USA > New York > Bronx County > The Bronx and its people; a history, 1609-1927, Volume II > Part 43
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ROGERS
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ROGERS STORE AT 143rd STREET AND 3rd AVENUE OPENED IN 1896
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land; while flour, pork, and other provisions were shipped to the southern islands, and horses to Surinam, Curaçao, and St. Thomas. There was little or no trade from any foreign country. The returns from St. Thomas, Curaçao, and Surinam were only in gold or silver- at least such trade was avowed.
A "Report of the State of Plantations in America," made in 1721 by the Lords Commissioners, gives, an account of the effort to in- crease the product of naval stores. In 1709, it is here stated, "the com- missioners sent over about three thousand Palatines for this work. They settled on the shores of the Hudson's River and prepared trees for the making of tar, and in 1713 prepared above one hundred thousand trees, capable of producing about thirty thousand barrels of tar, worth at 8s. per barrel in New York, say £17,000. Governor Hunter main- tained these men as he was able until they dispersed, some taking to husbandry, others leaving the province." The report states also that there was iron in great quantities, some copper and lead in the far- back Indian settlements, and coal mines on Long Island not worked. The average of exports to Great Britain for three years last preceding was £50,000 a year; the imports from there were $16,000, a balance of trade in favor of New York of £34,000. The vessels of the province were small and not numerous, and most, as stated, employed in carry- ing provisions to the southern islands, and in the coasting colonial trade. The population was increasing. By the same document it appears that there were cleared in three years sixty-four ships, 4,330 tons, and that in this branch New York was then exceeded by every colony except Pennsylvania.
The story of the Stamp Act Congress; of the non-importation agree- ment of 1865; of the forcible resistance to the measure and its repeal ; of the renewed offensive legislation by Parliament, and the second peaceable resistance by the second non-importation agreements, and their effects upon the trade of New York and the communities around it; and finally the disagreement which led to the first Continental Congress, belong of course to the commercial history of The Bronx and of New York, but are dealt with elsewhere. The success of the Non-Importation Association taught the merchants the advantages of union, one of the results of which was the institution in 1768 of the New York Chamber of Commerce, which still exists, the oldest mer- cantile organization in America. The names of its members show the cosmopolitan nature of the inhabitants of New York. They paid particular attention to the problem of the currency. The lumber of the province having fallen into disrepute in foreign markets the cham- ber sought legislation for the purpose of improving it. They saw to the sale and preparation of beef and pork. They dealt with the promo- tion of whale-fishing. They saw to fire-insurance. They took steps
Bronx-52
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in the direction of an improvement in the methods of flour manufacture. In the year 1773 the Assembly of New York granted the sum of two hundred pounds per annum for five years, to be paid to the treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce "for the encouragement of Fishery on this coast for the better supplying the Markets of this City with Fish." The chamber accepted the trust and advertised the premiums.
The records of the Chamber of Commerce show how trade declined following the disturbances of 1770. In the four years from May, 1771, to May, 1775, there were but nine admissions to that body. The war brought in a new order of things. After the arrival of Lord Howe and the transfer of the general headquarters of the British army, which had been at Boston, New York became the great depot of supplies. Governor Tryon, in his proclamation of March 8, 1779, said: "The city of New York is become an immense magazine of all kinds of supplies for a very extensive commerce."
The wonderful advantage the great waterway of the Hudson and the system of interior streams gave to New York was early seen. Already in 1784, Christopher Colles, an ingenious mathematician, had addressed a memorial to the two houses of the New York Legislature, proposing a plan for navigation on the Mohawk River, and in 1786 he received some aid for his plans, being supported by the indorsement of the Chamber of Commerce. The project had been extended to reach not only to Oswego on Lake Ontario, but the Great Lakes at Lake Erie. The forward spring of New York after the freedom of trade from British restrictions was marvellous. The long struggle of the Revo- lution had familiarized the enterprising spirits of the marching force with the great natural advantages of New York as an outlet for the products of the soil of the continent, and as a harbor for the fleets which would gather to carry that harvest across the sea or distribute it at home. Before the Revolution the only mail communication with Europe was through Great Britain. In 1783 the "Courier de L'Europe," arrived from the port of L'Orient, and notice was given of the estab- lishment of five first-class packet-ships. The public was informed that the French packet was an immediate channel of conveyance for letters from and to all parts of the continent of Europe, the general post- office at Paris having a daily intercourse with all the capitals.
The enterprising merchants did not depend on foreign aid nor were they content with a narrow trade; from the beginning they took in a broad horizon. To establish the condition of commerce at the begin- ning of the new order, and to fix a basis for comparison with its later growth, we have to turn to the rather incomplete figures which Alex- ander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, submitted to Congress in February, 1791. In this general statement New York appears with a tonnage of 92,737 entered, of which 48,922 were United
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States vessels, 14,654 being engaged in the coasting trade, New York being fourth in the list of States, with twelve and a half per cent of the whole. The total customs collected were $2,130,224, New York being second with $494,296. The value of imports into New York was $3,231,712.
