New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-14
GREATER CITIES.

The promoters of the greater Pittsburg prof.
ect can breathe freely at last, for the charter of
the municipality has finally run the CANT
let Of the courts. and the voice of dissent and
Separation has been legally silenced The SUI
preme Court of Pennsylvania decided on Mon
day that the Legislature had acted within its
powers in passing the second Consolidation act.
The first act upset by the same court year
and a half ago on the ground that its terms were
not general enough and that it infringed the con-
stitutional prohibition against local legislation.
Now the union is approved and Pittsburg can
enjoy with clear conscience it's new rank
among the great cities Of the country. Accord
ing to the census of 1900 Pittsburg stood tenth
IN the list of American cities and Allegheny City
stood twenty seventh. Pittsburg's population
was 321 GIG, and its neighbours across the Ale
ghany River was 1886. In the federal census
bureaus estimates of population for 1904 these
totals are raised to 352.S52 and 14O.456. respec-
lively, so that In 1904. the year before the pas
sage Of the first Consolidation act, the joint pop
uation was 493.30S. This total gave Plttsburg
sixth place-between Cleveland. with 425,632.
and Baltimore, with 53S.765. Baltimore suf-
fered a setback in the great fire of 1904 and has
grown for two decades at lower rate than most
American cities. The probabilities are that by
1910 Baltimore and Pittsburg will be nearly
equal in population.
One notable thing about the Pittsburg consol-
idation is that it does not extend municipal rule
over Il vast tract of undeveoped suburban area.
The new city will be relatively small. 1t will
cover only 22SS7 acres. This is a little more
than one-tenth Of New York's area and about
one-ffth of Chicagos. Philadelphia Is nearly
four times large. New Orleans is more than
five times large, and Denver and Washington
nearly twice as large. Few American cities OF
over two hundred thousand population have
more restricted boundaries than Pittsburg. In
that respect the consolidation project was not
overambitious. Had it been pushed on the Chi
cagO plan. so as to include suburbs miles away.
like Homestead and McKeesport. population
of more than six hundred thousand could have
been secured. But annexation on that scale was
opposed by the outlying boroughs, and II accom-
plshed it would have vastly increased the bur
dens of municipal administration Pttsburg
grow out to boundaries and take In
suburban towns they become ripe for consol-
datiOn. The city's future as a great industrial
centre IS secure. and within two decades it's
population may be expected to pass the million
mark making It the most important centre IN
the region between the Aleghanes and Lake
Michigan.
The union of urban communities separated by
merely artificial boundaries is a wise and neces-
sary step toward economical government and
progress New York's growth has been vastly
stimulated by consolidation, and the average Of
convenience. comfort and public service has
been raised. No one would seriously suggest a
return TO the old era of divided areas and d.
vided administration Union brings not only
strength but frlendler interest and an incite-
ment to cooperation. Boston has held out
against union with its popuous suburbs. and
Cincinnati is debarred from It by the fact that
its largest and most convenient suburbs lie In
another state. But the tendency to absorb and
assimlate has been active IN most American
municipalities as 1t is, generally speaking In
our commercial and industrial life