New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-24
rs DIR TRADE IN DANGERf


Massachusetts, has been for some weeks
past agitated quite as deeply as Illinois farm
ers or a New-Jersey Legislature, upon rail-
road question. The management OF the
interests which converge at the opening
of the Hoosac Tunnel is felt to DO matter
of the highest importance to the entire Com
monwealth. The trade of Boston depends
upon it. The question as to what share that
city shall take in the commerce OF the country
ia ultimately involved in the management
More Immediately the great problem as TO
whether the State or private corporations
should control the new avenue OF trade, Is
discussed and forms the dividing line oil
minority and majority reports. Recognizing
the great interest of these issues, we present
the subject in appropriate fullness of kilograms
| and letter. The great question involved is, does
the Tunnel menace the commerce OF New YORK
! Boston thinks it does. Our correspondent
tells us something of the gayety with which
| New Ems gland imaginatOns dilate at the pos
sible future. There was time when far
share of the traffic of the prairie States would
| have been O sweet boon to Boston. Now, she
| ia not content with q continent. She will
| absorb the commerce of Ormus and the fur
| thest Ind Not Asia and America shall suffice
The Volga's shores shall no longer supply En-
| gland with grain: Boston shall take this en-
| tire business "out of the hands of Russia"
| The net result, after giving due credit to God,
! the Pilgrims and the Purtans, is that Boston
| shall stand on the great line between ASIA
"and Europe We trust that while thus
standing astraddle of the commerce OF the
| world she will be mindful of the fate OF that
other colossus of which posterity has failed to
preserve even a knuckle-joint.
| But let us look this matter squarely in the
| face. The construction of many new railroads
since the war. and the completion or extern
sion of others, have largely increased the
| facilities for transporting Western produce to
| seaports south of this city. Great. however,
| as has been the new business OF those ports,
! it is not ON the whole as great as the increase
| of business throughout the country. There
has been enough for all. And great as is the
! facility for transit which the Hoosao Tunnel
! can supply, when all that can be passed
| through it is reckoned, we doubt not 1t will
| be found less than the mere increase
of Eastern bound freight in any de-
| cade. But tho most valuable freight
will 60 by the shortest lines, other
| things being equal. The main question
is one of facilities the route that
offers the best facilities will win the
cream of the trade New York's first greatest
step in securing commerce was in constructing
the Erie Canal That highway is not able to
carry any considerable increase of tonnage as
at present constructed and managed. No great
hope of improvement in that QuarSer need be
included among probabilities. The enlarge
ment of the Champlain Canal, and the hypO-
thetical traffic which is to follow provided also
the Caughnawaga Canal is built in Canada,
are elements for calculation unfortunately
much further off than the opening OF Hoosac
Tunnel. We must offset the railroad facilities
which Boston offers, by equal or greater rail-
road facilities at this port. And just here is
the menace. Boston, as our correspondents
letter details, is constructing in remarkable
completeness, direct accommodations for
the receipt and delivery of railroad
freight Warehouses and docks on the most
extensive scale are designed and partly built
which will enable the cars to discharge their
loads directly into store by means of elevators,
while ocean steamers coming alongside can
with equal directness receive or unload their
York has always been want of just such
accommodations. There is a primitive sim
plicity about the methods by which goods are
carted from car to store and from store to
lighter in this city, that is worthy of the age
of the KnickerbOCkers. Carriage alone is
$22, 0OO, 900 year. To this must be added at
least as much more for superfuous labor and
storage. More than all, there results an enOr-
nous loss of time, which in this case is money.
Some time or other we are to have ware
houses and improved docks. These are to be
on the North River, and on the East River,
and on the Harlem River. And we are to
have railroads on the docks, and underground
railroads in the streets, and bridge over the
Hudson. And beautiful drawings of all these
things are hanging up in public offices, with
side elevations and ground plans and estimates.
And everything is loyey-on paper. Mean
while Boston is building in stone and iron !;
the leeches Of the port-State and National
that prey upon our commerce have not yet
attached themselves to hers she is two humid
red miles nearer to Europe than we are and
when commerce comes, she is ready.
--
nUANNE NOR PFFOPA|