New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
look for place In the crowded seats or stand
ing room between them.
The whole system is dsgraceful, and has been
properly termed "the change cars nuisance
OUR GRAIN TRADE.

The story of great development OF the
East Boston fats as a site for grain snppihg
may or may not be true. A hundred vast prof.
ects of this sort are formed for one that II
deyeloped. But, true or false, the mere state
ment of a plan for building great elevators
where inexpensive transfers from railroad to
ocean steamship can he made Is enough 10
set New-Yorl,ers seriously thinking. This close
come ctIon of trunk lines with ocean lines may
not be developed in Boston this year or next
But It is going to be developed somewhere III
this latitude before many years are past. II
here then New-YOrk can retain Its control or
the grain export trade. If in Boston or else
where then NewYOrk must expect to see
traffic desert the inadequate facilities here Of
fered. Business will not indefinitely put up
with antlquated methods just to continue New
York in supremacy. Machinery for speedy and
cheap transportation and transfer Is being made
more perfect every year. II we are not pre-
pared 20 take advantage Of this progress, some
body else will.
Already other ports are drawing the grain 10
their elevators by Offering ii better facilities
than we with our cumbersome lghterage sys-
tenn can give. We still keep In the lead, though
at diminishing distance through momentum
Bnt momentum will not sustain us indefinitely.
The habit of shipping grain through New-Iork
will not persist long after shippers find that
they can export more cheapy through Boston,
We have the steamers now, and may be IN
cned to think the trade must seek the Piace
where most of the ocean lines come. But IL IL
easy for an ocean steamer to seek ne" ,ei,
minal. and the ships now going from bos'on
would not long be loaded and turning away
cargoes before vessels which now make port
at New-York would be pointing for Massachu
setts Bay The only way to keep me actuai
amount Of grain trade we have, not 10 speak
Of retaining the proportion OF 1t that we nave
hitherto enjoyed. is by providing the wharVes'
elevators and tracks in close connectlon' WHICH
will furnish as cheap and easy transshipment
as that devised by the most enterprsing Town
jealous TO attract commerce and awake 70 'he
necessity of Offering inducements to IL.
We do not need to wait till some capitalists
develop the East Boston flats or some other
waterfront The talk Of the possibility Oh
such a thing ought to turn the minds OF our
conitaIists 70 our own waterfront. We nave
,onds as good ms the East Boston fats ana
rouroods that can as conveniently make close
connection with the ocean steamers, but we
,ot tbem lie idle while lighters take toll OF our
commerce till the burden threatens TO drive
# to more enterprlsing towns. 1t Is time Tor
our promoters to be at work planning ana
building terminal facilities equal TO those pro-
looted for Boston The lack OF pubic spirit
that has handicapped our export business II
almost incredible. Every merchant has seemeu
bent on killing the goose that laid the goiueh
egg. Nobody has done anything commensurate
with the necessity to keep the facilities OF this
mort worthy Of the times, but everybody mas
boon bent on getting everything possible out
~ q trode lust as If nothing could ever happen
TO drive It away.