The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-21

The Proper Terminus Of the Erie Canal.
New York is largely indebted for its pre-
eminence as commercial city to the inland
navigation of the State, both natural and arti-
fetal Our public works have, in their ulti-
mate results, exceeded the most sanguine an
ticipatons of those statesmen whose wisdom
and foresight conceived and executed them.
The completion of the Erie Canal was an era
not only in the history of the State but also an
era in the history of the country, for by it
commercial pathway was opened to the Great
West along which has moved the silent but
resistless tide of immigration which has spread
itself through the valley of the Mississippi,
creating States, erecting cities and developing
the wonderful resources of vast country
which but yesterday was wilderness in the
beasts. Every five years adds more than
million willing recruits to that great Industrial
army which, while creating homes for them
selves, return here the product of their labor,
and thus each one pay tribute to the commercial
emporium. This is the source of our pros
in the West, every rail that is laid upon her
roads, every farm that is opened, every house
that is built, all pay their tribute to us. We
receive the results Of their industry and dis
tribute them to the world, and in return we
send to them the necessities and comforts OF
life which they do not produce. AS each year
adds largely to their population and increases
their industrial resources, 80 must each year
| add largely to our prosperity. Yet what pro-
vision have we made in all the years gone by
to enable us to properly transact this vast and
increasing business? Let our rotten wharves,
our half-paved streets, our disgusting markets
speak for themselves in answer to this ques-
ton. Why has this condition of affairs been
suffered to remain so long? Have we no
statesmen capable of understanding the true
principles Of political economy? Are there
none to replace the Clintons, the Fultons and
the Lvingstons, whose far-seeing wisdom,
sagacious counsel and we'll directed enterprise
| made New York the imperial State of the
| Union?
| There are many yet living who heard the
|
to the lakes when, on the Goth day Of October,
| 1926, the signal guns, placed at intervals for
| five hundred and thirteen miles, from Buffalo
| TO New York, announced to listening thou
sands that the first boat from Lake Erie had
entered the Western Canal, to be conveyed to
the ocean, and who saw, also, that great pro-
| cession, in which all the trades and industries
We'd with each other in testifying in the most
appropriate manner their joy at the compile
| ton of the work, to them the dawn of a new
prosperity. 1t was a coronation day for
Industry was that day crowned king in the
metropolis of free America. Not Westmin-
ster, nor Rheims, nor pagan Rome ever wit
messed 30 grand scene. There were no gilded
chariots, nor purple robes, but simply a long
line of artisans Of every craft working at their
different trades, exhibiting their JOY by assert
ing in their pride of manhood the dignity Of
labor None who were present can ever for
get the simple grandeur Of that occasion. Gold
| and silver medals were struck to commence
rate the event, and an elaborate memorial by
Cadwallader D. Golden told its history. Nearly
half century has passed since then, yet from
that day to this the city has done nothing TO
show that here is the true terminus Of all our
public works. We have been content like the
children of the tropics, to pick the fruit that
falls at our feet. No proper provision has
been made for the vast and increasing traffic
of. the great West. Fleets of canal boats and
barges fill the Hudson, coming and going; yet
when they arrive here there is struggle for a
landing place, and they are scattered
along both rivers for ten or fifteen
miles, discharging their cargoes where best
they can; interfering with the shipping, inn
peded by ferryboats. incommodcd by each