The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-14

building will be erected. The area in
cluded from Lexington to Park ave-
nue., from Fiftieth to Forty fifth
streets will be turned into part of the
new terminal. Along Park avenue the
tracks will be depressed, while an en-
tirely new system of trackage is to be
introduced for the entire terminal. All
the suburban road system will be cleo
trically equipped, while express trains
Will be operated by electricity for
thirty five miles beyond the city to
avoid tunnel horrors. The operations
of the road will not be interfered with
while the work is in progress.
OF vaster magnitude and more far
reaching possibilities are the plans of
the Pennsylvania road, which have
just received the final sanction of the
authorities.
Problem Is Serious.
On Manhatton island the transport
tat1on problem presented by a dense
population is more serious than in any
other American city. New East river
bridges and rapid transit, INTERIOR
ough and otherwise, have only aIIevi-
ated the conditions.
Inc gravity of this situation is not
generally appreciated. Manhattan Is
land is thirteen and one-half miles
long and two miles wide in it's wild
est part. It's average width does not
N~ANOON OI1C anu IITGG-QuarI6r miles.
It's total area is twenty-five square
miles, or excluding Central Park not
more than 20. 6 miles. On this diminu-
1--WE area, not much larger than an
average Western township, were con-
centrated in 1900 population of
l,85O,0OO, or S9,805 people to the
square mile. This again gives only
rant idea of the condition which pre-
walls. A comparison with the cities
places the congestion Of New York
population in stronger light. Chicago
mas $3.50 persons to the square mile
st. Louis 9,203, Philadelphia 1851.
Boston 1904 and Baltimore $4,000. In
other words, the density of population
In New York is more than eight times
greater than the average Of the five
large cities mentioned. So great a con-
gestion of population, it is natural to
suppose, would find a remedy in the
development of the suburbs. Other
large cities, as already remarked, have
expanded into the surrounding ter
r1tory. The real measure of this subur-
pan development is largely concealed
by the extension Of the city limits. but
1t is Well known that a large portion
OF the area of each Of the five cities
mentioned above is composed of iso-
lated towns, separated by wide areas
OF vacant or sparsely settled land, and
ofterlng ample room for further
growth of population without danger
OF crowding. To New York. however,
such relief is denied. Outside of Brook
lyn, Jersey City and the Bronx, which
are drawn as close as possible about
Manhattan, and which represent the
overfiowings from the reservoir, Great
er New York has a suburban popuIa-
ton Which, when contrasted with that
OF other large American cities, is in
significant.
Influences n no
the locality have been at work to con-
gest the population of New York to the
point of standardization. These inf1u-
ences are the difficulties peculiar to
the location of Manhattan. which ia
cut off by the North river from an out
let to the mainland while Long Island
Is even more inaccessible. Chicago,
with smaller population than New
York has six terminals whilst New
York has only single terminal, and
London has eighteen.
DenseIy Settled Island.
Ten years ago, in 1894, the Glider
committee On tenement house reform
reported that New York was the most
densely populated city in the world,
and since that time the population of
Manhattan has increased about 400, 900.
In one area of sixty-six acres on the
East side it was reported that there
were living $4,000 people, or 9S4 to the
acre. Such are the conditions of liv-
ing which the lack of transportation
facilities has forced upon the poor of
New York. For the middle class the
situation Is little, but only little,
better The single dwelling occupied
by single family is almost unknown
on Manhattan island Where the