Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-14
EXPOSITION AND CITY PROGRESS.

ea HE industrial life of Newark is epitomized in the exposi.
Il ton opened in the First regiment armory last night, the
plans for which were prepared and carried out within the
period of about four months. In that time all the manufacturers
were brought into the scheme, the general plan was sketched
out, the business community was interested, the floor spaces were
sold, the exhibits were prepared and were arranged on the
armory floor. 1t was clearly a case of Newark doing things"
and a practical promise of what will be done some four years
hence, when our city attains the 25Oth year of it's history. The
ready cooperation of manufacturers, business men and financial
institutions in this exposition and the generous aid extended
to its public promoters are the most hopeful auguries of
the future. The prosperity of the community depends very
largely upon the intelligent enterprise of it's people, upon it's
citys opportunities and natural advantages it will fall behind
IN the race If its people lack civic spirit, if they hug the tax rate
100 jealousy and fear to venture, if they are provincial and live
within their private affairs, careless of the communal welfare.
We call that the village spirit, and years ago if controlled
local affairs and forbade public enterprise and improvement
The Newark community had not yet come to realize that public
betterments meant increased property wealth and ratables. So
for years our streets remained unpaved, there was no public hos
ptal, our insane were herded in a barn, our sewerage system
was abominable, our water supply disease breeding, our city hall
an architectural nightmare, and there was no example or in
centive for private enterprise. But a change came. 1t was
with some trepidation that the Pequannock water supply plant
was bought, and when it developed into a splendid, self paving
investment the Newark community took new confidence. As.
public enterprise developed so did private enterprise. The
growth of manufacture in the last two decades has been phenom-
email, and on parallel lines have been the increase in population,
the enlargement of Newarks banking facilities. the growth of
business establishments and of local trade, and the development
of the street railroad system. We have a large mileage of streets.
we created a new sewerage system, erected handsome public
buildings, including a splendid city hospital and city hall, made
vast improvements in the police and fire departments, abolished
dangerous grade crossings at a very large cost, built many fine
public schools, established Fairgrounds and other social features
and increased the taxable wealth to an aggregate that would have
staggered the belief of a Newark citizen of thirty years ago. In
brief, Newark has fully developed into one of the great cities Of
the world, inspired with the spirit of a great city and resolved
to utilize the advantages that nature and opportunity have given
for its great development. Evidence enough of that spirit is
presented in the industrial exposition, the most ambitious at
tempt by our city to assert itself, and by no means the last.
Meanwhile our city is entering upon a more ambitious scheme of
development on the bay front and meadows that when carried
out will fairly dwarf past achievements.