The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1907-03-30
Gotham News Letter..

| New York, March so--The most
significant event Of last week was the
arm ouac.ment by the Erie cailorad
that the most important improvements
/, 1t had entered upon, involving a new
entrance and terminal in Jersey City
and estimated to cost all told over
twenty millions Of dollars, are to be
abandoned, at least for the time being.
This is calculated to make even the
most reckless and thoughtless man to
stop and think for a while whether
Z. the wild work with railroads is to
continue or not. The chief trouble
with the Erie fact Is that 1t Is not
J alone, but belongs 10 a class. There
Is seldom day passes without some
railroad announcing that 1t is haul
! ing in. instead OF expanding; that OPP
CREATIONS that were to cost millions,
and the money for which was on
hand. are now put on the shelf. be-
cause the money cannot be got to
! push them through. The rail-; ylas
have been hard hit, in their credit, in
their business, and in their standing,
and the public will soon find that it's
When a railroad stops a big improve
ment, II means that millions OF money
that would have been spent will now
lie dormant; consequently there will
, be so much less to float among the
people, fructifying the labor market,
and. following that. freshening up all
lines OF trade and putting the market
in its finest condition. We have been
Il - 49,
precedented degree of prosperity, but
a. check has come to it. The harum-
/ scarum- crowd have had their panjan-
drum, and now the public can prepare
to- pay for II. 1t has taken seventy
Ave years1to build up the railroad sys-
tenn; it has taken only few months
to bring 1t to the edge of ruin, and
common people have been thinking
that all that would happen would be
/ cheaper rates, and less cost TO them
! selves; but soon they win find that
& business has dulled down, and that
there is less money astir, and that
they are getting less than they were
getting Of what is afoat. 1t is time
that there was a let-up on the rail-
roads, If ii is not already late. A
! brave effort has certainly to be made
to stay the destruction. and alas, the
men who can best make 1t are dis
credited and deprived of the power
they once possessed to strengthen the
-, business and system.
] What an army of foreigners is land
Ing on the shores OF America at pres
eht time. Ii Is not to be wondered
at, as the United States is the second
loves If 1t is not the first, in the heart
of every mortal on the globe who has
knowledge enough to know that there
issany5 country outside Of his own land.
And 20 they come in many ships
= sometimes nearly a dozen of these
come staggering into port with such
j loads OF human beings that never were
heard of before On one day last week
l2,0G0 Immigrants came into the port
Of New York as steerage passengers.
There were so many that the United
S,.tt,.s az commodations for imnigra LIS
We're exhausted. extensive as these ac-i
tcom1no dations have always been, and
! greatly enlarged as they have lately
been made. Some of the ships had to
hold passengers until room could be
made for them. The inspectors are
| able to handle only about 5000 immi-
!, grants a day, and here came enough
to create a new city, for many cities
with all the machinery OF city govern
ment are not as large as this army
that poured upon our soil on that one
day That is not an isolated day, by
any means. II is the largest day, to
be sure. but many approach it, so
that city Is added to American ter
ritory about twice week Well, the
country needs labor; Canada needs la
! Dor, and here it is How long will 1t
take to mold all this raw material
into citizens, none can tell. Some Of
the men and women will yield quickly
to the influences of American life;
others will stick to their old ideas
and preserve their foreign ideas and
mode of life, and be a sore to the
country and trouble to themselves.
and will find trouble and trial and
need where they expect to find plenty
and happiness, and which others who
came under the same circumstances
as they have found The elixir of life
that fills the atmosphere of this coun-
try has great power. but 1t can't
change those who are determined not
!, to receive its tender and gracious in
tiuence.
i The rush towards subways has in
creased. and the day is dull one on
(which the people of this city do not
hear of a new one. Already the num-
Der projected or already built has got
beyond the memory of an ordinary
citizen, and the cry Is, stili they come.
Well they are expected to bring pros
perity to wage earners. especially. 1t
is estimated that New York wage
earners viii save $2s,ooO,Ooo a year
by means of the rapid transit subways
which are to be opened next summer.
I, The totals represent only the saving
III rent. rnrt fare and time. They VIII
S;iv,s r'Lcn more in tho matter d: i.eH..l
and in general peace of mind. An
other gain will result from the in
creased business that can be trans
acted by quicker communication be-
tween all parts of the metropolis.
Thousands of persons win be able ia
, do more business in the same time.
They will make more money Then