Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 30, no. 765: Articles]: November 11-18, 1882

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November 11—18,1883. The Record and Guide^ 69 THE RECORD AND GUIDE. 191 Broadway, N. Y. NOVEMBER 11—18, 1882. men were among the speakers and banqueters, in a very tolerant age. "We certainly live PRICE OF RECORD AND GUIDE. Per Annum, . . - - With Supplement, . - . . Record and Guide, Single Copy, With Supplement, . . . . $5.00 6.00 10 cents. 15 « A SUMMARY. The contents of this number will be found varied and interesting. Some exclusive news about press and telegraphic matters is intelli¬ gently discussed. Mr. Wm. M. Lent predicts that, in tenyears' time, the Union and Central Paciflc Company will have abandoned their present tracks to the government, because a cheaper parallel railway will have been built by that time, which will carry freight and passengers cheaper and more expeditiously. Sir Oracle is rather discoursive this week, and Ms vatieinnations necessarily cover a good deal of ground. Our real estate and housefurnishing departments give all the news current on these topics. The general break in prices, which has taken place this fall, should have been anticipated. The splendid food crops of the world account for the prevailing depression ; indeed the value of a super¬ abundant supply of food is that it necessitates cheaper production and lower prices. If the working classes can be fed and clothed for less money than their maintenance cost a year ago, it follows that they can work cheaper and produce at less cost. It is this shrinkage in values which we are witnessing and which has had its effect upon the stock market. It is not a pleasant ordeal to go through a period of declining prices, but in time cheaper pro¬ duction leads to greater consumption, and then will be seen the good results which come from large crops. If trade has suffered this fall by the shrinkage of values, it will profit next spring by the much greater volume of business. Our Industrial Progress. The tables we present below should be perused and carefully pre¬ served by every business man in the country. They tell the story of the marvellous progress of this nation better than any words can do. Every column in these tables shows the vast additions made yearly to the material wealth of the United States. Every one is familiar with the astonishing growth of our population, but our industrial activity has more than kept pace with it. While the ratio of increase in inhabitants has been arithmetical it would not be too extravagant to claim that our productive forces have multi¬ plied geometrically. Look at the figures: In 1853 wo produced 5,525,000 tons of anthracite coal, and in 1881, 30,282,000. In 1852 we produced 541,000 tons of pig iron ; in 1881, 4,144,000 tons ; in 1859 we produced 3,000 barrels of petroleum ; in 1881, 27,264,000 ; 6,000 tons of copper in 1852 has increased to 31,000. Lead, bullion and quicksilver also show vastly increased production. Anthra- Pig Quick- Year, cite Coal. Iron. Lead. Copper. Gold. Silver, silver. 776 to 6,000 $175,000,000 ....... 49.000 ' '" 00,000,000 ........ 20,000 65,000,000 ........ 22,000 60,000,000 ........ 30,000 The result of the elections will inevitably lead to a reorganization of parties, and to the bringing to the front of vital questions which have been kept in the rear by the objectless squabbles of our recent party contest. Principles and not men will hereafter command the most attention. Among the subjects which will come up for consideration and settlement, are civil service reform, a readjust" ment of the tariff, and a reduction ofthe internal levenue burdens The anti-monopoly question also looms up for legislative action, and parties will be forced to take sides for or against the great cor¬ porations. Petro¬ leum. The