 The city was a go-between in the supply of timber and grain from the east, and machinery and industrial products from the west.The channelling of the Brda river in 1879 and the establishment of "Bydgoszcz wood harbour" () led to the creation of an inland port river port in Brdyujście district, accompanied with an entire fleet of factories and the so-called "East Industrial District".The availability of berths and the growing freight traffic boosted the development of commercial and manufacturing businesses in the metropolitan area.