popula¬
tion of 400,000 and extend as far north as
34th street. In 1810 the city had a popu¬
lation of 96,373. In 1860 the population
(Continued on page 396.)





THIS MAP OF THB CITY OF NEW YORK WAS   LAID OUT IN





1807 BY COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED BY THE LEGISLATURE.