THE TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION OF THE HUDSON AND 

 MANHATTAN RAILROAD COMPANY. 



By JOHN VIPOND DAVIES. 

 (Read February i8, 19 lO.) 



The tendency of population in the civiHzed world, as it increases 

 with advancing years, is toward congregation into great cities instead 

 of a uniform distribution, and this, as is readily understood, is due to 

 the tremendous concentration of manufacturing industries and com- 

 merce and the interrelated business brought about and made possi- 

 ble by improvement in the world's transportation facilities. 



While the tremendous growth of modern cities is due to trans- 

 portation facilities, yet the very increase in population and area 

 has created local transportation problems, within the cities, which 

 were not dreamed of only a century ago, even in the great cities 

 of the old world. This increase in the size of the old cities 

 could not be foreseen ; so that, instead of their growing in accord- 

 ance with a preconceived plan, having ample provision for arteries 

 of communication, we have, unfortunately, development without a 

 plan, the newer portions spreading over the surrounding area, merg- 

 ing intervening villages and towns, and creating problems which can 

 only be solved at great expense. Even in the cities of the newer 

 countries, this growth could not have been foreseen or adequate 

 provision made for it. 



As an indication of how little this tendency of population to con- 

 centrate in the cities could be foreseen, we have only to consult the 

 United States Census to find that at the first census, in 1790, three- 

 tenths per cent, of the population were living in six cities of eight 

 thousand population or over, while in 1900 thirty-three and one- 

 tenth per cent., or about one third of the population, were living in 

 five hundred and forty-five such cities, and that the population of 

 greater New York is now equal to that of the whole of the United 

 States in 1790. During this period the population of the L^nited 



164 



