The New York herald., 1863-03-28
our sWHARvEs AND PIERS.

E szf 10 'ee~s -.n Tas testf
AT tho meeting OF ths Board Of Aidsrnsn Thursday
last the following report was ordered 70 bc printed IN the
HERAID:- .t...s5e, y ~. Y
The Committee wharves, Piers and Slips presented
~ p "a lavor q suostung SINE Ia neu o. WOOD 10
the Committee on Wharves. Piers and Slips 10 whom
was referred the annexed resolution directing your
expedency OF constructing stone piers those places
any where the may be better adaped shipping
purposes than tho present piers. respectfully
That subject Of such vast Importance and 90 inti-
matey connected with the Q mmercal, and, In conse-
quepce evey other interest centred in this city recev
ed as 1t merted, the most attention on the part
OF your committee The present wharf accommodations
are sadly deficient both character and extent 80 much
mpeyatvey call for the Immediate action of the
city authorities with view Of deyisng CON-
prehensiye and general plan for anording tho daily
city tho requisite facilities for tho immense chipping
business daily transacted The construction OF the pre-
entirely 700 small we're put mp only when the demand for
them rendered absolutely neccssary built by contract
ana done oy the job frequently In great nse and often
at an unavorable season, and without suitable exam
nation OF the bed OF the river Some compar
new while many are either sunk bent rotten broken
injured requiring constant and expensive repairs TO pre-
serve them from total destrucou Being IN aimost ali
cases built across the current, scarcely OF
quent storms passes wiihcut doing damage to
some part or portion Of them. Thor slender
protection for shipping w. apparent, In many
cases forbiddng their by prudent owners and
their dimensions subject Of daily regret
and standing reproac 10 that public spirit, enterprise
and sagacy that should characterzs the actions Of tho
municipal authorities Of city OF the present greatness
OF New York.
Your committee have given the subject much grave
and ANXIOUS considerations they havo consulted many OF
our most prominent and scientific citizene nearly all OF
whom deor in their opinions and views and the projects
proposed have been as numerous nearly the number
OF persons consulted Ii tho investigation your
mittee have been forcby impressed with plan SUBJ
mitted TO the Common Council OF this city the year
1885 by the Committed on wharyes compQaed Of Aaron
Clark and panelP hgrahan which PROPOSED q 10 sus-
pend hereafter the building or any,for bus few small
North river stone island quay be cald the Great
West Pier TO extend in due time from the South Battery
r nS'hssy ss ns 70 asIsss e hs s ss1
be built from eight. hundred y thousand
feet beyond the west end or tho present small
wharves along the North river 70 Be Constructed with
out the aid OF Golfer DAMS and using diving bells only
In the first nve six feet Immediately below low water
TO be connected 70 the main land by whaves bridges
each two hpndred and hty feet wide built OF timber and
cored Upon the plan generally of that bn lately at the
foot Of Markeed street, with additions strength
and braces and other PARTICULARS thus dividing the
waters between the city great pier several basins
or departments. and the Of the connecting wharves 10
regulated as to afford walk In the centre Of each ltlo
raised of twenty five feet for oil people travelling TO and
from the great per for any other purpose and al
low Of large under the walks BY OF which
the pier into the bay rver having on each side Of said
walk carway for vehicles going TO and returning from
the per- q hfy feet cach and then leaving quay or
feet EACH for tho adng and unadng Of vesses All this
can be done giving more ample room, convenience and
for the shipping than abrded by the docks Of
Louoa and Liverpool, and without any part Of
stsus expenditure OF those places lock dock gates
&c because the rise and fail OF our tides do not render
very expensive troublesome neces
sary. There win be draws In sucor the bridges my
be found necessary, and such outlets into the river
scress the as may DO thought best for the use that
Il slso proposed that "in the East river, above
oorsers Hook "a stone @ pier and Oreakw..er r. shall 30
North river commencing opposite fourteenth street.
Burnt Mil Point. and extending north Thirty fourth
street, 1t Kp's Bay and surrounding and englosng
ample portion Of that part Of the East river Also thai
"a good and substantial stone buIkhead be placed ang
the shore Of the island that as fast any Of the piers
Shall be completed durable wharveg, substantially
panked and oored, and bracsd shall be extended TO
them from the shore and at such places and from such
Your committee would desire nothing better than TO
revive tho old project feeling assured that some such
ana "a wna, per nna up ac,es
less being sufficient 70 accommodate the vast and daily
commercial business Of tho city But In their
opinion the present not the time TO do when the
ponses incident the prosecution Of tho being
wsged Tor the preservation Of tho Union the stanaton
ticularand other adverse and depressing Influences
directly upon our citizens preclude any such an-
Your commtteo, however, are Of opinion that stsps
should at once be taken to commence the substitution
stone, In lieu OF wood, In the construction of all new
submarine structures, are 80 obvious al scarcely re-
quire mention IL ID easily susceptible Of proof that
wharyss and piers :: now constructed o. WOOD are but
seventeen years before thoy destroyed BY worms
while their original cost Of construction, combined wsh
ystior-takng twenty years as tho maxmusa 1srm on
\: 4 4! " T.:
sdap,ed for ths transaction Of Ids business Of
our merchants, requiring GO fspars, and which, pro
psrly cared for, vii lest1or ssss Il
hsnsibie and should a once be- improved, Or .ss The
OF q o Ss
very frequently scattered over the bed the river
BY the coiiapsing Of the wooden enclosure. They
great deposits oDsue and The basins between wharyss
have been filled In many places 70 such degree that
small vessels viii hardly noas now where The water
10 persisted IN IL win inevitably result in doing serious
injury to win mot ultimately destroy, The uuSvasd
riSs1 S ~ natural of the position q
No ssbsc. more intimately connected win the future
consdercd by is authorities Than the one now under
cousderasor Rensctisn is lost in amassment In con-
.smpsting The arr c:smss c;,ss M = ns %u ny
:ss & S o Z - M % ss
% sSs S:sbcf Ina iss sdsps.es y - sosicda,oa q
he bSoldisss enterprise ehariosSfatc our msrssn
lie marine 10 not vorss than criminal " permit, nay,
70 auhoriss end Direct ths building ocsruotrss from the
shore Of The land out into the stream IN bch the North
and East rive which hpve bosh clearly shown TO be NOT
only totally unhtted and nadoquats 70 the purposes for
which they were intended, but which are positive OBJ.
structous the navigation of the adjacent waters and
which, continued. viii inevitably result In the total
destruction Of the natural and Invaluable commercial ad
vantags enjoyed by the cityf
An unacoountabe apathy mot criminal neglect has
governed the Authorities q this city sipce it, corpcra
ton in legisating upon this subject Tho city Of New
York. the hrst IN the Western hemisphere, the third In
the c,viized world point of population and wealth
and posscssed Of commercial advantages, |. city far
superior 70 any either hemisphere, not D posses
sion ~ single wharf pier that not built OF wood,
Ia the most imperfect manner-mere tempgrary struc
tres In all stages dapdaoi and decay very fee o.
them ht occupaton use, and every ono ~ tnem
positive deriment the navigation OF the waters OF the
surrounding rivers and nkey 70 rest In the destruction
Of the pnrivailsd natural facilities Of the harbor Ccr
tanly sad commentary upon the wmdotn and public
spirit Of and that VIII be shared by
the present Common Council unless the Initiative taken
BY them In the Inauguration OF system for tho con-
struction o wharves aud lers which viii be AZ once
durable econonica advantageous, and which VIII tend
10 the imprOyem0nt and preservation Of navGat