LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 4th
Avenue Subway

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commemorate the
100th Anniversary of the 4th Avenue Subway on June 19, 2015; and
WHEREAS, In 1904, the idea to construct a subway tunnel along 4th
Avenue was discussed and land developers rushed to develop housing along
the route; nearly 90% of Sunset Park's Federal Historic District housing
was completed between 1904 and 1915; and
WHEREAS, Block after block of brick and brownstone row houses rapidly
filled the streets of Ward 8, today's Sunset Park; Brooklyn's place in
history was already being secured before the announcement of the new
subway when John Ambrose began petitioning Congress to deepen the shore-
line of Sunset Park to 35 feet; and
WHEREAS, His decade of effort led to the feasibility of Irving T.
Bush's design of piers for shipping, rail for inland freight movement
and dozens of warehouses and manufacturing sites; John Ambrose began the
development of the waterfront by establishing a ferry at 39th Street and
developing the adjacent Ambrose Park, best known for the live Wild West
shows of Buffalo Bill, featuring Annie Oakley's marksmanship skills and
historic reenactments with hundreds of performers; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the efforts of John Ambrose and Irving T.
Bush, Edward P. Morse developed the Morse Dry Dock in Sunset Park; his
vision of respect for workers was marked by the first known comprehen-
sive health plan for employees and internship programs that helped the
newest immigrants join the ranks of a workforce that at the time was
dominated by previously established ethnicities; and
WHEREAS, After 100 years, today, Sunset Park's history is an inter-
modal freight center and a manufacturing center that employed tens of
thousands of local residents; and
WHEREAS, Sunset Park has played a pivotal role in both World Wars, as
well as when waves of immigrants became Americans; Sunset's most valu-
able resource is a vast workforce, which fulfills its role of being the
gateway for new Americans; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the 4th Avenue Subway; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the 4th Avenue Subway 100th Anniversary Committee.