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THE FUTURE OF BROOKLYN.

THE CITY'S PROMISED GROWTH AND INCREASE, WITH COMMENTS ON THE BUILDING STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1888.

MESSAGE OF THE HON. ALFRED C. CHAPIN, MAYOR.

DECEMBER 13, 1888.

MAYOR'S OFFICE, } CITY HALL, BROOKLYN, } December 13, 1888 }

GENTLEMEN:

In this message I shall attempt a general statement of the condition of the city, and of its building operations. For the purpose of broadly considering the city's present condition and standing among similar communities, the returns of the recent Presidential election furnish valuable data. Presidential elections call out a full vote, and thus afford an indication of the relative growth of the different cities of the country. The following table is believed to correctly state the total number of votes cast in the four leading cities for President at the recent election:

Total vote cast in 1888.

New York 270,194 Philadelphia 205,747 Brooklyn 148,868 Chicago 123,475

In 1880 the vote of these several cities in the Presidential election bore the following proportion to the population as shown by the census of the same year:

Number of population to each voter in 1880:

New York 5.87. Philadelphia 4.92. Brooklyn 5.29. Chicago 6.06.

The following table contains the population of each city in 1880, and the apparent population at present, basing the estimate upon the vote of this year, and assuming the ratio of population to the numbers of voters to remain the same as in 1880:

Population Apparent population in 1880. in 1888.

New York, 1,206,299. 1,585,529. Philadelphia, 847,170. 1,014,332. Brooklyn, 566,663. 782,221. Chicago, 503,185. 748,258.

The method of reaching this conclusion cannot be called unduly favorable to our city. The difference in the ratio existing between the population and the voters in 1880 in Chicago and in Brooklyn would seem to indicate either that Chicago possessed an unusually large unnaturalized population, or else that it did not poll its full vote. If the unnaturalized population of our own city is larger than it was in 1880, the above estimate may be too small. If the increase of population since 1880 has been one that brought with it a larger proportion of women and children than the increase before 1880, the above estimate is too small. Whether either of these possible modifications should be given serious consideration is a matter of conjecture upon which some light may be thrown by what will be set forth in this communication.

The twenty-six wards now comprising the city of Brooklyn, contained in 1880 a population of 580,313; if, therefore, their present population as above estimated is 782,221, there has been an increase in eight years of 201,903, or an average annual gain for each of those years of 25,237. But the population in 1870 was 396,099, and in 1875, as enumerated by the State Census, it was 484,616, showing a gain for the five years of 87,518, or an average annually of 17,500. Between 1875 and 1880 it rose to 566,663, the total gain for the five years being 82,047, the average annual gain being 16,400. It should, therefore, first be noticed that the rate of increase of the last decade was more rapid during its first half than during its closing half. The present decade began in a period of more moderate growth than that of some years previous. We may, I think, safely assume that the falling off in the gain between 1875 and 1880 was largely due to the opening of the system of elevated roads in New York City in 1878. Making all necessary allowance for the increase due to the Twenty-sixth Ward, which was not a part of the city in 1880, it is still impossible to believe that the average annual gain of 16,400 which prevailed from 1875 to 1880 could have been abruptly changed to the average annual gain of 25,237 which has prevailed from 1880 to the present time. We must, then, assume that during the years since 1880 the rate of growth of the city has advanced quite materially; and that the average increase of the first three or four years of the present decade may not have been much in excess of the average increase of the five years from 1875 to 1880. A sufficient cause for the change of the rate of growth is furnished in the opening of the Bridge in 1883.

A further promoting cause is found in the opening of the Brooklyn Elevated Railway in 1885. We must, therefore, assume the average annual gain for the past eight years to be greater than the average gain of the three or four years following 1880. If so, it is obvious that the gains for the present year and for the years immediately preceding must have been greater than 25,000. That the two causes suggested contributed to change the rate of growth is not likely to be questioned by any one. But they are only the accompaniments of a broader and more persistent cause, which is the fundamental reason of the existence of the bridge and of our present system of rapid transit. This larger cause is a general change in the relation between New York and Brooklyn, gradually manifesting itself as a necessary result of the development of the whole metropolitan community surrounding the port of New York. The first two causes, therefore, though permanent, were auxiliary and specific. The last is a general, continuous condition, whose force seems unlikely to decline, but more likely to augment from year to year. The first two causes, also, may be said to have a fixed or, at all events, an ascertainable maximum influence, based upon their respective capacity to transport passengers. They are merely methods of transit. Their capacity may in time be exhausted. In such case they may be supplemented; new bridges can be built, and doubtless will be; newer elevated railroads have been built and opened for business since the construction of the one already mentioned. More elevated railroads are to be built. In addition to the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company, already named, now operating six and three-fourths miles of railroad, the Kings County Elevated Railroad Company is operating five and one-half miles of railroad, and the Union Elevated Railroad Company is operating four and three-fifths miles, forming together a system of nearly seventeen miles, which promises to increase its capacity as well as its mileage. Construction is still progressing upon these lines, and it is reported that at the close of the year 1889, or earlier, there will be twenty-five miles of elevated railroad in operation in the city.

