Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-01-20
Decline of New York.

The New York Tribune is much exer-
cised over the decline of the commerce
of that port and it's diversion to Boston,
as well as the slow increase in the value
OF real estate as compared with the lat
ter city. 1t says
In the many causes of reform, for
which the Tribune has assiduously la
bored, great trouble has been expert.
enced in thoroughly arousing the people
not directly interested, to a realization
of the true condition of affairs. 1t is
not sufficient to tell them that the COM
merce of the city is undergoing pro-
cess of gradual but sure destruction ;
that the population has not increased at
the ratio that might have been justly
expected and that the value of real es.
tate is deprecated by every eecline in
such ratio. Every one can assign some
special reason which clearly proves to
his mind that the land on which his
dwelling stands, and the trade by which
he lives, are not affected in the least by
the general commercial decline. To
this same pernicious indifference is to
be ascribed the general neglect of pub
lie duty on the part of the people
which enabled the Ring to obtain abso-
lutte control of the affairs of the city.
The Tribune has, in previous articles,
established the fact of the most start
ling decrease of the trade and COM
merce of New York, yet few, compare
lively, realize that they have any indi.
vidual interest in the matter. There
can be no public injury without private
wrong. Injury to the public good can
only be brought about by abuses infict-
ed on number of individuals. The at
tention of the merchants and trades
men has been heretofore more particu-
larly asked, but on this occasion it will
be demonstrated to the real estate own.
ers that they are just as intimately in
terested in the growth of trade and
population as are the former classes.
" The period of the city's greatest
prosperity was the fifteen years which
preceded 1860. During that time the
tunnage of the port, and the transporta-
ton on the canals and railroads leading
into the city-together with the entire
population-more than doubled. Since
1860, however, there has been q great
check both to the growth of trade and
in the increase Of population, and the
value of real estate has suffered in
ratio. 1t is only within
the last few years that the owners of
this property began to realize that there
was a decrease in the ratio of growth
in population. Since that time, how
ever, this loss has had marked effect,
as will appear. from the comparative in
crease on real estate in New York and
also the effect of the decline in New
York's commerce and its diversion to
Boston:
- COMPARATIVE INCREASE IN THE VALUE
OF REAL ESTATE IN NEW YORK AND Bos-
ssT T9Si 4sts.. SO, sog.so s7.ssos,,s ssos
Taxes ......... ........,.......... 23'569.i27.7I
Net increase ....... $3.50, ,597. 20
ISL 1870
Boston. 5,s9s,loo ss.,s7s 100
Total city tax........ s636s62
Net increase...... Sl2O7s 1872
"Thus it appears that although the
real estate of Boston is less than half
that of New Y ork, the increase pays all
the city taxes with surplus of $l2,-
900 1000, while the increase of New York
leaves surplus of only $3,5O0,00O.
"This ought to convince the real es.
tate owners of this city that they cannot
neglect their public duties without suf
fering loss nor can they longer remain
to the loss of trade and the
diversion of population without sustain
ing an irreparable injury. The danger
of sudden loss to property owners is i'm
A large part of the unproduc
tive real estate of the city is mortgaged.
Foreclosure and forced sales will follow,
if the large amount of property liable to
be thrown on the market, under such
circumstances, should reduce prices
much below real value. The owner
of property free from debt is not be-
yond the danger of loss from this cause,
as the forced sale of adjoining property
the market value of that not
sold"
As radical cure for these evils, the
Tribune recommends that the wharves,
and railroad depots of the
city, together with the various means of
be brought so near to-
gether as to dispense with the cost of
carting goods long distances through
crowded streets, and to save the goods
from exposure to injury and loss from
theft and bad weather, and that bust
ness generally should be centralized 80
as to cheaper and facilitate its transac-
ton.
The article closes as follows "Pop-
ulation must be decentralized, and the
limits of the city extended to include
the lower part of Westchester, so as to
afford cheaper homes, surrounded with
pure air and unobstructed sunlight.
Adequate means for rapid and cheap
transit, must be provided between
homes and places of business to accom-
modate both the way and through
travel to the old and settled channels
The means of transit must also be eaay
of access. These requisites are indis
pensable if the lost population and past
prosperity of the city are to be re.
galned.'
A Parrot in Law.
There is nothing like a good lively
neighborhood quarrel. 1t excites a
cheerful spirit of emulation, and adds
incalculable value to the language by
increasing it's stock of choice epithets.
1t also encourages a spirit of invention,
as was illustrated recently in feId OF
this kind in Detroit, Mich. The battle
was tagging sadly, when one of the bel
ligerents brought a parrot into requisi-
ton to keep up the feeling. When the
man of the hostile house passed the
n