New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-06
LETTER TO THE POSTMASTER
GENERAL.


with you in Washington expressed the opinion that
our City Post Office ought not to be rebuilt upon
its present SITE or upon any other further south than
the City Hail Park. Permit me to invite your atten-
ton to few facts and suggestions in support Of this
conclusion.
In the determination Of this matter, the venerable
democratic doctrine that it is the duty Of the Govern
ment to consult the greatest good Of the greate't
number" ought to prevail, for it quite certain that
no other will long be satisfactory to the public.
The present site Is about central to the First,
Second, and Third Wards Of the city, which CON
tanned in 1880 population of less than "a 900 SOULS
only about three per cent Of the population Of
the city. 1t is within three-fths of mile of the
southern extremity of the island and over thirteen
miles from the northern About 200 acres of land lie
south and about 1890 lie north of it. There
are now twentyv times as many buildings north as
there are south of it.
The population of the city in the year 1880 was
202 $780, and it, increased at the rate Of 81 per cent per
apnum until r840 when it reached 3l2, 852 from 1910
TO 1850 increased at the rate of per cent per annum
and in the year last named it amounted TO 5l5,93f;
from 1850 to 1860 the yearly increase was at the rate OF
$40 per cent and the population, according to the
last national census was Sl4 254 Thus it will be per
ceived that the progressive increase Of the population
during the last thirty years has been equal to nearly
sixty per cent in each decade. Now, if this ratio of
augmentation be assumed the basis of computation
for the future the population of the city in
tho year 1870 will be 100000, and in 1880 it
will be 2,l0S,OOO, or as large q number of in
habitants as the island of Manhattan is capa-
BILE Of accommodating, provided every building
lot shall be brought into requiston. In proof Of this
Il, hat Tho
population of Sl4 4 souls occupies about 5000 acres
and the whole island if densely peopled would con-
tain only about 1900 900. Taking into account the
fact that nearly 800 Of the unoccuped space has
been appropriated to the Central Park and Croton Res
ervos and furthermore that the geological formation
of the upper portion of the island s such as to render 1t
mpracticabe to crowd it with residences to the same
extent az is now witnessed in the central wards it is
safe to affirm that the entire city plot will be filled TO
repleton by the year 1880.
In view Of these facts and estimates it is manifest
that if the accommodation of the entire body Of ci-
zens is TO be regarded in the selection of permanent
situation for the Post Office site much further north
than any which has yet been suggested ought to be
Chosen Even il it be conceded that especial adyan
age should be given in this matter TO the commercial
and monetary interests of the city and that only the
immediate future should DO brought into view it can
easily be shown that site Chambers street will
within ten years satisfy larger number of our mer-
chants, bankers, underwriters etc., than any point
south Of that line. Then the population will have
nearly doubled in this city, and the strong probability
is that the population of the surrounding cities will
be proporionaly increased. A fair presumption is
that it's commerce and the devoted to it viii be
correspondingy enlarged. In what direction will the
domain of commerce be extended But one answer
can be given-toward the upper end of the island
The part of the city lying below Cedar street was once
the commercial center, but that center has moved
and Is moving upward Rents below that line
have decreased on an average, more than thiryhree
and third per cent during the last ten years, while
above it they have increased in greater ratio. The
center Of tho great jobbing importing, and
domestic-goods interests is already as high as the
Park and the branches Of business which few
years ago. were confined exclusively to Wall street,
have overlooked northward, and now possess much OF
Broadway and the adjacent streets. As Banks and
Insurance Companies but the accessories Of trade
and commerce and invariably follow in their wake it is
not too much to predict that when the wholesale deal
ers shall have taken entire possession of Broadway
south Of Union square the financial center will not be
lower down than the Park. / am therefore clear in
the opinion that in lees than ten years the merchants
and others interested in postal facilities will insist that
the location Of the principal office shall be at least
far north as Chambers street. If this be so, 1t will
surely be unwise for the Government TO incur an ex
pendture of several hundred thousand dollars for the
erectionof new Post Office in its present crcumscrbed
and inconvenent position where, when it comes to be
abandoned, as it assurediy must be only few years
laooa Ia vrorthleae other
purpose In view Of the present and future exigences
of our community the northern end of the Park APP
pears TO me to DO fit position for the new edfce.
This site has an easy communication by means OF wide
streets with all the principal postal outlets of the city,
aud possesses besides the important advantage OF
an adequate space for the extension of the building
to meet the fuure requirements of the public service
The inquiry may here arise-will the corporate au-
thorities of NewYork consent to SELL for reasonable
price, portion Of the Park for the of the Govern
ment Upon this point, permit me to say that have
received assurances within the last day two from
influential quarters, which leave little doubt my
mind, that for the sum already appropriated by Con-
gress plot sufficiently large for all present purposes,
can be obtained.
Whether this Administration will consent TO take the
present Post-0fice site an inheritance from IT'D
predecessor without exercising the privilege of having
the title passed upon by its own officers, is Of course
question for it to determine 1t is said that several of
the holders of the vault rights claim that they have the
absolute conveyance of the SOIL and that some are far
from being satisfied with the seathy removal Of the
remains OF their dead relatives
remain faithfully yours +. A. CoNKLING.
REPORT OF THE DIsPEssARIEs Of the City of New
yoYk for The p,onth of March. lg6l: