The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-09
THE wHARvEs AND PIERS.
Fins1 Public Meeting of the Department Of
Dccks-Additional Plans and spcci-
6oations Submitted

The Commissioners OF the Department or DOCKS
assembled again yesterday afternoon FOR the purpose
OF hearing suggestions in regard TO the style OF docks
and piers. There were present at the meeting yes
terday Commissioners Agnew Presidenv, Smith,
Wood Hunt and Henry, Mr.. Peter Cooper and seve-
raj OF the enthusiastic theorists who have submitted
plans for piers wharves warehouses and railroads,
and each OF whom believes his own plan 10 be the
finest thug ever conceived. The frst person heard
BY the Commissioners yerterday, was Mr.. sidney +.
Shebourne, who presented plan for
SEWERAGE
In connection with the oulkheads. His plan had no
reference the style OF docks and was, therefore,
entirely In regard to matters beyond the prov.
ince OF the Department He was permitted to
give his idea, which was all very good in lis place.
but was not this exactly In the right place.
Up to this time no really practical man has ap-
peared before the Commissioners The invitation
was extended to shipowners and masters, merchants
and others directly interested in dock matters TO at
tend; but those who have made
THE GREATEST CLAMoR
about the Inefrciency of the dock and pier accom-
modations have not responded to the invitation.
That wonderfully loquacious and antique BODY
known as the Chamber Of Commerce has not sent
an orator. Merchants or shipowners have not been
heard from. Thus far only
SPECULATIVE THEORISTS
had occupied the time Of the Commissioners; but
now man who has ''gone down TO the sen in
ships" who Is not a theorist, who has formed his
ideas from personal observation and experience. ap-
peared and submitted plan, which certainly looks
feasible and practicable The gentleman referred TO
with the Collins line OF steamers.
Captain Luce's plan provides for
~ STONE PIERS AND BULKHEADs
along each river front. The plan may best be under
stood by being compared TO succession OF letters
ing outward from the bulKhead 600 feet, and being
100 Ieet wide, the portion resembling tho sssuss
head being 100 feet wide and 200 fest long. The
endsof che crossheads are .. q distance OF l05 to
l!9 fset apart thass ,saving an ample entrance
THE BASINS,
which are formed by the piers and CROSSROADS.
Opposite the entrance, or midway between the man
piers is another pier 500 feet In length rounded at
houses can be built On the bulkhead. which, ac-
cording TO the pan Is TO be nfy feet wide Captain
AN'S f AN ELEVATED Railway
on arches. which latter could be used for the en-
trance ways to the docks. The railway could be
any part Of the city near where 1t IL to be delivered
The plan provides for sewerage through the piers,
and suggests many ideas in relation to the manage
ment OF dockage which are very good In their way.
His plan, II fully carried out, would
DO AWAY WITH THE DOCK COMMISSION.
and, OF course, will not be FULLY adopted He sug-
gests that the docks should be under the direction Of
q committee OF merchants, and that the city might
"
intendents should be selected from those who have
had practical experience In shipping, and who would
deal fairly with vessels. In the document submitted
A SLAP AT TAN HAnBoR MASTERS
for the manner In which their work is done, and the
means res0rted to by posted individuals IN getting
good dock Derths ahead OF others.
In reply to questions by the Commissioners, Cap
docks and piers such as he proposed. He was not
an engineer, and only proposed the plan which, In
mis- Judgment would be the best for the shipping
ar
to ships by stone piers, he styled the sensation
raised on that point as
Stone piers have been tested, and any man who
has n ship In charge knows how protect It, by
basins Would be rom the action Of ice and
strong currents. Tie channel in the rivers, he
thought, would be Improved by having a straight or
Mr. Theron skeel then presented plan which
proposed
as the new ideas in piles The Pile proper Is made
with strong screw end and rs coated with eight
inches OF gutta percba to act as protector to the
iron against the chemical action of the salt water
To protect the gutta percha coating from damage by
ICE OF ro;Xs ne PROPOSES encaslng Tue coaea PIE WIN
wooden pile longltudinally, then digging 1t out and
fitting the sections around the coated pile and bind
ing it with iron hoops On these piles are laid cross
iron girders, arranged on new plan. The piles at
the ends higher than those nearer the middle Of
the pier and the gtrders fastened to the END piles
by means 0! iron stirrups Across the Orders are
laid groved iron beams; into the grooves wooden
beams are dropped DuC not fastened. The nO0ring
Is then laid on the beams and the planks bOlted TO
the wooden beams which rest In the iron grooves.
PLANS FOR BUILDING UNDER WATER
were then submitted. Mr.. Burson who labored
earnestly at previous meeting TO make those pre-
sent believe That he had good idea for building
stone piers, and endeavored by means OF TIN
fresh tomato box and number or wooden strips
arranged something like the framework OF spile
driving machine to demonstrate the
r.A BIG THING
which he had conceived was on hand again. His
model had been amended considerably, and all that
could be understood was that he guided sort of
Golfer dam down by means OF the framework, and
would build stone wall inside the iron box while
he was sinking It. He was gong on at some length
TO confuse the Commissioners and others when Mr.
Agnew requested him to leave his plan ana the
model and the Commissioners would consider il.
Mr. Charles Pentez submitted q plan for building
supports for heavy masonry, which was found to be
the same as Is now beng used for the Brooklyn
bridge.
Plans for piers were submitted by Ralph Ash
ton, OF the United States Engineer corps, ana Mr. c.
H. Llienthal, but no person was present to explain
them.
Mr.. Agnew, President OF the Board, announced
that this was the final public meeting the Board
would hold, but that they would continue to receive
plans for docks until they should determine what
was deemed best FOR the city. The Board had now
held five public meetings, and at those meetings for
ty-fIye plans or specifications had been presented
and they would be duly and promptly considered
by the Board