Year: 1879

The Return Of Population.


We have the pleasure OF welcoming back
to Manhattan Island this spring many fam
ilies who have In past years been driven
from the city by the high rents The return
of households may not yet be great enough
to have u very marked effect on the coming
census Of the metropolis, but 1t is sufficient
TO show that the tide has changed and that
New York is no longer rapidly building up
the cities across the North and East Rivers
at its own expense.


or course It Is rapid transit, by which
the region above the Central Park has been
made available for residences, that has
drawn these people back TO New York; and
with the increase Of dwellings for their ac-
commOdation, which is now going on, and
the extension Of the means Of reaching
them, we may expect TO see the number OF
those who are returning TO the city growing
greater every year. The observations OF
reporters during the season OF moving
showed that, at the East River ferries, far
more vans with household effects were COM
ing TO New York than leaving II. Tho loads
at the Catharine street ferry crossing hither,
for instance were counted as over $50, while
the number Of those going to Brooklyn was
comparatively small. The only part OF
Brooklyn toward which there has been any
considerable movement from the city is the
Eastern District, or Williamsburgh, which
has taken the initiative in rapid transit on
Long Island. New Jersey, however, still
seems to have superior attractions for many
people; it seems not to have lost popu-
latlon in the moving season and may have
gained some. though little.


The migration from the lower to the up
per part OF the island, the region about Har-
lem, has been remarkably great this spring,
as it was expected IL would be. That region
OF the city has increased the number OF its
residents by a considerable fraction. II this
advance northward continues, even at the
present rate-and it Is likely TO be increased
each year-Harlem will within ten or fifteen
years become one Of the moet populous
parts OF the city.


Meantime a wise movement Is in progress
In New Jersey to unite. the railroads In
plan for improving aud cheapeuing the facil-
tiles for transit to and from New York, and
thus to invite further immigration TO the
State. These roads have in the past pur-
sued a pretty liberal policy toward their COM
muters. and TO this New Jersey largely owes
the great increase In its population by the
incoming OF people whose business takes
them daily TO New YORK. Mr.. HOOPER, the
Mayor OF Jersey City, proposes the adop-
tion OF plan which has been tried with sat
isfactory results by the Fitchburg Railroad,
running out OF Boston. II is that OF issuing
free passes for one year for the first occu-
pants OF new houses built along the railway
l..lT
tickets to builders and workmen employed
In constructing the houses. Such plan
may not gain favor with the New Jersey
railroad companies, but they have shown
themselves in the past 50 apprecative OF
the advantages OF attracting local travel by
moderate rates that they are likely in
some way TO lend their aid to property own
ers in still further building up the popula
tion Of the regions adjacent TO New York.


The progress OF building in the city is
steady, though not yet as rapid as it was
during the five years from 1868 to 1872. in
elusive, whenan average OF nearly $40 speci-
tlcations were filed during the first quarter
of the year. against 1913 for the same
quarter OF 1879 From 1872 until the present
year the number OF plans fell OF TO about
800 for the quarter or the 393 buildings be-
gun or projected this year, all except one
hundred are above Fortieth street, a fact
which indicates the rapdity with which the
upper part OF tho city is now being covered
with structures. 1t Is also significant that
Of the whole number very few are large
buildings two lrst-class stores at S50,0OO
each being the largest, ald the average cost
is $1,000 each. There are, however, in prog
rcss and near completion in the lower part
OF the city some on the most extensive build
ings for stores and Offices on the island, and
during the quarter 339 plans for alterations
affecting 96l buildings were offered. During
the first three months Of the year 237 build
ings were begun, PAT were completed and on
the first OF March 672 were in process Of
construction.


These figures show that there Is n healthy
activity in the building interest, and explain
the better spirits OF the owners OF unm-
proved land in the more northern wards Of
the city. Yet, cheap as the cost Of construc-
tion now is in comparison, the number Of
new buildings for which plans were offered
during the first quarter of 1871 was about
three times as great as that for the same
quarter OF this year.