Commercial Advantages of North Side-Such is the early commercial background that lies alike behind The Bronx and behind New York. General Egbert L. Viele in a few eloquent words, near the close of the nineteenth century, described the commercial advantages of The Bronx or great North Side, as they appeared at a period when the borough was taking the first giant strides in its present phenomenal development :
The North Side of New York, i. e., the territory above the Harlem River, bears a similar relation to the city-at-large that the Great West does to the country-a land of great promise, of infinite possibilities, and the seat of future empire. No city in the world has such a wealth of public parks and pleasure grounds as lie within its area; no city in the world has such natural and economical advantages for commerce, or on so grand a scale. None has a more salubrious climate, or such a variety of surface, nor has any other city such abundant facilities of passenger transit and land traffic. Its resources are the resources of the continent, and tributary to it, are all the products of the continent and all its commercial necessities. Its growth is only limited by the growth and develop- ment of American civilization. Its position in the past and in the future has been fixed by nature's fiat, and nothing but the upheaval of the continent, or its sub- sidence in the sea, can change the topographical and hydrographical conditions which have made it what it is, and which will make it, in a very limited period of time, the most populous, the most prosperous, and the wealthiest city on the Globe.
The General notes the remarkable commercial advantages which have been developed by the opening up of the Harlem River to navigation :
The official celebration of this important event took place on the 17th day of June, 1895, with imposing ceremonies. The General Government, the State Government, and the Municipal authorities united to make the occasion a notable one in the history of the City and the State ... Already there has been a remarkable impetus to the trade and commerce of this whole region by reason of the great advantages it possesses being thus made widely known. It would be a difficult matter to overestimate the commercial and manufacturing future of this entire region. ... Already the brick and lumber interests have felt the stimulus and have nearly absorbed all the wharf facilities that were provided for their possible demands. The whole river presents a scene of activity and business energy that is a marvel to behold. What it will be when the shipping facilities at East Harbor are completed so that the grain trade can participate in the great advantages that will then be offered may be imagined from what has already taken place. The relief, even now, that has come to the shipping in the lower part of the city, through the use of the Harlem River, is clearly perceptible. All the long line of barges that now leave the Hudson at Spuyten Duyvil, was formerly compelled to double the Battery and fairly blocked the way of the great steamship lines. This obstruction will be less and less as wharf accommodations are found for
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other branches of industry. But more than all this we are now in a position to offer to all the varied industries of the country facilities that cannot be found else- where. Materials and skilled labor for manufacturing purposes are more readily and more cheaply obtained at tide water and in the vicinity of large populations than anywhere else ....
The East Harbor of New York, which is formed by the junction of the East River, the Harlem River, and the Long Island Sound, has now become an im- portant factor in the commercial affairs of the city, more especially since the recent addition of territory. The whole length of this additional territory (more than six miles) lies upon this fine harbor with ample water space and ample depth of water for the largest vessel afloat. The numerous indentations in the water-front have been made available by the Harbor Line Board for large basins admirably adapted to the canal trade, for ship-building, floating decks, and grain elevators. It fact this superb body of water approached by the way of Long Island Sound directly from the ocean with no bar or other obstructions, or from the lower bay by the East River if necessary is one of the finest harbors in the world. Here the entire canal trade and Hudson River traffic can be centered with every possible convenience for trans-shipment with ocean-going steamers. The entire coast traffic of the New England States passes through this harbor, including the mammoth passenger steamers of the Sound that rival in size and passenger accommodation the largest steamships in the world.
At the close of the century De Witt C. Overbaugh, a prominent merchant of The Bronx, wrote: "In the future the growth of population and real estate values of this city must be found mainly north of the Harlem on the east, and north of 138th Street on the west. Nowhere in the wide world are such 'opportunities' offered to the manufacturer as are now presented to capitalists, by the 'North Side.' From the water fronts on the north where The Bronx mingles its waters with that of the Sound on the east, to where the Spuyten Duyvil is absorbed by the waters of the North River on the west, there are miles in length of excellent water fronts, with the best of navigable waters on the one hand, and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad and the New Haven, and Putnam Railroad on the other hand. These are the chief routes (Erie Canal included) which comprise the vast domestic commercial facilities which the North Side now offers. Let the reader reason for himself a moment, and consider that if the population of the city was increased below the Harlem 594,391 in 12 years, what must it be in the next ten years, with these advantages offered by the North Side (and here is where the growth must come) ? Can we not readily suppose that the growth will not be less than in the last decade? Then let me ask when could there be a better time for investments for factories, homes, etc., than now? Already has the emigration of some of our public institutions from the lower portion of the city begun. The old time-honored University of the City of New York, which has outgrown its bounds at University Place and Eighth Street, has erected new and magnificent buildings on its capacious, beautiful grounds on University Heights, overlooking the Harlem River. For
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healthfulness, pure air, and picturesque views, this site of the new University cannot be excelled in the State. A little north of the new University stands the beautifully designed 'Academy for Ship Builders', erected by W. H. Webb, the philanthropist. Further north still, where the Harlem River is immerged into that of the Spuyten Duyvil, is the grand ornamental iron bridge (spanning the new government canal) built at a cost of about $400,000.
