New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-02

there recently appeared in these columns an eX-
tended description Of the metropolitan belt
which. bordering the Atlantic Ocean and reaching
from Washington to Boston. and back some fifty
miles inland. includes New York. Philadelphia
and Baltimore and host of ether popuous COM
munities, bound constantly closer by faster steam
trains, trolleys and better highways, is grow
Ing faster in population than the of the Cnite:
States" and, although occupying "only one one
hundred-and-fftieth of the area" of Uncle sam
domain on this continent. already contains about
one-sixth of fits inhabitants, over fourteen mil
lion
The facts and figures arrayed in the article TO
which reference IS here made, although they were
not presented with such purpose, account in no
small measure for the grave and acute situation
which confronts the business community OF Man
haitian, the focal point-snd its meagre territory is
tut q pin points breadth of the said belt
upon which all the tremendous forces that crowd
in on that little strip Of land, four hundred miles
long and nifty miles wide. because ii offers more
opportunity for workers han any like strip in the
rest of the Western Hemisphere bear with
heaviest, most crushing and most insistent pres
sure, congesting alike ats shelterage and its thor
oughfares. clogging its machinery of manu-
facture and trade. and scotchng the transport
Of its people. its material and its merchandise
raising in ever increasing ratio the cost of doing
business. well OF living.
AS is the metropolitan oet-wih its one hundred
and twenty thousand factories and manufacturing
establishments. employing the skilled labor of five
million three hundred thousand men, women and
children. and a capital OF two and one-alf billions
and turning products the value Of four and
one-quarter billions annually-to the country at
large. so Manhattan is 10 the belt itself.
MAGNET FOR FACTORY AND LABOR.
This vast aggregation OF industries and this
equally vast labor market, would naturally draw.
from the of the country ny the simple process
of accretion; but there more compelling forces
that conspire literally 10 swamp. with inunda-
ton of industries and labor, all the facilities that
ever can be provided in this limited area.
GRIBvOUs ILLS or oVERCROWDING.
What is the result? In the case of the
facturer, inadequate quarters. the interest and
taxes upon which fixed charges, against his
business. that Extraordinarily high. COM
pared with its volume In the case of both manu-
facturer and merchant. charges for the mere move
nlcnt OF goods between factory and storehouse and
freight depots and piers, that nearly wipe out
profits. In the case OF labor. the swarming like
NeFIlin, instead Of housing Ike human beings, and
the paying exorbtanty for the accommodation
being taxed for the last dollar OF a wage which
is really the highest labor ever received and which
nelligenty used, should enable it to live in clean
illness and comfort, amid nice surroundings, and yet
But Manhattan Island. far up-to-date
meet tie de-1 ID o ~ rc Ieoesa o i y t
Ilace the North and East rivers forming its water
front, are very narrow and are greatly congested
with the traffic now moving on them, aggravated
TO an almost extreme degree by the cross traffic
OF ferryboats and lighters and by the ice condi-
uons SO prevalent III the winter months The
narrowIIess OF these rivers which from the ma
Of the sea- ha1e the oisr r'l lines Iocated only
short distance from the shore which results in an
opportunity for only short piers, utterly incapable
of accommodating the big steel steamships now in
the heavy freight business of his port. Attempts
TO extend these pier lines, although the heaviest
pressure has been eXerted, have failed utterly.
The upland of Manhattan Island adjacent TO
these rivers is succession Of open streets the
property abutting which represents very high
values. and which franchise rights for
passenger railroads that cannot we'll be disturbed.
This is mentioned make clear the point that
up-to-date freight shipping for great variety of
reasons and especially that OF economy in handling
and transportation, requires that the original
of the freight railroad and the freight steamship
come side by side, p commodious pier.
Organizations OF public spirited citizens, like the
Oh amber OF Commerce. the Merchants Association
OF New York steamship ano railroad experts. have
spent wears, and brains of the highest order
TO make Manhattan Island conform the
conditions of modern business. but the task has
heen, so far as the results bear inspection, impos
sibe.
Not only 90 modern business methods require
. the steamship and railroad car to come side by
side, but with equal reasoning and with equal
/ force demand that the original railroad shall
! lofts of the jobber. This condition means the
elimination of the truck. which leaves behind 1t
trail of expense, delay and Inconvenience that is
imposing on the shipper and manufacturer OF Man
hatuan difficult and increasing burden. There is
necessity whatever for the employment of the
truck in railroad shipments On Manhattan Island
fits employment is positive necessity In at least
the South Brooklyn section of New York City the