These features of the city's condition call attention to the fact that we have reached a period of development, at which it is our duty to provide clearly and understandingly for the needs of a far greater population than that now included within our limits.

In earlier days Americans did much empty boasting and made many glorious predictions. At the same time, so far as material preparations are concerned, they could do little for those coming after them. The art of living had not then been studied as it since has been. Sanitary science can hardly be said to have been in its infancy, for in this country it seemed to have no existence whatever. In the establishing of enduring and fundamental principles of government, and in the field of law much was done for us and for our posterity by the men of previous generations, but it was necessary that there should be a gradual education of the business sense of the country before men could appreciate the nature and import of the problems now presented in the growth of cities. It was necessary that a more leisurely aspect should come over life; that comfort and health should be more highly prized. The more purely intellectual side of our ancestors' work was well done; but the needs of the by no means distant future, the inheritances which our successors should receive from us, are of a different description. Pavements, sewers, sufficient water supply, parks, schools, public buildings, an enlarged application of the results attained in sanitary science, and the solid work of masonry are the inheritances we should transmit, rather than far reaching adjudications, such as that of the Dartmouth College case, or comprehensive enactments, such as the ordinance establishing the Northwest Territory. Naturally, the greatest and most pressing need will arise here at the centre of the greatest population. How great that need may be, or how great a population may congregate within our area or upon the borders of the bay of New York, we cannot indeed actually estimate, but to some extent we can forecast it. Such forecasts are not useless. In his message of December, 1861, President Lincoln said: "There are already among us those who, if the Union be preserved, will live to see it contain two hundred and fifty millions." Such a vision of the future, at a time of extreme trial, seemed to him neither vain nor fanciful. Its utterance was evidence that he possessed the sort of political imagination which a statesman should possess if he is to discern the drift of public thought, or to picture the future material condition of his country. When compared with other estimates, his outlook was not extravagant, though it may not be realized. Its concern for us is direct and unavoidable. For the course of history, in our own land and abroad, makes it clear that the population about the port of New York is to hold a place of high importance in the nation, both numerical and otherwise.

The State of New York passed to the first place in population in the nation in 1820. Since that day the population of the Union, of the State of New York, and the combined population of the cities of New York and Brooklyn, at each decade from 1820 to 1880, and the percentage of increase in each decade, have been as follows:

Population Population Population of New Increase of the Increase of the Increase York and per State of per United per Years. Brooklyn. cent. New York. cent. States. cent.

Thus the combined population of New York and Brooklyn has at all times since 1830 grown at a rate much more rapid than that of the growth of the State of New York; the rate of growth of the two cities has at all times exceeded the rate of growth of the population of the whole Union, although the rate of growth of the population of the State of New York has not kept pace with that of the population of the United States since 1830. But for the growth of the two cities, the State would, before this time, have ceased to hold the first place. The degree to which the population of the two cities has gained upon that of the State in the whole period, is quite notable. Their proportion of the population of the State in 1820 was less than one-tenth; while in 1880 more than one-third of the population of the State lived in Brooklyn and New York. On the other hand, in 1820, the State of New York included more than one-eighth of the population of the whole Union; while in 1880 it embraced a little less than one-tenth of that population. At present, adopting the estimates already given, based upon the Presidential vote for this year, New York and Brooklyn include nearly, if not quite, two-fifths of the population of the whole State.

