The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-11-15

Shonld have been maintained and ea
iarRed. So that COMMERCE might have
fouAd Il water way through the rear 81
1 tue city On the banHs0 OF these canals
like on The panS Ks of the Chicago river
factories and ioundries. besides other en-
terprises, would start up and naturally
increase The wealth OF the city. Besides
there could have been established and
maintained system OF sewerage, based
on the retention OF the water III the canals
Ut high tide, with d0sning oates t.
be opened ut low tide. that would have
been almost perfect sewerage system
But all this was not TO be. These
streams were nlled in and the city was
cut off lii front and rear--doubIy or
phaned.
The riparian owners had been deprived
OF their right to the shore front. The
State had transferred such right to whom
it would; and corporations became the
assignees of the Associates OF the Jersey
Company. In time the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company leased the ferry
and docking privileges of the Paulus
Hook portion of the river front, and like
wise became the assignees of the Assoei-
ates of the Jersey City Company. Well
might the city have exclaimed:-'sF Fare
Well, long farewell, TO all my great
nesst,'
eff We had those canals through the
eli "" said Prosecutor Winfield. who had
been interrupted in his narrative. you
can see what an important feature they
would be. One of the boasts of the old
Associates when they advertised the sale
Of lots at Paulus Hook was the enlarge
ment Of this canal; that the Hook would
be navigable on all sides, and that yes
sells would get fifty feet depth of water
anywhere. /" Any of these canals, he
said. would have been more advantageous
to this city than the Chicago river is to
Chicago, and that river is OF prime impor-
tance.
All these facts and others equally inn
portant Prosecutor Winfield had already
urged in an address before the New York
Historical Society.
Coutemporaneou history the Prose-
cutor would not discuss. He took a
purely antiquarian view of the situation
aud stopped short at the discussion of
Jersey City's waterway, a subject that
has been as dead as Julius Cesar for
over balf century. But it was interest
ing as far as It went.
But the learned Prosecutor adorned the
role of old Mortality II he woulu but
let himself loose what a tale indeed he
could unfold. WHAT an interesting chap
ter might he not dictate If he would but
illuminate ia sober thought
On all he's seen, and heard, and wrought .
Properly speaking Jersey city's history
does not date back more tRan fifty years.
In 1910 the population was only 3,072; q
state of affairs that demonstrates that is
was but aScity in name, and in reality
was nothing more than a township. In
forty years the city's inhabitants num-
bered 120722. In the last ten wears there
has been an increase OF population of
80. 600.
REMARKABLE GROWTH OF OTHER CITIES.
Brooklyn. the corresponding suburb on
the other side OF New York harbor, has
eclipsed every city except Chicago. Its
population of 1900 in 1880 grew to
$50, 900 in 1880. and TO 10000 in 1890
The city OF Milwaukee. with a popula-
tion similar to that Of Jersey city, In 1884
consisted of two Lighthouses.
The city of Cleveland. fifty years ago.
was mere HAMLET. 1t now has popula-
tinn of 200, GOO souls. Andrew Carnegie
is authority for this statement:-sAfter
seeing all that the rest of the world has
to offer in that respect, | pronounce Euc-
lid and Prospect avenues in this lake city
of Cleveland the grandest and most beau
tiful."
st. Panl aud Minneapolis are other ex-
amples of the rapid growth of great cit
les. A quarter of century ago they
were but beginning that wonderful career
which has placed them In the front rank
In few more decades these cities will
have carved their way to q proud emf
renee; or rather they will have amaiga-
HaleQ ana DeCOlu6 one great CITY tRaU
viii likely rival Chicago; city thai is
without parallel for its phenomenal
growth. Forty years ago il was little
better than a mud hole, out of which the
city has been literally lifted, only to be
RACED by the aevodring element.
Jersey City is lacking in the exuberant
vigor OF these young giant cities of
the West. AS municipality. she cannot
assimilate her wealth. IL all flies over TO
thar metropolitan magnet across the
river. 1t requires more than ordinary
historical acumen to account for this
phenomenon Not possessing the neces-
sary prescience, | cannot formulate a
theory that will satisfactorily solve the
problem. There are no strong contrasts by
which an inqairing mind can be guided
Everything is vapid and inert. There are
no monuments of any kind; no mile.
stones or sign posts to advise the traveller
as TO the route he is to take. The moon,
being without an atmosphere. is an ex-
tinct world. The city that is without
local patriotism or public spirit may
boast of a population, but eau never
achieve greatness. There may be expert
sociologists who are competent to I'M
ravel this tanRle, like the connoisseur ia
Notre Dame, who possessed this rare gift,
as tersely stated Dy Victor Hugo in the
manner following:-"When man un-.
derstands the art of seeing, he can trace
the spirit of an age and the features Of
King even in the knocker of a door -
The present Jersey City has no physi-
ognOmy. 1t is collection of tenements.
factories and stores.
Society, as founded by successive gem
eratIons. seems TO have left no ''footprints
in the sands of time" Evaporation. not
concentration. is the title deed of Jersey
Ctty's history. Each wave OF time"
says Sage, LEAVES its alluYium-each
race deposits its stratum upon the meuu-
ment-each individual deposits his stone"
We ind no trace of this process ia Jersey
City There are no monuments, no
mounds, no mansoleums. Time, we are
taught to believe. Is the architect-the
nation, or city, is the builder. Here we
have neither architect nor builder. There
are plenty of houses, but few homes:
many inhabitants, but you might search
with Diogenes' lamp and tire yourself
out before you would discover a wealthy
citizen who has given proof of public
spirit; or you might look In vain for
aught that appeals to the Imagination or
that eleydtes the sensibilities There
are few indications of the accumulation
of wealth and none of the existence of
that aesthetic and moral elevation of soul
which are to be found in every well regu-
lated city.
sPLENDoR OF ANCIENT CITIES.
How we must hide our diminished
heads when we regard the splendors OF
ancient cities; the prodigaI profusion of
statesmen and warriors. VINO built cities
and bequeathed to them magnificent
baths. libraries, picture galleries. statu-
airy and other works of art. This ancient
civilization in many nroUraaaiva parffct,-