New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-01
THE CONNECTING LINK.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSPORTATION BROUGHT
A SUDDEN BUILDING FEVER.

A SUDDEN BUILDING FEVER.
As has been intimated. the improvements in the
methods of transportation between the upper and
lower parts of the city have had much TO do with
making Harlem what II is today almost a separate
city divided from It's parent the metropolis of bust
ness by that invisible boundary which separates the
home from the store Office and yet united by the
bond Of government. AS the elevated lines were ex
tended northward in Eighth, Second and Third aves
the uprising of houses almost as magical as was
tho case In Chicago after the great fire. Naturally, the
character of the buildings partOok of the nature
of those IN epOnding situations further downtown
For instance OH the East Side great tenement houses
were erected for the accommodation of families TO
whom the payment Of rent is always perplexing
problem as each month rolls around. while the
West Side the buildings more pretentious, rang
ing from the comfortable cottage TO the mammoth
apartment house and the homes of the wealthy. The
cable road, running from the East River at One
hundred-and-twenty fifth ST. to the North River at One
hundred and thirty fithst, with branch running
from One hundred and twenty nth-st through Tenth
ave- to Fort George far north One-hundred
and ghty sevcnth-st, has done much toward impruv
ing the western side of Harlem. The East Side ele-
roads. connecting with the suburban road. which
CROSSES the Harlem River at the terminus of Second
ave- on the east side Of the stream, have had the
effect also of building up the sections north of the
Az the present time Mott Haven, fremont and
Fordham are peopled with citizens who do. business
in the city proper and who are enabled by the rapid
transit lines to live In homes of their own and yet
go to and fro between their homes and ther places of
labor. All these sections, TOO retain something of
fhe East Side characteristics Of the lower par Of the
CITY. for while the houses are cOmm0diOus and com
Portable, they arc, as rule, totally different from
.he handsome residences Of the West Side Yet there
are some fine residences on the East Side beyond the
river and the country is fair TO look upon and healthy
10 live In. IT seems little peculiar, however, that
The many industries Of the city seem to cling to and
factories, brewenes and foundries, and Others are
going up constantly. 1t may be that this is caused
bv the feet that those who labor IN these establish
ments find 1. necessary TO live In the cheaper East
Side homes, and when factories have been built
tfev have been erected with view TO having them
within convenient distances OF the homes Of the en-
ployes This Is shown 10 be reasonable conclusion
bv the fact that the great bulk OF travel on the East
side which Is composed Of working people, constantly
crowd to their utmost facilities the lines OF two ole
waited roads one running from the Battery 20 the Har
lem River, and another from CITY Hall TO the same
point where both connect with the SUBURBAN road
running as far north the East Side as One-hundred
on The west side the elevated road TO One-hundred
and dftv-ffth- St. the cable road 10 Onehundred and
eighty-seventh ST. and the Eighth-ave. surface road
to one-hundred and forty eighhst nave all done ther
sbare toward developing that section. These i'm
moved transportation facilities connecting not only
he east and west sides Of Harlem but the extreme
/ nortbern and southern limits OF the metropolis. have
worked together for Harlems good, and for the vel
fore ~ the entire city To them is due the fact that
when one Is IN Harlem ne seems 70 . oe ID anotne ea
fbat every NONRESIDENT OF Harlem who visits that
locality experiences The streets there are VIDE ana
wake and enterprising The corners Of Eighth-avc
ard one hundred and twenty hfth-st and of the same
street and Third ave are as ~ usS anu ~
ISc sidewalks are thrOnged with promenaders, tho
stores are filled with ana se 81 itNrea
poyyever In Harlem has been remarkable. and Is
ds doubtless 10 the fact that the families Of men
doing business " TO do their shopping nearer their
homes rather than in tho big downtown establishments