National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-20
COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY ON THE
ATLANTIC COAST.

bic sentiments,"
-
SUPREMACY ON THE
ATLANTIC COAST.
Judging from the attention Just now being
given to the subject by the press Of that city,
the commercial supremacy upon the Atlantic
coast so long enjoyed by New York unmo-
Tested Is greatly menaced, II not actually en-
dangered. II will be remembered that In tho
earlier days Of the Republic, Philadelphia took
the lead Of all the Atlantic cities In CONNER
cial enterprise. In 1880 Boston had popu-
lation Of 43,29S; New York had 1893, 706;
Philadelphia had 1907 and Baltimore
62, 7Ss. In 1917 the construction Of the Erie
canal was commenced to connect the waters
Of the Hudson with those Of Lake Erie for
OF transportation per ton from Buffalo, on
Lake Erie, to Montreal, on the St. Lawrence,
was $50, and on return freight up the river
and Lake Ontario It was CTS. Tho cost OF
transportation from Buffalo TO New York
was slOO per ton, and twenty days were re-
aulrcd TO make the trip.
The Erie canal was completed from Troy
to Buffalo In October, 1895, S8S miles In
length, at a cost Of little upward OF o. ,O00,-
900, Its influence upon the trade Of New
York was magical. In 1890 her population
was 20S, GOT against 1855, gji In Philadelphia,
30 eos in Baltimore and Of, 500 In Boston. In
isoO there were g. IA In tolls collected on the
Erie canal; In 1880 they amounted to o., O5o,-
al2; In 1910 to OIL, 775, 7I7 upon total move
ment Of l,4i7,O.6 tons Of merchandise aud
produce. In 1910 Boston had q population
Of o., $50, New York OF $40, 7la, Philadelphia
OF 25s, $50 and Baltimore Of 100, 3l3. During
the next decade between 1910 and 1850 the
New England system Of railways, tapping
the Western trade at Albany, on the Hudson,
and at Ogdensburg, on the st. Lawrence,
was put into operation; Philadelphia also had
her line of canal and railway combined, con-
Meeting her with the great lakes ct Erie,
Pennsylvania, and with the Ohio river at
Pittsburg; Baltimore as yet was without
Western connection, but pressing rapidly for
ward her great line OF railway, which Is to-day,
perhaps, the greatest triumph OF engineering
skill that America can show; New York had
also completed both her Erie and Central
lines Of railway, and all were reaching out
their arms for that great Western trade,
without which no great foreign commerce
with the nations of tho earth can be sus-
tained In 1850 New York had population
| Of SIS, s9I, exclusive OF the suburbs OF Brook
Ign, Williamsburg, Jersey City, Hoboken,
Newark, &C., which were fully 900, 900 more;
Boston had 1888, 7ss, Philadelphia, 400 3s3,
and Baltimore had l69,Ol2. The duties col
iected were, at Boston, s6,177, 97O; at New
York, S2i, 952, on; ct Philadelphia, %, l23, :
$50, and at Baltimore, o., OO4, 98l. The for
eign tonnage entered at the port OF New York
in 1926, the year of the opening Of the Erie
canal, was $50, l79 tons. In 1850 Il had In
creased to /, Ia, 1891 tens. The total tonnage
Of the New York canals IN 1850 was 3,OT6, SIT
tons, valued Of 1855, 397, go and the tolls col
lected on the same amounted to 80, 273, 500.
Since 1850 the Erie canal has been once en-
largcd to q capacity Of about eight million
tons. II IA now found that nearly all this ca
pacity Is demanded for heavy and bulky
treights, as coal, salt, iron, lumber, &c, while
iour and grain are In much greater meas.
ure than formerly driven to seek transporta.
ton by rail, As a consequence, instead OF
seeking New York for market, as formerly,
very much of this vegetable food finds lis
way to Baltimore. Philadelphia and Boston.
attracted by cheaper rates of frelphts upon
those lines and the equally good markets. they
present for home consumption. Baltlmore
and Pblladclpbla have a,,o recentIv e,t.h-
llsbed Furopean llnes of steamer. which ~.
fer sbippine facilities To foreign mort. for any
| surplus.
New York has taken the alarm lest she
shall lose her foreign trade. Her press begin
TO clamor for another enlargement of bs,
canal. TO such Dimensions that steam NAV he
used upop them for propulsion. and afford
cheap transportatlon 10 the whole grain cron
Of the West. She also calls for elevators nv
which grain NAV be transferrcd readily from
| cars to vessels Boston. Philadelpbia and
1 Baltimore are not ouly undertaking her In
i railway freiyhts. but also In sbinning cbarge.
| Thew are also increasing their foreign com.
1 nerce in more rapid manner or Inv a create,
ratio. than New York. Montreal with he,
great natural commercial arterv tho a. Law.
renee and lbe lakes. Ia advancing toward
commercial supremaev with ain m ,r, ranid
strides than our own citIe.
Here ia nre,en,ed VIrgipia,s o,,or,,,,,v
i Il arises ont of the nroducer's nece.s,,y W..
rinia presents the shortest noss,hIo slacL.w.
l ter route between tho Ohio and tina Ata,,,c
The waters OF tho Chesapeake offer barbors
l in which the commerce of the world NAV
ride with safety and be Transferred from
| barge to steamer. The latitude 1, n protec.
ton alike from the frosts of winter and the
/ ,corching heats of a tropIcal sun, There 4,
| absolutely nothing to prevent her water-lin,
/ from becoming the great commercial bIUh.
cinity from becoming the first seaport on the