election of Franklin Edson, as Mayor of New York, ought to be satisfactory to every one. He is a merchant, of good standing and great wealth, who has an honorable ambition to distinguish himself in high civic stations. His election settles the question that Allan Campbell wiU keep his place as Comptroller, and hence, the city is now certain of two honorable, honest and able members of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. Let the reformers now come to the front. The vital need of our city is responsible local government. Let there be a determined effort to induce the legis¬ lature to give the Mayor of New York authority as well as respon¬ sibility. The various city departments should have single heads, who should be appointed and removed at will by the Mayor. If there was mismanagement or waste, we would then know whom to blame; but if our present vicious system is retained and the aldermen can veto an appointment by the Mayor, then will matters go from bad to worse. Now is the time for the citizens' move¬ ment to make itself felt. The Albany legislature must be forced to grant us responsible home rule. Herbert Spencer was honored with a dinner at Delmonico's the night before he left for home. The gathering was a notable one, and Henry Ward Beecher and other clergymen were present. This is the more remarkable, ia view of the fact that Mr. Spencer denies the existence of a personal God, or, more accurately, he insists that God is unknowable ; then again, he not only disbelieves in a life hereafter, but he has devoted much labor to show how this, to him illusive doctrine of immortality, came to be generally believed. There will be no place for clergymen and priests in modem society 852. 853.. 853.. 854.. 855.. 856.. 857.. 38,279,000 5,725,000 5,940,000 6,847,000 7,684,000 8,000,000 7,695,000 7,864,000 9,011,000 9,807,000 9,147,000 9,020,000 10,953,000 11,631,000 10,783,000 14,231.000 867.. 14,846,000 868.. 15,810,000 16,376,000 870.. 17,820.000 71.. 17,380,000 22,084,000 22,881,000 21,667,000 20,644.000 19,000,000 21,323,000 18,600,000 27,825.000 24,843,000 866. 872, 873. 874. 875. 876. 877. 878. 879. 880. 10.961,000 541,000 723,000 662,000 700,000 789,000 713,000 630,000 751,000 821,000 653,000 703,000 846,000 1,014,000 832,000 1,200,000 1,305,000 1,431,000 1,711.000 1,696,000 1,708,000 2,540,000 2,561,000 2,401,000 2,109,000 1,869,000 2,067.000 2,3^1,000 2,742,000 3,835,000 4,144,000 391,000 14,000 15,000 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000 14.000 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,000 13,000 14,000 14,000 15,000 16,000 10,000 18,000 23,000 47.000 53,000 58.000 fil,000 75,000 83,000 90,000 95,000 105,000 1,000 2,000 2,000 3,100 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,0C0 6,666 7,000 7,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 12,000 13,000 13,000 12,000 16,000 18,000 16,000 18,000 19,000 19,000 20,000 25,000 31,000 55.000,000 ........ 3:J,000 55,000,000 ........ 30,000 55,000,(100 ....... 28,000 50,000,000 50,000,000 40,000,000 43,000,000 39.200,000 40,000,000 43,000,000 57,200,000 53,500,000 51,700,000 48.(X)0,0('0 49,500,000 50.00C,000 43,500,000 36,000,000 35,000,000 39,600,000 33,400,000 44,329,000 45,300,000 41,000,000 32,540,000 33,.522,000 31,870,000 100,000 150,0il0 2,000,000 4,500,000 8,500.000 11,000,000 1],2.W,000 10,000,000 is.sno.oiio 12,00(1,000 13,000.000 16.000,000 22,100,000 2.->,7.">0,000 36,500,000 32,800,000 41,400.000 41..500.000 4(),075,fK)0 40.000,000 36.624,000 40,005,000 45,078,000 31,000 13.000 10.0 0 35,000 42.1 KX) 41.000 47,000 53,000 47,000 47.000 48,000 34.000 30,0C0 32,000 32,000 28,000 28,000 15,000 75,0'30 79.000 64,000 74,000 60,000 !59,000 3,000 650,000 2,114.000 3.057,000 2.G11.000 2,116,000 3,493,C0O 3,598,000 3.347.000 3,716,000 4,215 000 5,G.')9,000 5.795 000 G,5:i9 000 9,789 000 10,910.000 8,788,000 8,972,000 13.136,000 15,165,000 19.743.000 24.229,000 27,!W,000 Corn. Oats. Rye. Barley. 