The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-29
THE WATER FRONT.
Meeting of the Commissioners
OF Docks.
Confederation Of the Plans for the Improvement
efWharvss and Piers-Four Plans Pro-
posed, but None Adopted.


OF the Board, Mr.. Commissioner Agnew, in the
chair.
Mr.. J. BURROWS HYDE, In response to the invita-
ton OF the chair, tnen proceeded to explain mis-
plans for the Improvement Of our water front. d.
vested Of the supernuous philosophical review Of
foreign works similar In character to those pro-
posed for New YORK with which the gentleman In
troduced and interlarded his paper. his plan was
found to be as folio VS.
Ftrst-The construction OF q solid wall of ma
sonry, built In intervals, rs may be necessary but
with view to its ultimate continuation along one
uniform Line OF the shores, coinclent with the pre-
sent bulkhead limit. Through this wall the sewer
age outlets will debouch at their proper intervals
The wall Will serve as a denector for the water,
which viii thereby not only carry or the sewerage
matter, out also the mud brought bv the complex
current from the Hudson and East rivers This VIII
prevent tie eodes which form pockets or still water
Tor the deposit OF mud banks for grounding vessels
at the wharves, where Is consequently stored up
ana i % that no only
tine air at times insupportabe ut the wharves, but
lamentaby influence the sanitary condition OF the
Second.-I propose to construct from this wall
permanent iron PIERS by sinking cast iron piles or
pipes with asonry.0r with concrete under pressure
to form solid artificial stone, system which has been
and elsewhere Urinary duty H II the hollow co
umls IL TO serve Golfer dams Tor constru ctlng the
vertical supporting columns OF masonry. The iron
columns alone will also be amply strong to sustain
the superstructure loaded to any weight 1t Will be
required TO carry. They will be prepared for resist
ing oxidation and doubtless last as long as :ne ware
house ITSELF The piles will be so arranged as not to
impede the water currents, giving free circulation to
the tides for carrying away all solid matter at the
time viii allow free space for dredging under the
piers, should 1t become necessary. Upon these piles
WIN construct cart and anolng way Of iron and
wood; thus completing pier firm, substantial, neat
and durable with every provision against injury
from ice or other accident. And rs ! design this
completed, be loaded with testing weight OF al
least double that 1t will be required to carry. BY
the present system vessel cannot ordinarily receive
or discharge cargoes In bad weather; besides,
merchandise on the wharves Is ever exposed to in
Jury. am informed that upwards OF $500 900 year
mas been paid by our merchants for the hire OF tar
pauns and other wharf coverings, which afford but
partial shelter for the property Besides major pro-
Is now transported to an average distance Of five
hundred yards from the river for storage, involv.
ing, In most cases, two carriages before reshpment
or distribution for sale here Moreover the crowded
condition or our streets now, by carts and drays.
presents rapidly Increasing embarrassment to the
business facilities of the port And as within the
water limits of the city there can be presented no
possible relief or alienation OF this augmenting evil
we need but ASK what must be the condition q few
years hence, when the population Will be doubled.
therefore propose 10 store merchandise beyond the
bulkhead line. 1t really seems That the carts have
already reached their maximum practical number,
unless the locality for our general commerce Is
changed, which would afford but temporary relief.
respectfully submit that all merchandise designed
for export or transhpment In its received condition
should never cross stree, az az, anu should 6e as
room Is not only much limited, but greatly needed
convenient to the shipping, / propose to meet all
mira. Employing this pier for carrying weather
shed and warehouse by erecting thereon a
first story pier surface being now free fors the
cart and landing way, open on all SIDES, with four
closed lofts above for storing merchandise The plan
submitted shows pier 500 feet long bv fifty feet
wide, with warehouse 495 feet long by thirty-fve
feet wide. This gives five stores, each say 100 feet
long by thrty-five feet WIDE, divided by treprOOf
partitions and with four warehouse floors. with rails
along the nooIs for conveying goods. Vessels viii
and aft or otherwise. 1 propose, however, to In
crease the Width the present PIERS there Is
or more. steam engines will be placed, and
outside, Just under the roof, strong swing
agencies all merchandise to AID from the vessels
and warehouses or wharf are conveyed, Us well as
directly to and from the pier below, by hatchways
that the bulkhead end OF the pier is taken up with
goods that vessels further out cannot work to adj
vantage BY the plan proposed the moor above may
be used as an auxiliary pier, and allow the loading
or unloading to progress and the TACT that BY this
system vessels VIII lie directly alongside of and may
discnarge directly into Or receive goods directly IRON
the piers or warehouses; the work will not be inter
rupted during inclemant weather.. and the goods
may be landed andlie In perfect safety on the pier
proper II placed there to De taken away by Carts.
All those facilities must greatly lessen the detention
gines VIII also be Constructed for working power
full fire engines, which may be employed to extin-
Rush fires In adjacent buildings. vessels, or other.
Wise. The proposed buildings being Isolated
and freproof with unprecedented means for extin-
gushing dre, should any occur within the edltices,
they will present unequaled security against taat
dreadful scOurge to our commercial interests. and
greatly lessen the rate OF Insurance on the property
stored within Them The pier will be lighted by gas
at proper distances at night and the street end VIII
be closed by gates. guarded by Waterman, TO pre-
vent the passage OF improper persons. This VIII not
only protect the property but greatly tend to break
up those pernicious nurseries for larceny and other
crimes now general along the piers and winch
alarming extent There is an entire absence in New
York OF any special system Of warehouses for the
export or for Imported goods in bond, as IN
al other agricultural, commercial and man
Sfacturing ., countries rs requirement which
resort 70 and depend upon the use Of such ordi-
nary buildings or stores about the city could be
within and Immediately adjoining the compact lines
OF structures forming our streets and thoroughfares
and are not only considerably remote from the ship
ping but absolutely inaccessible except by crossing
the sidewalks used by the pedestrian masses of the
metropolis Independent or any general argument
adverse to the present usages, which circums ances
seem to have rendered unavoidable, and Of the va
rety OF local objections to the present piers Of this
most important national port OF entry and export,
comes first In national sense the question OF
smuggling for which the present system affords
great facility and Inducements, and next the heavy
losses from fires to property either belonging TO
in the custody OF the national government, which
amount 10 millions yearly, and which fires rarely
Orginatetn the warehouse where such property Is
stored.
After the reading OF his paper Mr.. Hyde was
closely questioned by the members Of the Board on
points OF seeming difficulty Ill the plan submitted.
These the gentleman explained with more less
success. synopsis OF his iurther arguments adj.
vanced In his examination VIII be found In the fol-
lowing eleven reasons why his plan should be
adopted which Mr.. Hyde presented to the repre-.
sentatves OF the press in the form OF Circular
Tristan increase OF the space for tide flow 500
feet each river, that being In good measure the
distance regulated from the pu khead to the
pier lines, the present piers acting dams against
the currents.
SecOnd-An increase Of from several hundred to
1000 feet 10 the width of the city by adding these
structures extending from each side, and which
would form line OF buildings reaching from the
Battery nearly to the Central Park
Tnird-It will improve the harbor by permitting
the tide to flow under and through the piers, carry
ing the sewerage washings into the channel
FOurtt-ft will improve the health oil the city by
removing the sewerage matter from the present still
water OF the slips into the channel, which VIII carry
1t away.
FVth-It will relieve the streets by stopping al
the piers great proportion Of the merchandise
which now has TO be carried to warehouses within
the city.
Cirfb txvfIVa rot~1n 1oa and,