Without adopting Lincoln's prediction, we need only look forward to a time when the country may contain one hundred and fifty million people. Even then, the density of its population will be much less than that of older countries or of some States of the Union. If the population of the State of New York failed to hold its present relation, and fell off until it numbered but eight per cent. or about one-twelfth of the population of the Union, it would still contain more than twelve millions of people, of which a population surpassing one-half might be found in or near these two cities. As the two cities grow, apparently an increasing proportion of that growth must come to Brooklyn. The mere question of area goes far to determine such a result. Each mile of departure from the New York City Hall emphasizes the inequality in the quantity of residence area lying respectively upon Manhatjoka on alakerroksessa kokkapuolella laivaa, kun ?kki? kuuluu veden loisketta portaissa ja vahva vesivirta sy?ksee alas saliin. Laine on ly?nyt sis??n avonaisen oven kautta ja sen j?ljess? seuraa kohta toinen ja kolmas, jotka kaikki esteett?m?sti tunkeutuvat laivan sisustaan. Korttelin korkealta on vett? salongissa ja yh?ti virtaa uutta lis??n.

Nousin vedest? penkille ja kiipesin lastaus-aukon kautta k?ysiportaita my?ten kannelle, n?hd?kseni mit? on tapahtunut. Tulva oli kuitenkin ulottunut ainoastaan saliin, jossa istuin, vaikka laivan per?puolellakin olevassa salongissa oli lattialla isoja vesil?t?k?it?. Sen suurempi ei ollut vahinko. V?est? riensi ammentamaan vett? ja tuokiossa oli lattiamme siit? vapaa. Onneksi ei ollut kuitenkaan hytteihimme tunkeutunut vett?, kun ne olivat korkealla kynnyksell? eroitetut salongeista.

Se on Teneriffan saari, sanottiin minulle.

Kun l?henimme saarta, huomasin ett? ensim?inen muoto, jossa se n?ytt?ytyi, ei ollutkaan vallan todellisuuden mukainen. Sen huippua verhosi valkoinen p?iv?n paisteessa v?lkkyv? pilvi, joka n?ytti vuorta peitt?v?lt? lumikinokselta.

Alempana avautui melkein troopillinen luonto eteemme. Dracsenat, palmupuut, banaanit, viikunapuut y.m. etel?n kasvit reunaavat saaren viljelyksi? ja koristavat sen kyli?. Vaan muutoin on se t?lt? puolelta mets?t?n ja sen jylh?in vuorten rinteill? eroittaa ainoastaan t?plitt?in harmaanvihreit? pensaita. Punaisen ruskea maa v?lkkyy nurmikkojen v?liss? ja lyyjynharmaita kallioita pist?? esiin vuorten syrjist?.

Teneriffa onkin vallan likell? troopillisen vy?hykkeen alaa, ainoastaan 28 astetta pohjaispuolella tasapiiri?. Se kuuluu Kanarian saaristoon, vaan muut siihen luetut saaret ovat niin kaukana ett'emme niit? Santa Cruz'in edustalta, johon laivamme on pys?htynyt, saata laisinkaan eroittaa. Sen pituus on noin 89 virstaa, suurin leveys 56 virstaa ja pinta-ala 1,946 neli?virstaa. Se on hispanjalainen omistus ja sen asukkaat, joita kaikkiaan on 105 tuhatta, ovat hispanialaistunutta sekarotua, joka on syntynyt Hispanialaisten siirtolaisten sekaantumisesta saaren alkuasukkaiden Guanchien sek? v?hemm?ss? m??rin my?skin Arabien, Norrmannisten valloittajain ja Neekerien kanssa.

N?m?t Guanchit olivat todenn?k?isesti Afrikasta tullutta Berberil?ist? kansaa, valkoisia eli ruskeita, dolichocephaaleja, pitki? ja rotevampia, kuin Arabialaiset, mustasilm?isi? ja sile?- tai suortuva-tukkaisia. Heid?n kasvonsa olivat v?hemm?n pitk?t, kuin Arabialaisilla, otsa v?hemmin kalteva, nen? leve?mpi ja lyhyempi, ja huulet paksummat. He k?viv?t alastomina tai vuohen nahoilla eli muilla peitteill? hiukan vaatetettuina, ja sek? miehill? ett? naisilla oli tapana maalata itse??n vihre?ll?, punaisella ja keltaisella v?rill?.

Mit??n talvea euroopalaisessa merkityksess? ei Teneriffassa my?sk??n ole. Tammikuussa, joka on vuoden kylmin kuukaus, on keskim??r?inen l?mp? 17,7?, ja lokakuussa, joka on l?mp?isin kuukaus, on 26,1? Cels.

Teneriffa ja muutkin Kanarian saaret ovat melkein kokonaan vulkaanista synty?, ja pitkin niiden rantaa pist?? esiin niemi?, jotka ovat muodostuneet laavavirroista. Muilla vuorilajeilla kuin trachyteill?, basalteilla ja obsidianeilla onkin v?h?p?t?inen sija koko saaristossa.

