New-York daily tribune., 1861-03-06
WHY NEw.xoBK GROWS RICH.


II is evident that, a. this city receives, for
foreign export, less than one twenty-ffth OF the
cotton crop, no deluson can bs greater than thai
of alleging cotton 10 be the basis Of her pros
perity. But that she is growing rapidly, 10 size,
Importance, and wealth, is no dclusion. OF this
increase. cotton is the merest incident 30 small,
indeed, that il could be blotted out Of our
transactions without creating the scnsntion that
We feel upon hearing Of the loss Of angle
steamer. Other causes must exist for the colos-
sal progress we have made toward our present
supremacy. Sixty years ago, it was believed by
the statesmen of that day, that the interests ID
tho Eastern aud Western portions of the Union
we're so discordant and that they were so sep.
arated from each other by the great Appalachian
mountain range, as 10 render separation
into distinct confederacies extremely prob
able. Rapid intercourse between the two
sections was impossible. Rivers offered the
only means of transitI canals had not been
thought of among usi and the protector Of
a railroad would have been thought as con-
frmed unatic aa Fitch when he proposed the
steamboat. Washington favored the location
of the National Capital on the POtOmac, because
he looked to that river as the most available
means of opening communication with the West.
The settlers in the West had no outlet 10 mar.
ket but by Iong and dangerous voyage to New
Orleans They were isolated beyond the Alleghs-
MES, though longing for intercourse with the
East. 1t was this apparently impossible noun
tain barrier between the two sections which fur
nshed to Burr his strongest argument with
Western settlers to aid him in his effort to dis
member the Union. A speedy settlement of the
West at the close of the Revolution would prob
ably have resulted in dsmemberment, not from
hostility between the sections, but from absolute
inability 10 maintain the necessary intercourse
between the two
The danger Of this catastrophe was thus early
foreseen BY the fathers, and many were tho
projects suggested to avert it by the opening up
of roads. But civil engineering vas then in its
infancy, and the Government was too poor TO
enter on work Of 30 much magnitude. Thus
matters stood until the war Of 1912 had closed.
Peace was followed by vast emigration to the
West, which soon rendered the subject Of easy
intercourse between the two sections Of so much
importance az to be no longer neglected. RTess,
water c0urses, aud mountain gOrges, were eX-
plored both by Congress and the States, all
seeking to create avenues by which the growing
trade Of the West could reach the seaboard. II
began already to crowd the Mississippi and build
up New Orleans, and was discovered by the At
lantic. cities, fifty years ago. to be a prize
o.tL ~,nk IL Ia
constructed by Pennsylvania, Maryland or Yir-
ginin, because the Alleghanies rose up within their
limits and blocked the way. But no such mped-
iment existed in New-York: Our late excellent
fellOw-citlzen, Mr.. Thomas Eddy, noted and pro-
claimed the great Typographical fact that con-
tinuous canal could be constructed from the
Hudson 10 Lake Erie. De Witt Clinton adopted
the suggestion, labOred zeAlOusly 10 give il effect
and on the Fourth Of July, 1917, the vast I'M
dertaking was begun In ten years it was com
pleted--the most magnificent work the civilized
world had ever seen-hnd this dty was connected
BY water with Lake Erie. The inland commerce
Of the vast empire west Of the mountains came
Immediately within our grasp, no rival being
able TO contend for it. This absolute monopoly
remained with us seven years before Pennsylvania
disputed II by combination Of canal and rail-
rOad, which subsequently resulted in almost total
failure. But il was during that seTen years that
this city began her career Of prosperity. The
trade Of the canal Immediately Increased her
business $50 100000 per annumD and for thirty
years it has been growing in amount. until at
this time IT ia Of untold VsISa When the canal