The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-05
Rcorouins Of the Hncson-Ius -pr.ux
Trade

Trade,
The gratifying news tat the pioneel
steamer Connecticut had reach ID Albany on
Wednesday and was making her wy through
the Ice to Troy will be hailed by our citizens
as the opening OF the spring trade. Attic. .gd
the great Hudson has remained fce-lockeo
nearly month later this year than last, thtxss
is every prospect that the delay will result
in a regular freshet of business, now that the
channel has been opened for the accumuIa-
tion of the life giving waters Of commerce.
When we recollect the six weeks snow block
ade on the Pacific railroads and the complete
interruption caused thereby to our young
trans-continental trade, Albany and Troy and
all the river towns may be thankful that tho
way OF the iron horse was clear for them to
delve into the rich marts of New York. But
while the railroad kept the door open for light
Injuries and stern necessities in the way OF
human sustenance and comfortable covering,
and while the magic wires kept their intelli-
gences an courant Of the latest New York SEN
sations, the riparian towns still looked wistfully
at the solid ice in their stately river. Iceboat
racing may be very pleasant as q pastime,
but Haverstraw would rather see one
healthy load of bricks, bound Gothamward,
than all the ice-hyers in the world, doing sixty
miles an hour in a stiff nor easter. Now that
the ice is broken, let the Abanans and
Trojans, and all the farmers and manufac-
turers rejoice who want to send their goods
down by the cheaper water travel, or who
look for tho heavy trading schooner or the
trim-bult river steamer to bring the product
of our city toll to their doors. It may here
upon be noted that, great though our progress
may have been. the mighty forces of nature
still control the current of our domestic COM
merce.
Long accustomed as New York has been to
mark the opening of her spring trade by the
unlocking of the Hudson, it will have to go
back many years to see more suspicious OUT
look than the trade of the present season
promises. Like Hercules resting from his
labors, New York has watched for the dawn Of
spring to recommends, and though the night OF
winter has been long, the refreshed giant will
soon make up for lost time. The Augean
stables of corrupt politics were satisfactorily
cleansed before he lay down to his winter
sleep; the Stymphalian birds that fed on
the peoples vias, in the shape OF
the jobbers, politicians, sinecurists and
contractors, had flown in various directions.
mostly to st. Catharines and Florida, and
now, as the ancient demigod went out beyond
the pillars OF Hercules to capture tho red
oxen Of Geryones, New York goes forth be-
tween the cliffs of the Hudson peacefully and
commercially to capture the spoils Of the
farms aud towns of the Empire State.
Another infallihle barometer Of the rising
trade prospects for the spring will be found in
the advertising columns of the HERALD, with
from thirty-fve TO fifty three columns of adver-
tisements daily, testifying to the activity in
every branch Of trade. TO the student Of his
country's greatness, as well to the sturdy bust
ness man seeking new fields for enterprise or
enlargement of the old, these armies Of adver-
tisements will be surer indication Of pros
perity than the serried columns of the greatest
army of gorgeously liveried cutthroats that
ever cried ''havoc and let slip the dogs Of
war" at the bidding of crowned tyrant,
With the HERALD at the head of all peaceful
enterprises, with New York preparing for the
battle of commerce, with the ice barriers of
the Hudson ''melted like snow in the glance
of the Lord" we can promise such goodly
time as will make the thrifty old Knicker-
bockers turn in their graves with envy of our
good fortune.