The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-06
THE GROWTH OF NEW York.

THE GROWTH OF NEW YORK.
Hissor,e.l Eevievv II New York Cisy-How II
Has Grown and Prospered-A Glance NJ
che Present and the CHARACTERIZATION 70
Meet The Advance-Thc New Buildinss for
Commerce. Trade, Religion and Charity.
Were those who saw W0uter Won Twiller shake
In mighty cane at the English rigate "a she passed
nm the Hudson river in contemptuous disregard Of
the interdict pronounced by the great Dutch Gov.
ernor Of New Amsterdam, or those who drank OF
sAe genuine old" Schledam schnapps provided on
that sefsame occasion. as fully detailed in the ever
truthful history OF New York by Diedrich Knicker-
booker 70 rise to-day from their resting places, and
70 hook around them and pass examiningly
up and down the island OF the Manhattoes,
would, nay could they believe that they were
upon the same spot over which Q Won
Twfler and Stuyvesant ruled, and where
"Anthony, the Trumpeter,n sounded wars alarum
ON MS hornf AL things on this earth must
nave beginning and grow from that into greater
proportions, and cities and countries and nations
are no exceptions to this irreversbe law Of nature
But growth Ia somewhat relative term and Ia often
misapplied to mere expansion, to an increase IN
volume without corresponding increase IN sub
stance. To unite both in the growth Of cities and ma
tions was hitherto the work Of centuries and almost
countless generations. The mushroom sprouts over
night, and days sun almost brings 1t to maturity,
while the oak will take season to rise above the
earth and generation to reach the height Of Its
growth. This has been the rule heretofore by which
al advancement in the physical and moral life OF
limited communities, as well as Of nations, has been
measured, until America gave the startling proof to
the world that to this Continent at least to half
OF II, this rule can no longer be applied.
distinguished German traveller, visiting Switzer
land about the middle Of the last century, wrote In
rapturous language Of the beauty and grandeur Of
that country, but regretted that there was no king
and court to rule 1t, yet consoled himself with
the thought that the Swiss people as he found Them
we're too lliterate to fully comprehend the blessing
OF having king to rule over them. What would
this same traveller, were he living now, say of this
country, covering nearly half Of the American Con-
tinept inhabited by 4o0c00 900 Of people, than whom
rs oil the arts and appliances Of civilized progress
sssTs 70 sagsri2r sas nas Fsy !! AM tna: u all
themselves with all the forms Of established law and
rising as 1t were, but yesterday to the surface OF
national independence, to-day commanding the
respect and esteem Of oil nations and govern
msnts What it took, under the old rule Of
me, the time OF centuries and the labor
OF millions to accomplish, the new system
OF American polity reduced to work OF less
80 are the Germans; but the Franks inhabited Gallia
or Gaul, and the Teutons and Alemanns and SaxOns
lpeopled the land between the Rhine and the ystula
while yet Rome was republic and the name of
Christ had not yet been heard on earth by living
man. And SO is Paris great city now, and SO Is
Vienna but one Lutetia, the other as Vindebo na
were founded as Roman camps, as outposts, and
have near two thousand years growth to look back
on, and may trace their gradual and slow advance
from century to century, and even from generation
TO generation from the beginning Of the Christian
How widely from this does the advancement OF
our own country and of our own goodly City of New
York differ from this snal-like development Of the
America was only known, outside of a limited
circle OF navigators and trades people, as a wild
It's Is 900 inhabitants was hardly to be compared to
any village on the European coast in point OF its
trade and commercial relations Havre and Ham
burg, Bremen and Danzlg, Liverpool and Lubec
were giant centres comparatively OF the worlds ex-
changes in the lists Of which New York counted for
as little, II as much as Egg Harbor city does to-day.
But less than hundred years ago America by Its
own volitiOn and through the bloody strife OF seven
long years, cut loose from the medieval system OF
Europe A century is q long period to be lived
through by an individual; 1t Is but short series OF
DAYS or moments in the life Of a nation. And what
has this century OF independent, selfwed activity
done for this country And what for the worlda
What for the physical and intellectual advancement
mate liberties9 Let the student Of political theo-
rems, the philosopher, the historian answer these
snent achieved since the United states Of America
became political entity for his guide, and If he an
swers truly he must conclude tnlt with the dawn Of
the sun OF liberty In the west world In all but
the physical elements was opened to man.
And the centre the life-giving heart OF this New
World our own city OF New York has gradually be-
come. Great countries have need Of great cities,
and in our days this need is greater than BEFORE
Kings and princes with their great officers OF State
and their retnue in olden times formed the nucleus
around which sprang up the habItations OF large
numbers OF people, and in the OF time govern.
ing central Cities Commerce. in the largest sense OF
the word, including production ana exchange, Is
now king, and the princes OF trade crowd IN where
find 10 md fhx fhnnSn n.1g In
pendent upon it follow after them. This is the
OF the unexampled growth or New York. Cnex-
ampled, truly; for nowhere else IL like growth to be
seen except In measure In our country, and there
IN much diminished degree and only as an outflow
from the increasing greatness OF this city.
fathers gather in groups at the Tonne coffee house,
on Wall street. near the East river to talk over the
latest news from Europe which the swift sailing YES
sci leaving London In June brought hither In October;
when the good housewife drew her supply Of fresh
water from the public pump on the corner; when
the Common" was q lounging spot for cattle and
swine and the almshouse occupied the site OF the
present City Han; when behind there stood the
gro 6uryinR ground" kitchen gardens furnished veg
etables for many dinner. At that time and for
years after the "Batteryo and the 'Bowling Greeno
were the daily resort OF the fashonables OF the day,
IND around these the wealthy Of the period built
remember how heads were shook incredulously and
what failures were predicted when some persons,
more industrious than their fellows, built water
reservoir on the corner or Reade and Centre streets
or as the latter was called, the .street leading to
the Collect pond"a pond Of fresh water near which
was the powder magazine being safe place "0ut OF
town. and where now the gloomy Egyptian pile OF
granite, named the T0mbs, pretends to be terror
70 evil doors, but rarely funs its threat to great
criminals. Such old people may also remember the
Contemptuous smiles and wise foretellings OF evil as
an adventurous Frenchman, whose original plans
are yet on file IN the Office OF the secretary Of State
NJ Albany, proposed TO run canal across the whole
island, Just north of the COLLECT pond" using little
rivuet for base, from which plan Canal street has
It's name TO this day. And some will also recollect
the fierce opposition raised to the plan Of the
sloners, OF whom James Kent and Robert Fulton
were tw0 to lay out the whole island into streets and
and cornaelds and the cabbage gardens OF the set
tiers; for, while these commissioners foresaw with
prophetic intuition the future greatness OF the city
and thought IL necessary to provide In time for
systematic order In the arrangement OF streets for
the public convenience, the owners OF the farms
were mbued with the sulen short sghtedness OF the
burly Hollander, so beautifully described by the
good Diedrich Knickerb0cker. who gave way to
despair and his pipe as surveyors crossed and re-
hta ralb an ten wi fhair