"The canal was formally opened on the 17th of June, 1895. It connects the two streams already mentioned by depth of water sufficient to float an ocean steamer. This opens a great artery of commerce to the shippers of the world. Our boats carrying the grain of the vast fields of the West can enter this canal at the Hudson River drawbridge and discharge their loads of cereals to the elevators that will be erected along the banks of the Harlem. Vessels bound from any point on the Hudson to the Eastern States can pass through this canal to the waters of the Sound, thereby shortening the distance from around the Battery by at least 25 miles or more. The great shipping interest of the city must gradually be drawn this way. With the large warehouses and grain elevators that are already in embryo the commercial business with foreign ports will eventually largely be done from the North side. There have been about fifty fine residences erected on Marble Hill and its vicinity recently, all overooking the canal, the new bridge, and the Harlem River, and the building still continues. Cannot the reader already catch a glimpse of the new business era that must be established on the North Side and take advantage of opportunities that are rarely presented to those seeking investments? This large territory, with all these facilities for business and residence purposes is now awaiting the investor. It invites you to come. The North Side Board , of Trade invites you to come."
Building Up The Bronx-The growth and prosperity of The Bronx is perhaps best attested by the number and cost of the buildings of every description constructed within the dozen years last past, wrote Harry Robitzek, secretary of the Taxpayers Alliance in 1911. "No suburban section of any city in the world (not even in boom towns), can exhibit a similar record of progress and expansion. Official records show that since 1895 25,864 buildings have been erected in The Bronx, at an aggregate cost of $262,000,000. A comparison of the average cost of each new building erected in The Bronx with the average cost of new buildings on the other outlying boroughs in Greater New York will conclusively show the substantial character of the building opera- tions in The Bronx. The Bronx contains seven hundred factories each large enough to be subject to State supervision and inspection. They give employment to at least thirty-five thousand people. The piano
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industry of the United States has largely centered in The Bronx. More than thirty piano and organ factories are located within the borough. The Bronx possesses the largest and most perfect plants for the making of ice machines and gas engines. The brewing industry is important, and carpet mills and rug factories are numerous. During the past two years Hunt's Point, the Port Morris section and the territory in easy and direct communication with the Harlem River and the New York Central, and New York, New Haven and Hartford railways have witnessed an industrial expansion beyond all precedent. The estab- lishment at Hunt's Point of a great plant of the American Bank Note Company is an instance of the opinion of experts as to the superior advantages of The Bronx as a manufacturing center, especially for in- dustrial enterprises of the highest order. Millions of dollars are being invested in modern factory buildings in every part of The Bronx."
Addressing the North Side Board of Trade in the eighth year of its existence, Albert E. Davis, President, said :
As the Board closes the eighth year of its existence we may fairly claim that the wisdom of its creation has been amply justified by the work accomplished. Yet we have only laid the foundations for future achievements. Today more than ever is there need for such an organization as this, composed of the active, .energetic business men of the borough.
There is the Grand Boulevard and Concourse, the adoption of which on the official map we did so much to secure. The improvement of 138th Street west of Third Avenue should be completed at once. The long continued neglect of this important thoroughfare-a gateway to The Bronx-is a blot on our borough. Proper street signs, both for our own convenience and the guidance of strangers within our gates, are extremely important. We should see to it that the official map of the territory east of The Bronx is not marred for all time by any petty misconception of the future of this borough. The improvement of the Bronx Kills is a project already too long delayed, and a determined effort should be made to secure at least as much recognition from the general Government for this bor- ough's needs as is accorded growing Western towns. The projected bridges to Queens' borough and over the Harlem between Washington Bridge and Kings Bridge should be advanced; a recreation pier, a ferry to Queens and public dock facilities should be provided. The improvement of our small parks and public places and the planting of trees along our residence thoroughfares, are worthy of our best efforts from the standpoints of both health and beauty.
Merchants' Business in The Bronx-Industry is an aspect of com- merce and commerce is an aspect of industry. They are the two of them the same thing looked at from different angles. As a result what we have given regarding industry in The Bronx tells us concerning com- merce in the borough, as the commerce tells of the industry. In the purely buying and selling line, however, we see something that is more nakedly commercial than industrial, and the tale in The Bronx tells the same story of progress as in the industrial field. Thus in 1923,
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according to a survey made by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, the merchants of The Bronx did a gross business totalling nearly $250,000,000. In 1925 and 1926 this figure has been greatly exceeded. The list of banks given shows that there are twenty-five institu- tions doing a banking and financial business, with numerous branches. A comparison of their annual statements given elsewhere reflects the growth of The Bronx.
