The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-10


been created, rendering navigation difficult and MI
Ing up the spaces between tho wharves. But the
narDos, where the land has encroacled upon the
channel way three-fourths OF mile since the date
OF the survey to determine the position OF tile light
house. This land forms during violent storms on
the COAST, and In proportion as the quantity OF tide
water admitted Into the bay at the mood Is dimin-
shed so does the force Of the ebb TO remove the en-
cr0achment decrease.
This Of itself is sufficient to show that the capacity
OF the harb0r IL contracting.
laws, from which she never deviates In accordance
with these laws their beds are established and their
channels excavated. Man cannot change them. All
his efforts TO 40 have but produced Notifications
The evils he attempts to remove reappear with
greater force at another point. ANY construction
built In one place for Increasing commercial facilities
operates injuriously upon another portion OF the
river. Constructions which narrow the channel &C
re IN
as the channel wdens fall In the water takes place
and the velocity dlmnishes. The effect Of the fail IL
corresponding shoa beyond II, and eddies are Gre
ated where the specific gravity OF the sodirnenrary
matter having overcome the force OF the current, Il
These effects are an unceasing ~ the cause which
produces them Not less Important Is the action 0f
these distractions upon the semi-diurnal tides
Twice day, under the influence or tho mood tides
the waters OF the harbor rise IRON ve to seven feet
ana press back ths waters Of the rivers Which empty
into IT, and cause tts effects TO be felt more or less for
great portion Of their length. After arriving at
maximum height tue tides recede and, aided BY the
Vi
securing or washing out large portion of the sedi
ment which had been brought down and deposited
1t Is evident that anything thar tends to diminish
this effect must be seriously felt; that the dling up
OF land previously under water and the extension OF
long, solid piers into the river has the tendencv to
obstruct and II persisted In, eventually to destroy
the action Of the tides.
II as evident az the fact that solid body placed
In vessel full OF water win displace an amount OF
water proportioned to It's bulk. $3.50
have dwelt thus particularly upon the subject OF
hur lnrtn I'm afAnf haaa
Key TO the whole question: The Importance OF it
cannot be overrated. Many important harbors have
been irreparably injured by ignorancea neglect OF
was due.
Second-The nature ard extent OF the several
branches or commercial traffic now using wharf
facilities and what is The present character Of those
constructions.
DnApIDATgp WOODEN PIERS.
Map No. exhibits The water front OF the city OF
New York, with the pier and wharf constructions
now now used. Also the amount Of made land and the
pier ana bulkhead lines.
BY this map 1t is seen that an irregular bulkhead
which is composed OF logs in many places In state
OF the city on the North and East rivers At inter-
walls OF from one hundred to TWO hundred feet as far
Forty.second street. wharves OF Irregular size and
character, running from one hundred 70 five hun.
dred feet IN length and from TWENTY-FIVE to fifty feet
wide, have been constructed, generally at right
either piles driven into the ground crib work filled
with stones. On the East river there are eightytwO
OF these piers, anu North river SlXty-three.
making total OF las; OF these los, with the adjon-
Ing bukheads, are owned wholly or III part by the
city and are estimated to be worth $40, 100000.
The remainder are the property Of different ndi.
viduals or companies
HOW THE PIERS ARE OCCUPIED
The accompanying exhibit shows that the North
nected with domestic commerce and passenger
travel by the shipping depOs or the several lines OF
railway terminating on the opposite side OF the
river, by numerous ferries running to the New Jer
sey shore, aud that very large space IL used for
market purposes. The important lines of European
steamers formerly occupying wharyes on this side
Jersey for the want Of ROOM On the East river side
Is located the canal trade the various lines Of sail
Ing vessels connected With foreign commerce. sew.
eral domestic lines of steamers and the bulk OF the
East India and West India commerce. A number OF
noatng docks, for the repair OF ships are also on
this side. In all cases and everywhere there IL
general complaint OF want OF adequate accOmmoda-
tons.
The wharves piers ana slips are required by too
many Classes OF business. none or which have sum-
cient room.
The warehouses along the water front and the al.
Joining streets correspond In their occupancy with
The tendency Of the same classes Of business thus
TO occupy distinct localities ts another element
which Is to be considered, since they all require
room for expansion, and 1t Is impossible for two
kinds OF business TO occupy the same space as fol
any two bodies OF equal dimensions to occupy the
same area.
Tntrd--To estimate from such data as time and
experience have supplied tue elements OF progress
which are incidental to the city OF New York by VIZ
tue OF Its geographical position, Its inland commu.
nicatons and It's present standpoint as The CONNER
clal metropolis OF the country.
The history OF the city OF New York is an un-
exanpled instance Of constant and rapid increase
In population wealth and material prosperity 1t Is
IN this respect clear exponent OF the progress of
the whole country; consequently all OF the clemens
which have marked the past, define the present and
enter into the future OF America are applicable In
every sense 70 the city OF New York and must be
considered in any PROVISIONS which are designed to
provide for the expansion Of commercial facilities
Among these elements are the Increase In general
population, increase In immigration. increase In
Imports and exports increase IN value Of real and
personal property.
ESTIMATES or POPULATION AND COMMERCE.
In accordance with the rules OF increase which
population OF the United States, now 40 900, o0O
VIII, In the year 1900, be 1900, 0o0 and that the
population OF the city OF New York, now 1000, ooo
viii al that time be 5000 900. 1t appears also rom
statistics that the importati0ns into this port have
Increased during the last ten years more than
$780, ,000 and the exports than 5000 900 600
aud that the Increased tonnage of vessels arriving
from foreign ports during that time IL more than
100000 tons; In fact, that the tonnage has nearly
doubled In ten years. There are upwards OF 200
miles OF railway in the states OF New York, New
Jersey and Connecticut which have immediate
TO New York by rail during the year last past
1878 tons OF freight and 26.3l2 1888 passengers
The area made directly tributary 10 the city OF
New York by the Erie canal is 800, 900 square miles
while the completion OF the three lines OF railway to
the Pacific Ocean Will make tributary the entire Con-
tlnent. Hence plan which provides for the future
commerce OF this port should be limited only by tile
space that can possibly he occupied.
THE PLAN.
From the foregoing facts and statistics are derived
the following CONCLUSIONS
That any plan for the Improvement OF the CONNER
clal facilities OF New York must be one which Will
cause the least displacement OF water consistent
with proper stability, and must afford the least pos
slble obstruction to the free nOw OF the tides
That the present constructions are entirely made
quate to the wants OF commerce. inferior In cOnatruc.
ton and Of pershable materials and are postlye
distractions TO the Ldal now.
That there Ia not sufficient space even with i'm.
proved constructions In the localities now occupied
by piers and wharves for all the business which re.
qulres accommodations, and that certain Changes In
respect to location are absolutely necessary.
And that the new constructions should combine
stability capacity and the udicious use OF materials
with economy and simplicity or design, applicable to
every branch OF commerce and marine transporta.
ton.
The plans therefore should provide:-First for the
widening OF the exterior street to $50 feet and the
construction along the exterior line OF substantial
stone sea wall In place OF the present bulkhead.
Second, the construction At right angles to this wall
ff MIN fnn tnov M. ls.x-