Suurin osa Teneriffasta on vulkaanista tuhkaa, kuonaa ja kalliota, vaan varsinkin sen pohjoispuolisessa osassa, joka on kosteiden passadituulten alla, ovat laaksot my?skin erinomaisen hedelm?llisi?, niinkuin yleens?kin on maanlaadun laita, joka on syntynyt vanhain laavakerrosten rapautumisesta.

P??elinkeinot ovat siell? maanviljelys, cochenilliviljelys ja kalastus. Viljelykasveista ovat t?rkeimm?t vehn? ja muut viljalajit, maissi ja viinik?ynn?s. Cochenillit, joita enimmin kootaan Teneriffalla, tuottivat vuosina 1880-1884 Kanarian saaristolle vuosittain yli 6 miljoonaa markkaa. Niit? l?hetet??nkin maailmankauppaan Kanarian saaristosta monta vertaa enemm?n kuin kaikista muista maista yhteens?. Niiden siki?mist? varten viljell??n laveilla aloilla piikkisi? kaktus-kasveja , joilla punaista v?riainetta sis?lt?v?t cochenillihy?nteiset el?v?t.

T?m?n n?k?alan kauneutta enent?? viel? joukko laivoja, aluksia ja veneit?, jotka keijuvat aukeassa satamassa, jossa niill? on suojaa ainoastaan etel?- ja l?nsi-tuulia vastaan.

Saaren asukkaita tulee veneill? laivamme luokse. Huomiotani vet?v?t puoleensa muutamat sivistym?tt?m??n kansaan kuuluvat keikarit, jotka ovat koristaneet poskiaan punaiseksi maalatulla hopearuplan kokoisella t?pl?ll?. Muutamissa veneiss? tarjotaan meille kaupaksi monenlaisia saaren tuotteita, niinkuin appelsiineja, miehen nyrkin kokoisia sitrooneja, banaaneja, sikareja, lik??rej?, isoja olkihattuja, y.m. N?m?t tavarat ovat kaikki helppohintaisia ja menev?t hyvin kaupaksi. Min?kin ostan yhdell? shillingill? banaaneja ja saan niit? 25 kappaletta. Banaanihedelm?t ovat Suomessa melkein tuntemattomia, sill? niit? on sangen vaikea sinne asti s?ilytt?? m?t?nem?tt?. Kuitenkin sek? banaani-ruoho ett? sen likisukuinen pisanki ovat tavattoman suurien lehtiens? vuoksi Suomessakin tunnetut ja vet?v?t kasvihuoneissa komeutensa kautta huomion puoleensa. Banaani-hedelmi? on useita toisintoja, vaan tavallisemmat ovat 4-6 tuuman pituisia ja tuuman tai puolentoista paksuisia koukeroita kurkkuja. Ne istuvat kiinni l?hetysten yhteisess? kyyn?r?n tai puolentoista pituisessa varressa ja muodostavat siten paksun t?hk?n, jonka latvassa ovat hedekukat nyrkin kokoisena punaisena nuppuna paljaan varren p??ss?. N?iden kellert?vien kurkkujen sis?ss? ohkoisen ja helposti irtautuvan nahkean kuoren alla on pehme? vaalea ydin, jonka sis?ss? on hyvin pieni? ruskeita siemeni?. T?m? ydin on hedelm?n sy?t?v? osa. Sen maku on jauholla sekoitetun meden tapaista, vaan sangen miellytt?v??, ja haju melkein niinkuin ananas-hedelm?ll?. Aineeltaan on se ik??nkuin limaista jauhoa ja hyvin ravitsevaa, niin ett? jo muutamista saapi tarpeeksi.

Ehtoop?iv?ll? n?in suuren joukon lentokaloja ja tarkastelin niit? kiikarilla. Ne ovat noin 4-6 tuuman pituisia, tummaselk?isi?, vaan muutoin hopeav?risi?, jotensakin s?ren muotoisia kaloja. Rintaev?t ovat niill? kehittyneet suipoiksi l?pikuullakoiksi siiviksi, jotka ovat hiukan lyhemm?t kuin ruumis. Muutkin ev?t ovat pitki?, samoinkuin kaksijakoinen pyrst?ev?kin. Ne lensiv?t kaikki l?hell? vedenpintaa hyvin nopeasti ja varsin pitk?t matkat, laivan luota niin kauas, etten en??n voinut niit? teaatterikiikarillani eroittaa, vaan veden roiskinasta huomasin koska ne laskeutuivat veteen. Niiden lento ei tapahtunut kaaren muotoon, vaan joko suoraan joku kortteli yl?puolella vedenpintaa taikka v?liin kohoamalla v?liin laskeutumalla. Lent?ess??n ne r?pyttiv?t hyvin tiuhaan siipi??n, ja yhdest? n?in selv?sti ett? sill? oli pyrst?ev? vaakasuorassa asennossa niinkuin linnulla ja ett? se sill? siis piti per?? lent?ess??n. Kauempaa ne n?yttiv?tkin vallan lent?vilt? linnuilta. Niiden liike oli siis selv?sti todellista lentoa, eik? verrattava muiden kalojen hypp?yksiin tai siipioravan pitkiin harppauksiin.