"How is Business?" that familiar greeting one hears everywhere at all times, below 37th Street, remarks W. T. Bonner, is a sure indication of the thought uppermost in the mind of the average New York merchant. New York is big in practically everything as compared with other places, but in any exhibit of her own organizations merchandising is the feature class that outranks all else. Since the days of Eric and Karlsefni, 900 years ago, New York has been a commercial centre. Whether the transactions of its citizens involve exchanges of stocks, sterling or suspenders, their business is generally merchandising. True, there are artists who are always busy for art's sake and very many other professionals whose incentive and inspiration are pitched in a wholly different key, but New York's very existence was founded upon the exchanges of its first visitors, who dealt in the primitive products of the soil and the forest and used as their medium of exchange the pretty shells from the beach. New York grew big from that simple beginning just as the children of yesterday exacted a pin for admission to their circus, and today are collecting five dollars for an evening dinner. For 300 years business has been good.
What has been thus said of New York in general can be said con- cerning The Bronx, the difference in the main being that the contrast between the rate of progress in The Bronx is perhaps a little more striking, for the progress there remained for a long time even and slow but sure, while in the present generation it has leaped forward with almost geometrical progression. All the early forms of trade that went on in New York generally went on in what is now in The Bronx in particular, the trade in furs, the traffic in slaves, grain and flour, the West India trade, the Far East trade, the luxury trades, the overseas trade-The Bronx partook in all as it partakes in almost all the lines of commerce which sell the revenues of New York today.
Markets-Most of the old markets which figured so prominently in the life of New York have been removed, though some remain. Hardly a sufficient number of new ones have yet been built and the markets of New York are barely adequate to the needs of the vast population. This was clearly seen at the beginning of this century, but not until 1913 were the whole facts made public by Mayor Gaynor. In his report he stated that the cost of getting freight from the waterside to the stores in New York exceeded the cost of the rail service from points as far distant as Buffalo. He demanded the creation of many terminal markets, as merchants and storekeepers from The Bronx and some of the other Hudson River towns had to send their trucks to the lower end of Man-
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hattan to get their goods. Terminal Market is situated in The Bronx at East 150th Street and Cromwell Avenue. There are about a dozen freight depots, those connected with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Barge Canal Terminal, Central Railroad of New Jersey, Delaware ; Lackawanna and Western Railroad, Erie Railroad, Lehigh Valley Rail- road, Long Island Railroad, New York Central Lines, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, New York, Westchester and Boston Railroad, and the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Modern Articles of Merchandise-The articles of merchandise that figure prominently in the volume of New York's commerce are furs; food products of the farm, garden, mill, beverages and meats ; furniture ; paper and wood pulp products ; drugs and chemicals ; textiles, including clothing, silks, woolens, cottons, carpets; jewelry, watches, and clocks, art goods. Nearly all of these figure prominently in the trade and merchandizing in The Bronx, some showing a larger tendency to in- crease than others. A particularly modern development in the world of buying and selling is illustrated in the chain store system. The success of these long-linked stores is largely due to the fact that the companies who own them place the stores in the best positions for trade, and buy out any opposition. They act from the opposite point of view of the department stores which expect customers to come to them from long distances. One of the first group of chain stores to appear in New York and The Bronx was the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. Grocery stores, tea and coffee chain stores, were the first, then came novelty stores. The Woolworth 5 and 10 cent stores began in 1879. Since the early 20th century the idea had been success- fully worked out by tobacco stores, confectionery stores, drugs, haber- dashery, restaurants, bakeries, barbers, boot and shoe stores, and hat stores. The newest development of the idea is the sale of women's clothing in chain stores. The New York Waist Company has seventy- five branches, the Lerner Blouse Company forty, while Kaufman Waists and the Mentor Company are also prominent among the chain store organizations. All of them have branches, to which others are steadily added in The Bronx.
CHAPTER XXVI OLD HOMES AND FAMILIES
A prominent family moved into the territory of what is The Bronx on the day the first shot was fired at Fort Sumter, at the beginning of the Civil War. They continue to live in the homestead. There are, however, other families who can claim to have lived a longer time in The Bronx. They look back on their earliest memories and some of their members used to recall the difficulty they had in getting to and from the city in times of storm or of political stress, such as the "Draft Riots." In those old days they recalled that the light of a flickering lamp was necessary whenever they left home after dark. In the case of the particular old family referred to several times, the avenue was graded in front of their house, and there was long a perceptible grade on which horses slipped and slided in icy times.
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