377,492,388 123,054.990 18,640,486 4,161,210 591,630,564 146,565,140 14,183.094 5,165,135 827,094.527 172,089,095 20,965,f46 15,813,604 1,094,255,000 247,277,400 15.473,600 26,295,400 1.717,434,543 417,885,380 24,510,829 45,165,346 1,194,916,000 416,481.000 20,704,950 41,161.330 1,680,000.000 480,000,000 20,000,000 45,000,000 881.. 30,262,000 Now, if we turn to cotton and our food products the figures are equally astonishing. The following table gives the grand total, in bushels, of the cereal crop of the United States, every decade, from the year 1840 to 1880, including 1881 and 1882, as far as reported: Wheat. 1840........... 84,821,065 1850............ 100,164,256 1860............ 170,176,027 1870............ 235,884,700 1880...........498,549,868 ISSl............380,280,000 1882............ 520,000,000 In the above we give the estimates of the agricultural bureau for the year 1882, though we believe they under-estimate the wheat, oat, rye and barley production. The oat crop of this year we think win exceed 500,000,000, while the wheat crop cannot be less than 550,000,000. Our cotton production gives the following figures : Years. Bales. 1834-35........... 1.254,328 1835-36 ......... 1,360,725 1836-37.......... 1,425,575 1837-38.......... 1,804,797 1838-39.......... 1,,363,403 1839-40......... 2,181,749 1840-41.......... 1,039,353 1841-42.......... 1,688,675 1842-43.......... 2,394,203 1843-44.......... 2,108,679 1844-45.......... 2,484,662 1845-46.......... 2,170,537 1846-47.......... 1,860,479 1847-48.......... 2,424,113 1848-49.......... 2,808,596 The most conservative estimate of the cotton crop, now being harvested, is 6,500,000 bales; but the prolonged fall season and the absence of frost has been so beneficial to the cotton plant that well informed cotton speculative operators think that 7,000,000 bales may be fairly expected. Years. Bales. 1849-50.......... 2,171,706 1850-51.......... 2,415,257 1851-52.......... 3,090.029 18.^2-53......... 3,352,882 1853-54........ 3,0.35,027 1854-55.......... 2 9-32,3.39 1855-56........... 3,645,345 1856-57.......... 3,0,'.6,519 1857-58......... 3,2.38.902 1858-59.......... 3,994,48) 1859-60......... 4,823.770 1860-61.......... 3.8i6,086 1861-65..........No rec- >r(i 1865-66.......... 2.2^8,987 1866-67.......... 2,u59,271 Years. Bales. 1867-68........... 2,498.895 1868-69........... 2,4.39,039 186970........... S.154,94« 1870-71........... 4,352,317 1871-72........... •-'.97t.:«l 1872-73........... 3,93it..'i08 1873-74.......... 4,I70.3S8 1874-7.5........... aSS-'.SUl 1875 76........... 4,669.28S 187(i-77.......... 4,485.423 1877-78........... 4,811,265 1878-79 .......... 5..>7:V'3l 1879-80........... ?,757.397 1880-81........... 6,589329 l£:8l-82........... 5,435,845 if Mr. Spencer's views are to be generally accepted. Yet church members united on Thiu-sday evening to do him honor, and clergy-1 greatest naval power on earth, actually the weakest. The astound- In his forthcoming annual report Gen. H. G. Wright, of the engineer corps, will recommend the erection of two turret forts at the lower entrace of our harbor, in which will be mounted 100- ton guns, to beat back any foreign vessel which might attempt to pass the Narrows. But would this be any real defence for New York ? In these days projectiles can be hurlrd nine, ten and even twelve miles distance; that is to say a foreign iron-clad fleet, armed with Armstrong or Krupp guns, could shell and destroy New York City without passing through the channel at Sandy Hook. It should be borne in mind that the United States is con¬ temptibly weak as a naval power, that Spain, Turkey, or little Chili could destroy our sea coast cities, as we have not a ship or a gun suitable for defensive purposes. Potentially we are tho