The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-14

TT seems 10 me that this IL one case
IN the history Of the world where hui
man activity has outrun Gods architec,-
ture.''
In these words Byron r. Newton, Col
lector Of the Fort OF New York. summed
w the present conditions and, future
possibilities OF Industrial development In
the port OF New York. .'.-'- -..-...
Mr.. Newton wak no enthusiast over
the prospects that he added; what the
port OF New York needs to-day In a
dreamer. q man with vision, who can
see the supreme necessity for expanding
the port 10 meet the requirements which
thes world has already placed upon II
and which the world is going 10 place
upon 1t in increased volume when the
war Is over"
In his position az Collector OF tho
Port Mr.. Newton Is in close touch with
tho industrial activities OF the worlds
greatest commercial centre. the records
of all foreign commerce being at his
command. The imports and exports for
1917. he explained. reached the sum OF
S4.t9t.33s.l62. which Is greater than
Liverpool and Glasgow combined or
London and Southampton combined.
The figure IL an increase OF 2.643 per
cent over the figures for the year 1850,
when the total reached only sl63,S36,-
York was tagging behind New orleans.
which had the majority Of exports be-
cause Of the great quantities of cotton
which went forth from ii. But with
the civil war the tide turned, and since
that time the port Of New York has
had more than so per cent. of the for
eign commerce OF the whole country.
We are experiencing a situation to-
day which has never had to be met
before" Mr. Newton continued. New
York In now the supreme commercial
centre Of the world and conditions as
they exist now are unprec edentai
Bonded or free warehouse space is hard
10 get, principally because there has
been an absolute cessation OF new build
ing. l don't know what the outcome
will be. for | feel confident that there
is nothing that can diminish the COM
merce of the port Of New York. 1t is
bound TO grow in volume
Mr.. Newtcn expressed it his opin-
ion that what Nsw York needed most to-
day was a dreamer a man with a
far enough vision to see the necessity
for the expansion vi the port to meet
the needs which the world has placed
upon It. and which it will place upon
IL in greater volume when the war is
over. He said that he believed the wild
est dreamer had good prospects of real
hing even his widest" dreams, SO great
were the prospects OF future develop
ment
Collector Newton said that petty jeal-
ousies among the various boroughs and
nearby Jersey. which are included in
the territory known as the port Of New
York. were greatly retarding the prog
ress which might be made, even now.
These, he said, would have to be over
come and a united effort put forth to
meet the bigger proposition. To meet
the demands which are steadily increas-
ing, the Collector said. it is absolutely
necessary for cooper alton. not only
among the communities. but between the
governments OF the cities, States and ma
ton. New York has unusual natural
physical conditions which. despite their
vastness. are being pressed by the de-
mands made upon them, and even with
those developed by the press OF trade
are far below the requirements Of the
present day. not to think OF what the
future growth will demand. Nearly all
the properties fronting on deep water
have been put to use. and 1t will not
he long before other properties will have
TO be developed to meet the needs OF the
day.
The Collectors review OF the situation
which he termed brief. clearly indicated
that tho industrial growth of the port
of New York was to follow along the
same lines as the growth of the city.
In 1850. when the total OF foreign COM
merce amounted to only sl63.S36, 313,
the population OF the five boroughs which
now comprise the city OF New York was
fe6.115 persons In ten years the popu-
lstion crossed the million mark; by 1880
it had reach 100000, and in 1900 the
figures were 3,437,20?. In 1850 Man
haitian had 5l5,5i7 Inhabitants Brook