N?it? laivan ohitse ja sit? pakoon lent?vi? kaloja katsellessani, juohtui mieleeni, ett? t?ss? olisi tilaisuus tehd? jotakin, josta Suomen suurimmatkin sporttimiehet tulisivat minua kadehtimaan, nimitt?in ampua lennosta -- kaloja. Sit? en kuitenkaan rohjennut koettaa, sill? laivan j?rjestyss??nn?iss? olin lukenut, ett? oli kielletty tuomasta sinne pyssy? tai aseita -- m??r?ys luultavasta kyll?kin tarpeellinen Montevideosta tai Hispaniasta ja Portugalista tuleville matkustajille. Siit? huolimatta olin kuitenkin tuonut pyssyn muassani laivaan, ei salaisesti, vaan julkisesti, ilman ett? tavarain vastaanottaja ja tarkastaja laivassa siit? oli huomauttanut, vaan sen k?ytt?minen olisi mahdollisesti aikaansaanut minulle selkkauksia.

Meren pinnalla eroitimme t?n??n useissa paikoin pitki? kellert?vi? juomuja, joissa vesi oli sekaista ja pahanhajuista. Otimme vett? sellaisista paikoin ja huomasimme siin? pieni? algi-koloniioja. Meren virta oli mahdollisesti syyn? siihen, ett? ne olivat ker?ytynyt pitkiksi leveiksi vy?hykkeiksi, jotka verkkomaisesti yhtyiv?t toisiinsa. Senkalttaisia pieni? lev?-kasveja tavataan my?skin Suomen sis?vesill? "veden kukkiessa".

Vaan laivamme kiit?? nopeasti suoraan maata kohden, kynt?en v?lkkyv?n tyyneen meren pintaan hyrsky?v?n uoman, josta hy?kyn? levi?? aaltoja molemmille sivuille. Saatamme jo ihailla Brasilian korkeita vuoria, joita troopillinen kasvullisuus verhoaa, palmupuilla seppel?ittyj? saaria ja kallioisia niemi?, joita vastaan hy?kyaallot sortuvat valkoiseksi vaahdoksi.

Pian jo avautuu vuorten v?liin kapea salmi, molemmin puolin suojeltu linnoituksilla, joista Brasilian lippu liehuu, osoittaen siihen kuvatulla maanpallolla sen maan suuruutta, johon nyt saavumme.

Salmen l?pi menty?mme, olemme Rio de Janeiron satamassa, Brasilian p??kaupungin edustalla.

Toinen luku.

Rio de Janeirossa.

Tulo Rion satamaan. -- Veijareja. -- Luonnon sulous. -- Vieh?tt?vi? huviloita. -- Puistot. -- Kaupungin rakennukset. -- Linnoitukset. -- Kadut. -- Rio de Janeiron asukasluku. -- Kaupungin tilastoa. -- Suuri kuolevaisuus. -- Muukalaiset.

Kun laivamme oli pys?htynyt Rio de Janeiron satamassa, ker?ytyi sen ymp?rille suuri joukko veneit? noutamaan matkustajia rantaan. Soutajat niiss? olivat kaikkia ihmisv?rej?, mustia, ruskeita, keltaisia, valkoisia, -- Neekerej?, Mulatteja, Mestitsej?, Portugalilaisia.

"Senhor! Senhor ! Quera bota ?" Herra, tahdotteko venett?? -- kuului joka taholta.

"Paljonko tahdot rantaan saakka?" -- kysyin yhdelt?.

"Quatro milreis". Nelj? tuhatta reissi? .

"Mutta eih?n rantaan ole kuin v?h?n matkaa".

"Kaksituhatta", "yksituhatta" -- kuuluu joukosta toisintoina.

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