New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-24
HOW GEEAr CITIES GROW.
From The u uth's Conn

From The y uth'S CoWlnnlon
I'll. .rcat cA,les ~ tho world have grown 10 their
urc."n, $40 I'm two ways by the niturl! ncr"a, n
ihr own population and by tie tith'rlnS -, ,t ,y
Tho secoud -, thc processes has worked with singular
uniformity all the world, and ~ further usc IN
The case Of large American cities Is even now
PrrhSp, Ito best ILLUSTRATION Of this n"ysm st Is
Of that huge municipality small district known q,
the Cy" II i built Up soHdy ara Is the near near
II every day 10 DO business. aud leave IL again NJ
nglt Tut It's own actual residents number e,s thai
10000 not hundredh part OF the great CITY ; '"''
Ntverthclc~. TIT, was tho original dty Of London.
Around there grow mp A. i'mc vent on nine Other
towns every one Of lqn Wstly larger IN popnhn,ion
than the l'ttlc "cliy" At the centre; More than
century ago these surrounding towns had pee o,c
great city IN everything except government. "ran-
ualy by act Of Parliament. some u The common con,
cnmmi, n, having Jurisdiction over the whole terri
tory ard now almost all the municipal power II vested
~ Thc ancient government ~ The cty" still exists.
hut Tor all practical purposes Loadon Is the greater
London" lying on both dos Of the Thames and Gil
br1clnc many square miles ~ territory.
Other European cities have had similar history.
At the start there (, one la"rc town. win vi,agrs
Mn. about Il Mt various distances. s"parnted Y open
meadow wood, and farms. Tn" city grows ana eN-
cty 81 last thcre is .ef, no break in the streets
and Of houses, and all the Giles are 'y act OF
government gathered into one.
me came thIn. has happened often in this country
oM Boston covered less than 500 acres. liata
suburbs. have grown ~ to and ben merged In the
titv which now covers nearly $4,000 acres.
The territory embraced by Now prlS CITY has been
doubled within u Few years md II The cIty were com
bincd on the basis II London, and made TO Include
ENollyn and Jersey Cty. - population would be
dou'lr what n now Il. M
PHILADELPHIA Chicago. Heltimorc and other cities
have grown greater by similar absorption of th-'r
suburbs. ~, A.,
Of course ono fpr such consolidation Is thc
sontins-n'a idea ~ making one largo and powerful
city. Local pride In population cPnnlnng IN" great
clilcS Of the world Is natural and commentators.
lluf there are other reasons still NOR" llnPrtin'
When the suburbs have Themselves gown into cities
whose streets built NJ 10 the border o the paret
city, the need ~ one city government for all becomes
imperative. -,
one department OK police can d. tho work f'r all
better than half-a dozen departments. CITY improve
mcnts must be- made bv tho Board OF Public Works;
and one general board accomplish more than se'eraI
distinct boards can.
Islally the richest part ~ srch group 81 adjacent
WINS and Gtes tho part from which largest taxes arc
II. scd-iS least IN nc'i ~ eXtcnsiv' impNoVemo MS
Tho districts farther from the c"ntr" want new streS
laid ont. new pavcment> constructed new walerworks
and sewers. Tho Interests Of the Who'll" community
nrr served by such improvements: vet the revenue
raised I'm The old section cannot be spent for the newer
sections unless al og Their under ono city charter.
Every growing dty has recognized this fact.
In this country we hayo yet seen only the be-
GnnlneS O tie movement