The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-02
THE MOVEMENT UP TOWN!
FROM THE BATTERY TO HARLEM.
The influence Of Great Public Improvements in
Particular Localities-Ihe Widening Of
Broadway and the General Char
acter Of Uptown Buildings.

"The movement up town" has been the subject OF
many articles ever since Manhattan Island was
sold IN fee simple for the sum of $24. Peter Stuy-
vesant made very rapid movement up town, ac-
cording to his biOgrapher, Irving, and even Hen
drlck Hudson did not stop at the corner OF West
ana Barclay streets. All the ancients went up
town, as, indeed, all the moderns do now; and
1t is only the man the end OF his century who
still clings to that area below Canal street an
agreeable place Of residence. The man who at
tempts to forecast the future OF the island is now
lost In contemplation Of the worthy projects OF the
Chamber OF Commerce and the natural restraint
which Is put on all progress about the Harlem River
by dilatOry legislation and the want OF the proper
capital. Every one starts out with the very cor
lect proposition that when the mine is exploded at
Hallet's Point and a pleasant highway s opened
to the Sound that property about Spuyten Duyvil
Creek through to the North River will double in
value; THAT New Workers will begin to settle there;
that soon ship canal will connect the North with
the East River; that all commercial warehouses
will be built up along the Sound and the North
River, and that the Battery end OF the island viii
suffer tremendously No doubt there is much
truthln this general view, but it is much safer to
determine the gradual upward movement towards
Harlem, which has been going on in parallels so
long, than to describe the imaginary city OF West
chester, N Y, the fondest dream OF the spec
ulatOrs who have whole villages to sell along the
Sound The opening OF South Fifth avenue has
been Of infinite Importance to the traffic of the city
IN relieving contiguous thoroughfares and promising
reform to the low and filthy environs OF that quar-
ter. This Improvement is but one OF type which Is
absolutely necessary not only for the health OF the
population, but for local communication and
transportation. The absolute need OF the city is
fares. Nowhere the island is this necessity
more apparent than below Canal street, where
there no main arteries from river to river; yet
much better disposition prevails among property
owners than was apparent SOME years ago. Even
now, however, nothing can be thoroughly deter
mined until localities cease to be the slaves OF
SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF TRADE,
dependent upon the fluctuations OF that speciality,
upon its caprces and numberless accidents. Every
branch OF trade has become gregarious. II is fixed
as q fact that every broker must be at or near
Broad street, that shipping men must hive about
Bowling green and that newspapers must fringe the
outlines OF Printing House square, Every season fur
nshes fresh rumors that these and other branches
OF business are to undertake some astonishing
migration toward the Harlem River. At one time
we hear OF the Stock Exchange negotiating for st.
Paul's church again the Aston House is threatened
downtown store is the Inflated situation. The
dry goods trade is nervous to gather about Four
teenth street and has made ambitious moves in
that direction, and many dealers have suffered in
anticipating the "movement up town." 1t will
thus be seen that no migration has been entirely
successful, and that as yet, all wholesale transfers
must await some new and surprising develop
ments, such as the sudden growth OF the city at
the extreme north end OF the island or remote
contingency, as rapid transit"
Durng the past three years New York has ex-
SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH,
that Is, In ediices and the opening Of new streets,
than almost any other city OF the world. 1t is
doubtful II the population has increased at all :
but the city has become cosmopolized, so to
speak, and the buildings and private houses
going up nave been OF q character better
proprietors than in former years Even where new
buildings have not been constructed there is an
observable tendency to improve old and piecemeal
architecture: to consolidate and unity rows of
useless houses, and combine them into symmetri-
cal structure TO favor the idea OF ''fats'' and
elevators, aud, in line TO begin new era IN city
construction. 1t Is oil this era with all its modern
improvements that 1t Is proposed to speak OF in
this article.
We are passing from colonial INTO European life.
We are adopting all the agreeable phases OF exist
ence which prevail III Europe, adding to them such
comforts and elegancles as belong to us and TO
Continent. The old system OF paying So or SIS a day
and living in hotels or OF paving $40 to $50 week
ana suffering all the inooncelvable ills or boarding
house life Is passing away, and instead hotels on
the European plan now form the chief feature OF
devoted to rooms in suits. The hard commercial
aspect of 1860 is gone and no longer do we behold
a dull. inane Union square, with sckly gas lights
and wooden benches, but
BROAD OPEN PLAZA,
brilliantly lighted and lively, agreeable oungisg
place by day or by night, at the very centre the
population OF the island.
UNION SQUARE
NAV now be termed the centre of the city, the
nucleus OF its metropolitan ile displaying the
endless and varying ncbula OF mind, body ana
estate, native or foreign, to our shores. While the
a nfnp 1Y1f Al
the miniature and grander men Of mercantile life
pour down through its side thoroughlares and its
winding walks every morning from ha-past seven
4. M. to ten O'Clock, another tide sets in before
noon which sweeps the walks OF Broadway and
delivers 2 rlvuiet oil fashion as far as Bleecker
street, Then AZ three z. NJ. the squads OF over
dressed ladies begin their ascent OF Broadway and
THE OIII-HAlRED SWELL
puts ON his Kid gloves, gives finishing brush to
his white beaver, and begins d gait which he
mathematcally calculates VIII bring to him the APP
plause OF the beauties OF the town. These shades
OF Lie, differing with every hour and block reveal
ing 80 much that is weak in human nature and so
little that is the product of strict commercial
life, are alone typical oil the mere transition period
OF the city's innovations. Though today Union
square Is by night the most brilliantly lighted and
indeed, attractive scene in the clfv, ten years
hence 1t may be more like Stygian darkness. Few
improvements seem 10 have the character OF per-
manency about them.
TIRE LOFTY IRON PILE
at the corner OIL Broadway aud Fourteenth street,
while sold enough in its construction and imposing
enough in its outlines is but the mere fragment OF
q building. Its ambitious height serves 10 inform
It's neghbors that they are but mere pens and It's
patry proportions IN plain view suggest that space
in the SKY is cheaper than on the eartn. In other
words. III cannot have a big building, can have
a tall one.N From the nature OF the real estate on
the block IN question, 1t viii be impossible to build
a symmetrical edince to University place. one of
the best corners la New lOIk has therefore been
dishgured 10y the piece OF q building which would
have been tolerable II II could have been entire.
The building on
rHE EAST SIDE or UNION SQUARE
Is not open 10 the same objections. new hotel
merly occupied by the circus In Fourteenth street
will be the site Oh q handsome edifce. In all the
streets lateral to Union square there Is marked
determination OF trade to settle about this mpor-
tant centre. Shops on the Paris pan-better on
the Palais Royal plan-seem 10 be gathering about
that locality Union square is TO New York what
Soho Is to London French restaurants, table
db0tes, coi0e,rs and dressmakers, and n1drchands
de bric-d-b'uc are living in the vicinity. The
tendency to drive out jewellers on Filth
avenue Is not so impatient and strong as
many people thought 1t would be: and this