The New York herald., 1868-03-13

tioo-Whut Hendrix Hudson Thonasf Ie
Was and What II Is-its Scenery, uoun-
rains and Valleys.
The resumption OF navigation on the bosom OF the
broad and ordly Hudson with It's romantic ana mag
niHcent stretches of mountain and valley, IT, al thi
particular period of the year, when white-bearde0
winter is slowly reluctantly but surely, surrender
ing his sceptre 1.-The and laughing spring, looked
forward TO with as much anxiety by The native and
adopted Gothamite as is the moving OF the ice fields
on the Neva source OF qualification to fur-clad
PetersburgianS, who presently forget, In the glow ~
brief but torrid smmer-tide their glacial palaces
and their crystalline grottoes, OF which uyperboreas
was the architect.
To the New Yorker the reopening of the North
river conveys more than the mere idea OF an unob-
structed water channel. To him 1t means commerce,
employment, food, contentment, wealth, progress
in word life. when Hendrix Hudson first looked
from his ship upon its placid bosom he reioiced in
his heart. lie had discovered as he believed, the
gateway TO the lndies-to the great storehouse or
the commercial world OF Europe, for which the navi-
gators of his age employed their skill and energy
He explored its waters only to be disappointed.
few days. navigation told him that the broad and
grand waters to which his name has been given
formed strait between oceans, the wesernmost OF
which washed the shores Of Cathay the golden. And
yet natltess the undecepton of Hudson, The North
will yet overtop, yea, heaping Ossa on Peon, the
most eytravagant conceptions men entertained 4
couple OF centuries ago OF the teclning products oi
Eastern and Middle Asia.
On its tidal bosom, during the months OF spring,
summer and autumn noat argoses hithefward.
freghted with the cereal wealth OF boundess con-
| tinent,n and thenceward taken by those who go
down in ships and do business on the great deer" 70
feed world beyond the turbulent Atlantic that else
| would wane without It. The navigation OF the IIud-
son by boats OF every tonnage implies also that OF
| that monument to the audacity OF De Witt Clinton,
the Erie Canal, and the great waters thai lie en-
| bosomed In and accessible to the grain growing
empires which, south and west north ana east sur
aSareeates. in ali Kinds Of cereals, more genuine.
| usable wealth than the gold and silver enriched
lands which lie in the bosom and at the feet OF the
Consider for moment the vast sums in values
| and in buks that are sent forward, from even the
Upper Mississippi, by an almost continuous chain OF
navigable waters to this city. Runyonr fingers over
u map Of the Middle, Western and Northern states,
and from the furteSt lake to the tidal swells or the
Atlantic there Is uninterrupted communications; and
without this line of water courses ask yourself how
much by highway and railway, of the annual pro-
duets of illinois, Iowa. Onto Indiana Wisconsin and
| the dozen OF other States forwarded to New YORK
| lthe Hudson and the canals having cxs,cDcc) would
| reach the Atlantic board? Without the North river
| what would in wealth. civilization, grandeur,
beauty population be the metropolis OF ne western m
to which she has given BIRTH thar surround and
beautify her as gems tne zone OF queenihe secOnh
In population in Chrstendoin, without the Iordiy
Hudson she would be stunted shrunken form, a
pulling Niobe In tears.
l
rut-teng, unpoetical figures not Of speech but Of
FORM that can form even prosiinate IDEA oi the
trade that with never-cnding hood cncticies our
shores in the seasons OF navigation But il is not
purpose at present to do the Gradgrnd Tor our read
ers. We desire simply and In u general way TO say
that thousands OF vessels on the lakes, canals and
North river involving millions OF dollars Of capital
and employing tens OF thousands Of persons directly
and indirectly, are IN those beautiful months WDen
Flora regns constantly employed inwiaty In add
ing 10 the wealth, the civilization. the commercial
importance OF our metropois-n bringing rs all, the
| wealthy and the poor alike, food and employment.
Turning aside from the trade aspect OF tie Hudson,
much might be said OF it from aD-so ~ speak
| aesthetic point OF view. Where In all the world, ON
this sgreat round globe are To be found ~ tie same
| given area so much OF the grand and the romantic!
| Its shores arc poems iis vstas peep into PARADISE
its intervales pictures Of rural softness ana its noun
tains residences tit for the gods When wear'ed by
TOLL when painting for moutul OF air, fresh from
higher attitudes, TO the Hudson river The genuine
G0thamite instinctivey turns and, shaking fron his
sandals the dust OF conmercecrOwded streets. takes
passage on of the many floating paaces--world
renowned for the elegance Of their appointments th'
beauty OF their models and marvellous sWitness aDc
orpets for the nonce, his eyes roaia over scenes
not less exquisite than those in which ialla Roosi
reveled In the vale OF Cashmere his loved abitaoi
OF the knickerbockers, his Empress CITY OF the West
a | ern World.
= And those floating palaces, how very attractive
: they look in their new coats OF paint, with their en-
| gines reftted, their brlsses FURNISHED and sbnni
Sers soa and smosng 3 ooms and caoes
|, complete array and only awaiting occupants-wllch
we fear, VIII be some some days yet, MS from Mewbnrs
ranging from twelve to sixty inches in thickness
Only day before yesterday the steamboat CONN, In
order To get to her oerth in New York, had have
passage opened for her with the to opcI
| water, and In many places the Ice was founc
| TO be upwards Of four feet through. Further
n0rthward it OF course is deeper and stronger
At and above Albany 1t has been proposed Il
break the ice bridge which reaches from shore tt
shore, and II possible prevent loss by sudden Hood.
| at Troy and Albany, to blow up the Ice with torpe
| does. This may prevent disaster: but II VIII not
wholly open the river to navigation, which those
who are familiar with its peculiarites say cannot be
cleared OF Ice before the Ist (f not laer OF April
l N nac he unl t4 1rp ibnrep
| will be seen in thirty-seven years. twenty-scpen
times In March, five times In February ana five In
|. |