The New York herald., 1873-12-14
The Futurc OF tho Mctropolis-low II
May BE Made or mmrred.

countries mere slowly brought into ciyili-
zation. This peculiar of growth allowed
us to build republic without enfeebhng
traditions of caste-pervaded centuries 1t
allowed us to plan the majority of our cities
so that, with the exception of portions OF
those on the Eastern seaboard, the narrow,
crooked streets and lanes that defy sanitary
laws and inquiring strangers IN European
cities are to be found very rarely IN the
United States We have occasionally IN our
superabundant enthusiasm laid out cities
where villages cannot be induced to grow.
The forcing process has been abundantly en-
ployed, and with the usual results. Duluth
| is not even as populous as Boston to-day,
despite all that was said about it in ecstatic
puffs and prospectuses that were to be read
by the light of Aladdin's lamp. But the Bu-
chuism of those who laid ont all the Toadstool-
towns and Mushroomvilles along Pacific rail
roads carries no discouragement to those who
are deeply interested in the future Of great
city Ike New York. Seated on its island
throne, Gotham proclaims herself the Empire
City, and those who accept the title tor her
may wcll exert themselves that her outer garb
be worthy os her high destiny. The poetry Of
bricks and mortar or stone aid cement has
not descended as yet on many spots in our
land. In our city q red brick house or two
encloses all tks mural idealization which we
can boast. The love of the beautiful may 60
hand in hand with the development of the
useful and the uprearng of the permanent.
1t is therefore, to the realization of these
three, in the growth of our city, that we should
address ourselves
The cultivation of aesthetic taste is about all
we can rely on for the production of beauty
of exterior in our dwelling houses, but there
are many things in the range of constructions
for the public use which we have right to
insist should be pleasing to the eye as we'll as
adapted to their end and lasting in substance.
For city like New York what can be more
repulsive, ill-adapted and temporary than the
series of crumbling wooden piers which COM
pose its water frontage We learn from time
to time that they are very unsafe in spots, and
that the Department of Docks has sent down
half dozen workmen to remove few rotten
planks and put in their place few planks
conceded on all hands that New York should
lave water frontage of solid stone piers,
backed by such broad embankment as
would let the enormous traffic choEed in the
narrow riparian streets have free vent. Thus
would the entire water front he cleanly beau
tiful, healthy and permanent good to the
city, instead of, as at present, series of tot
tering, rotting timbers, forming pestilential
eyesore. The paving of our streets in a sub
stantial, uniform manner is something very
desirable; but he who hopes in this direction
has great courage From the disntegrating
tar poultice of Tammany times to the rutland
gulley-hollowed cobble stone, the city, with
the exception of two or three thoroughfares
is fearfully and wonderfully paved, as that
miserable broken-bottle road of Good Inten-
tions Which leads to the tropics of the un-
known worll. The peculiar shape of Man.
haitian Island suggests that, since it bears on
its bosom populous city and that this
is the nineteenth century, steam railroads
should traverse it north and south-that is,
along its greatest length. This is the naked
statement cf the case for rapid transit. Since
we have gone across the Harlem River to
annex large slice &C Westchester county
rapid transit is all the greater necessity. The
works at Halett's Point for the widening of
He'll Gate approach completion, and when the
tide of European commerce flows boldly in on
the waters of the Sound rapid transit will be
again more loudly demanded. 1t is one of
the mysteries why New York has not had for
many years past, at least two longitudinal
lines of railroad in active operation. There
have been schemes enough, in all conscience.
Bills authorizing rapid transit, projects to
take the shape of actual enterprise have been
passed in dozens by tt Legislature; but, with
the exception of the one-legged article
on the west side, nothing has been
done. Where nothing has been done it is
curious to observe what dog-in-the -manger
policy has been pursued by certain capitalists.
Bills have been defeated or out-mannuvred by
the agents of capitalists, in order that the
capitalists might rush through bills of their
own. The mysterious part of the business is
that when the capitalist has his new law in his
pocket he leaves his money there along with
it, and never SO much as 'breaks ground"
1t is to be hoped that this kind Of playing
with the people and their urgent needs will
not be longer permitted. 1t is easy to demon
strate that the railroads will pay, whoever un-
dertakes them, even as independent roads,
while their value will be materially enhanced
by connections.
The advantages which New York possesses
over older cities should be preserved. The
old cities which built their houses along cow
paths and then called the latter streets strug-
gled in their subsequent growth from hap
hazard to haphazard. We have more wisely
projected al eAd of our immediate necessities
in many things, and it is altogether absurd |
that our necessities in the matter oi rapid transit