Year: 1878

perience a substantial improvement this
spring it will not be for the lack Of prom
ising prospects. The early opening oil lake,
canal and river navigation is backed by
continued active demand for breadstuffs
for expectation and by large reserve in the
granaries and storehouses OF the West. The
bad condition of the roads in the Western
country, consequent on the open winter,
has kept back from an earlier market vast
quantities of wheat and corn which now
await shipment, and which will crowd the
canals as soon as the boats are ready to re-
ceive freights. The European steamers
Yesterday took out one hundred thousand
bushels of wheat, and the peace indications
in Europe are not yet sufficiently distinct
to occasion any reaction in the demand for
our produce. The canals commence the
season under the new superintendent sys-
tenn, with low tolls and without any great
danger of those Interruptions of navigation
that are likely to occur at the opening OF
navigation after hard winter. The activ-
ity of freights toward the close OF last
season, the heavy movement OF grain
by railroad during the winter months and
the apparently steady foreign demand for
our produce have induced the building OF
new boats, and we are likely to have ma
terially increased tonnage this year, with
improved facilities for shippers, consequent
on more efficient and responsible general
management of the canals. The Hudson
River boats commence their through trips
| %o
their aid to an early spring trade, while the
receipts of the trunk lines, especially to
those tributary to New York, show that the
railroads are securing their share of the BEN
efits of the improved traffic.


The merchants OF the city feel the inhu-
ence of the spring weather and are budding
out into active movements looking to the
encouragement and improvement OF our
business prospects. In the exuberancy of
their public spirit they are probably some
what too apt to exaggerate our short
comings and to take too desponding view
of our alleged dangers. They have told us
that we are going rapidly to the dogs. be-
cause we have "bad city government, enor-
nous taxation, miserably paved and dirty
streets, expensive and insufficient terminal
facilities and oppressive railroad dis
ordinations" 1t must be admitted
that there is too much cause for
their complaints nevertheless, it is
unquestionably true that, while there
is still ample room for improvement, our
city government is not SO bad as it has
been that our taxation is beginning to de-
crease, although it ought to be made much
lighter than it is, and that great improve
ment has taken place in some Of our street
pavements, although the work has not gone
nearly SO far as is desirable. Terminal
facilities" is very general expression and
is used in very loose manner. We sadly
need quicker and cheaper handling of
freight that breaks bulk in New York, and
it is possible that we may secure q partial
relief by the opening Of the Belt line of
road to freight cars during the night, espe-
cially as the privilege is to be common to
all railroads terminating in New York,
which would, of course, require the laying
of third rail to accommodate the six-foot
gauge Of one of the roads. But, after ALL
the relief could only be partial, as the few
hours to which the freight traffic must be
confined would not enable it to move any
considerable portion the aggregate freight
arriving in and leaving the city. Our ''ter-
minal facilities" may be materially i'm
proved by repaving all the business
streets and making few judicieus
street openings or widenings and by
o1-C
we have as good streets to drive over as are
to be found in London and Paris, and are
not confined to the one or two thorough
fares that alone can now be used, we shall
cheaper truckage by making it possible to-
draw full loads-now an impossibility-.
and by preventing the delay Of blockades
in the busiest hours Of the day. The time
will no doubt come when our steamers
and trading vessels will be able to go up
the rivers to good docks and to meet the
railroads there-a more natural and effective
remedy for our present terminal facili-
ties" difficulty than that of bringing the
railroad freights through the whole length
of a busy city to few downtown docks.
Meanwhile we do not share the appre-
tensions expressed by some Of our citizens
that we are in danger of defaulting in the
interest on our bonds, of seeing our mer-
chants close their doors ana of losing
hundred and fifty millions of trade in East
ern made goods. But this does not render
it less our duty and our interest to do all
that is in our power to improve our facili-
ties for business and commerce, and thus to
promote the progress and prosperity of the
city.


New York has four great needs to aid it in
reaching its full growth and prosperity
rapid transit, perfect docks, an ample
water supply and well paved streets. Rapid
transit is now assured and will open the
th iula nd tb1a