The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-20
NEW FORK STATE CITIES.
The First Step Bnckward-some or tho Newest
Cities Very small Ones.

There are now forty-one cities in the State of
New York, and the number has been steadily
increasing since New York became q State, at
which period there were three cities only in
New iork-New York city, Albany, and Hud.
son. The largo cities of the western and cen.
trail portions Of the State owe their incorpora.
ton as such to the opening of the Erie Canal.
Soon after this event former villages along the
line OF the canal or near it became Incorporated
as cities, Buffalo in 1882, Rochester in 1894,
and Syracuse in 1s47. Utica was Incorporated
as a city in the same year as Buffalo, and
Brooklyn two years later. in 1884. Since then
additional villages have been incorporated as
cities, and some OF them would seem by com
parison with the rule Of former years to be
little entitled in respect to population to such
civic honors. This is particularly the case with
those cities recently admitted.
Corning, in Steubcn county, is now a city.
though at the Federal census preceding its ad.
mission its population was only $3.50. Corn.
ing owes its recognition to the fact that in the
close Senate Of 1892 Charles E. Walker Of
Corning was 2 member and was the advocate of
u eHs irah is Of si aaDisidpg ny s6e tSe county, in which
wa Incorporated as a city instead of dividing
Inc 9Sunts; i Ge Isss i X ats0 e q , city H. i was
than Corning; Another OF the new " Cities tsss which iieh
~ " i0ImMiudUie as RESPECTS population Ii
Niagara M Z Hm Falls. Miasafs Falls was established
s saTed the ssDcs dist hnst which It has On:
comercial Importance of a village than
70 the natural attraction for tourists near by.
Niagara Falls had by the Federal census Of
1880 q population of s. 800 only, vet il Is a. CITY.
though one of the wards of New York, the
Iwelfth. has now a population of $40, 600, and,
oy comparison, the population of Niagara Falls
seems insignificant. Still another new city, a VERT
table new city, is North Tonawanda, incorpor.
ated In 1897. but which by the last Federal CEN
sus had q population of only 4,793. North Ton.
nwanaa, however, is a lively town and a grow.
centre thereabouts make certain its further
development. Watervliet, one of the oldest
villages OF the State lit was formed into a vii.
lage In 1883, Ia now a city. and 30 also ia Rens-
neighborhood. "o e"ho
To those provisions in the amended State
constitution which add to the political mmuni.
ues OF New York cities Is to be ascribed To
some extent, perhaps. the recent INCORPORATION
OF villages as cities, but at the close of this
month, Tor the first time In the history of the
70 the number OF cities, for by the Greater New
YORK consolidation the number of cities will nc.
Tnally be reduced from fortY-one to thirty.nine.
brooklyn, a city for more than sixty wears and
Long Island City, Incorporated in 1870. being
absorbed. into New York. It Is n rather nec,.
lar evidence OF the ~irregularity Of growth in
New York cities that when the State census of
lsSZ wastaken Hudson, one of the three Original
cltles OF New York, was last on the list with n
population Of only 5000. There were at that
period thirty.hve New York cities. ~""