The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-07

wHARvEs rIERs.
The management Of the whasves and piers IL . sab
jeot which merits at the hands Of your bsdy
the most serious confederation - well In view OF the
great amount invested In them, from their intimate
eopns elton with the best interest Of city.
the Western world, the very heart of commerce,
whose pusatons are felt and responded to In every
section OF our widespread Union. But We must not
rely solely upon its natural advantages, which make
city pre- emine mt in the Inducements offers tc
commercial enterprise. 1t Is not enough that we
should provide wharves and piers to accommodate oar
ssmmodation for the ocean steamers, the number Of
vhich has increased with rapidity unparalleled In
And cannot more fsrcibly illustrate the immense
increase Of stme intsrcourse With foreign eoun.
tries than BY presenting the iSliS.i.s statement Of
foBIIes TONNAGE.
No of vessels. .,o4s No Of vessels. =. a,2ss
Tons. ..67o425 Tons. LIS ssS
Men employed. :. 2sos Men employed. 40 s6s
The cessting trade employs three hundred times ~
many vessels and tonnage the forsig. and the in
crease OF the latter in the past year has ossn about
the same as that above exhibited Of the former
New York should not only afford the most ample,
but fhould provide the most convenient ana tns
best arranged wharf accommodations to BE- found
that this city its wealth prosperity and rspu
chants. think therefore that no objection should
be made TO any expenditure within the bounds OF
reason having in the continuation and increase
Of the prosperity the city But there
yet another aspect In which this matter must be
city, permit myself to overlook.
While then we owe it to the commercial character
of our city TO provide the very best
which science and suggest Is due to
the city New York that return should be made
for the large amounts annually expended in this de-
In the way of superior arrangements for facilitat-
ing the lsding and discharge Of cargoes at our
whsrves, finds its return IN increased commerce. but
the city treasury is in wise benefited thereby.
perceive that among the appropriations asked for and
the $3.50 ooO for wharves and piers $40 600 OF
which is for new work and the balance Sll0 600 for
besides further Of $4,000 tor repairs. In sd
ditisn 10 this, resolutions have passed the Common
Council in favor OF making application TO the Legisls
fure for authority to issue bonds 10 the extent Of
$500 Geo to be used occasion require for the de-
pArtment OF wharves and piers IL this shall pass the
Legisa there no reason 10 doubt that occasions
viii soon present themselves for the expenditure Of
this amount.
Large is the amount called for under thi. head
should not feel ustiued in advancing single objec-
ton, If at the time when we're preparing to enter
upon sueh expenditures there any reason to
pore that the city would derive any be-
NETT. 1t is acknowledged fact however, taat
to the markets the whsrves and pier. OF our city are
the mott productive OF all its property-the
derived from them not exceeding or pa per cent
their this exclusive OF the large sums
annually expended TO keep them in repair. 1t would
10 therefore, TO be the part Of wisdom while
making preparations tor sach great expenditures to
provide also Tor Of deriving something like
aproportenate revenue from them know OF no other
way in which this can be accomplished than by the i'm
position OF small wharf tax on all goods landed on the
wbarvss and piers belonging the city The of
thstax its amount the modes OF col lection Ss sub
he one against the immediate ado ption OF which
not objects This tax would necessarily Be
small that IL would not in any perceptible degree
nance the price Of any article OF and the
party most interested viz the would not be
at ell affected by its operation
Unless thif some OF ner provision having the
end in view is adopted, trust that the Legislature
will net be called on 70 authorise the enormous ex
penciture OF hafs million OF dollars the interest OF
which must be raised by direct taxation IN depart
nent whose revenues are new so very insigniacant
But If the above views should not meet the concur
renee OF the Common Council l desire, then, to
elder the expedency Of selling immediately all the
wharves and piers now owned by the city, aud ger
hitting them to be managed by private Individuals
1t IL well known that the wharves and piers owned by
private parties yield "a much larger revenue than
those owned by the city and it is not because they
more modious, better arranged or NOR. wisely
te the purposes for which they are construct
ed. IL Is simply because they prudenty managed;
and unless the public whsrves ana piers can be made
to produce revenue In some measure adequate to
the sooner the city parts with them the better We
shall thereby avoid an annual taxation of some
szuo eco and the extraordinary expenditures OF mil
lions tor building wharves and extending and
pairing old ones with the certainty Of deriving cor
responding benefit.
As to the subject Of distractions in the great tho
roughiares, various proposiuors Tor ootapiDx rehet
anded the attention and consideration OF many Of
my predecessors and have very recently been under
Without going at all into the merits OF the various
measures brought TO the notice Of ysur honorable
body widening and extending streets constructing
railroads Sc beg leave briefly TO submit some
views upon this subject which, from their prscti-
sability and probably successful operation, seem
10 ms worthy Of attentive and favorable considers
ton j am free TO admit that no propositions
shsh bsvs 81 essn ssm..s1s. 70 NV mind sron.s
the Of relief ss would be gained by the
opening of Kew avenue on the western sids OF tand
IN close proximity toy Broadway. As | am not par
ticularly acquainted with the details Of the several
plans which have been brought forward, having this
involves ne expense IL not susceptible OF otjec.
tons the score of impractcsbiiity. Every mea-
heretofore proposed far as my information ex
tSnds would be only prospective in its operation,
much time must NECESSARILY be consumed In the com
plston Our nr.t aim should be TO provide inmediate
and ten porsry measures Of relief.
There s little doubt that great majority OF the
complaint Of obetructions In erosavay arse rem
the number Of onnibuses constantly passing TO ana
fro especially In that part Of the street lying south
of the Park and II Is not moo much TO say that at
times during each day IL 10 possible for pedestrians
Broadway south Of Nssey street except at the
Imminent IhaIsrd Of life or limbs That this state OF
things mainly attributable TO tse muibo.es Is Ia
nv udgms mt unden liable; and would therefore sub
t the propriety Of compelling all the lines Of omai.
buses running to points south Of yesey STREET.-THE
tins only line TO TO each Of the ferries fuiton
sea.n I s1.ssm Il sIshsnss the latter Of
which would probably be most generally secept-
see and could b put Into .s'. ..r peI osnsa
jointly by the propre,ors Of the other lines termi-
mating at the Park or, the same objsot might De
effected BY permitting only three four stages OF each
line whose terminus 10 At IN. Battery, 70 pass below
vesey street. am aware that In the granting OF IL
ssns.s for nbuses the Mayor has the power 10 de-
rgnate or alter the direction Of route asked for ss
v. the number Of stages for each line but before
acting dshnitey In matter affecting the interest OF
90 many u our fellow citizens should prefer 20 have
the JUDGMENT and opnisn Of the Common Coaucil,
the of which from their experience 10 such
matters from daily intercourse With their i'm ne
date constituents familiar With their wants and
wishes This plan has comms nded itself 20 mr. Ju5g
msnt perfectly feasible ana IL would carried into
operation relieve tn. lover part 81 the city TO
tent fully answering all presert complaints
Important changes should be made Ia the reguls
respecting buildings IN the course OF erection O.
alteration. and a. first step voudurge the imme.
date enactment Of Ordnsmce prohibtingthe depo-
cit OF any building materials whatever In the street in
Broadway from Union squsretqsths Battery. The lac
nov allows party 70 occupy o third o. the carriage
way With build M matsTiss and t frequently
that parties awaiting themserss o. this permission de-
poet portion % tn. materials necessary for the
building in th. street before single other step has
been taken ts erection In cAaeEyargs piles
Of bricks, stones &C. have remained untouched for
- han N. rfo ur