Year: 1874

Metropolis Of the WOfl0-I0e E0SS


River Bridge-Nevv York and Brook.


lyn 70 be Consolidated under one MA.


laiclpal l:oyernment.


New YORK, February 1t, 1874.
To the Editor of the Herald.


The rapid growth of New York astonishes
even its own citizens, whose eyes arc familiar
with the daily details of its progress. 1t is
not merely improvements that are going on
around, but revolution. New York seems to
be razins the old city to its foundation, and
building more magnificent metropolis upon
its site Whole streets go down before the
vigorous charge of enterprise and spccula-
ton; and when the dust Of the fallen ruin
has cleared away, long lines of noble ware
houses may bc seen already commenced. On
every side We are greeted by the unmlstaka-
bic evidence of prosperity. New bank, new
stores. new mansions, new cQuipages appear
in such quick succession, that their advent is
looked upon as an affair of routine. Capital
finds more profitable mediums of investment
here than in any other city in the world, and
fed ut once by the gold of California and
Montana, and the surplus wealth of Europe,
New York expands and gathers strength,
and laughs in the sunshine of fortune. \
large portion OF the people shake their heads
prophetcally, and profess to see, under the
shining robes of prosperity, the elements OF
panic, reduction and distress. They look
upon New York a. sort of Cinderella,
dressed by the fairy, speculation, in gorgeous
raiment, which sudden ''crisis' is to trans
form into rags. Another portion aver that
the superstructure of splendor-here, extra
vagance, has solid foundation-the golden
harvests of California and the far West Ter
ritory. by whomsoever garnered, must, like
other harvests, seek the best market and
where can such profitable disposition be made
of them as in the commercial centre of the
Western world: Nor is the wealth derived
from home sources and flowing in from
abroad devoted to visionary enterprises. In
stead of being invested in Ctopian villages
and moonshinc cities, large portion OF it is
localized in the shape of brick and mortar,
and expended in steamships, machinery and
other accessories of an extending commerce.


If the people here 90 ahead by jump. they
take good care to plant their feet upon solid
vantage ground at every spring. Of course,
it is not to bc supposed that the career of
New York will never experience another
panic. The casualties of trade, the provi-
dence Of God may throw it for a time out of
tho line of progress, or even cause it to re-
coil, but so long rs it stands upon the COM
mcrcial threshold of the Union, with its face
to the great highway of nations, and tho
riches of the West pouring in by lake, river,
canal and railroad into its bosom, it must be
the grand entrepot and depot of the trade of
this continent Add to the commerce of the
Atlantic and the interior, the continually in
creasing traffic of the Paciic-the cream of
which it monopolizes now, and will continue
to monopolize-and what imagination can
depict, in colors too glowing, the ultimate
destiny of New York: There seems to be
something in the very atmosphere of this
city which engenders and prompts exert,on.
Foreigners from all quarters of the globe ap-
pear to inhale new spirit a. they breathe it.
The cautious and phlegmatic German, the
ultrs-conservative Anglo o-Ssxon, the impul-
sive Celt and the capricious Frenchman. lose
their national peculiaritiesof disposition after
q short residence here, and are rapidly fused
into the mass which Is continually driving
onward in the path of fortune.


Americans generally. and New Workers
particularly, are accused of being too much
absorbed in the "chase Of the almighty dol
lar" The impeachment cannot be denied
but if they seek wealth eagerly, they dispense
it generously. There is not upon the broad
earth more charitable city than this. The
unfortunate, whether in their midst or at q
distance, never appeal to New York liberality
in vain, feeding and clothing thousands of
foreigners at their own doors. 1t is true that
they are business people, and have not
much leisure for literature and the fine arts,
yet they are far from being Goths and Van
dals. The style of their architecture is be-
coming more classic every year, and they are
their libraries and founding new |
ones and their relish for, and appreciation |
Of, the highest order of music is scarcely ex-
ceeded even in Italy. Valuable books find .
ready sale here, whether exotic or the off,