The New York herald., 1870-07-19
TIE DOCK DEPARTMENT.
Meeting Of the Commissioner OF
Plans-Brich on tho Docks-xagnanimous
Request from tho Nineteenth Ward
A Novel Plan for Lengthen,
ing Manhattan Island.

A Novel Plan for Lengthen,
ing Manhattan Island.
The Board of Commissioners of Docks met yester-
day afternoon IN stated session. with the President,
Commissioner John T. Agnew, in the chair After
the ordinary routine business had been disposed Of
Commissioner Wood. from the Executive Committee,
reported In regard to the question OF
PILING BRICKS
on the wharves and piers. The committee found
that It would be unwise to force the removal Of
bricks and building material from the docks and
bulkheads at which such material Ia piled, and offered
q resolution providing that the superintendent be
instructed to report the Board such Gases Of png
bricks as may be damaging to the docks and bulk.
heads.
Commissioner WOOD explained that the committee
had fully examined the subject and found that II the
owners were compelled to remove the brick now
piled on docks and bulkheads the price Of bricks
and building material would sufYer an
IHCREAsE or TWENTY OR THIRTY PER CENT,
and It was necessary TO have such material as cheap
IS possible. The resolution submitted BY the Execu-
tive Committee was then adopted. A report was
received from superintendent Keyser in regard to
the application OF
.t, ANDREW JOHNSON
for permission to built platform, which. according
to the plan, looks like dock, at the foot OF
Forty-eignth street, North river. The report was
that there seemed to be objection to Mr.. Johnson
building the .platform;' but the Board, desiring
some further information as to what Mr.. Johnson
meant by being dslnterested and agreeing to build
q dock at his own expense, and what the extent Of
the proposed "platform" would be, ordered the
paper laid che table, and directed the secretary to
communicate with Mr.. Johnson on the subject.
A letter was then read by the secretary from the
EngIneer.in- Chief elect, showing that
GENERAL MCCLELLAN ACCEPTS
the position for which the HERALD suggested him
and to which the Commissioners elected him. The
letter was brief and TO the point, acknowledging the
receipt OF Secretary Henry's communication, ac.
cepting the appointment and thanking the Commis.
s.oners or the gratifying manner in which action
was taken in the matter. 'G.s 10 or t.t.e.
I Mr.. MOTION, representing number OF property
owners of the Nineteenth ward, was introduced to
the Board. He presented q document signed by,
said the owners OF some three million dollars
worth Of property In the ward. They believe that
A BULkHEAD OF STONE OR IRON
teth street. and convenient docks ut points be-
tween Forty seventh and Fifty fourth streets, Sixty
first ana StxtyfOurth streets and Seventy sixth and
Eighteen Streets He mr. MoIton) thought the Com
missioners should acquire the title to the water front
along the Nineteenth ward from fifty to one hun
dred feet inland and keep 1t under control OF the
Commissioner AGNEw ,(Presldent) asked II the
citizens owning property whereabouts would not be
GIVE IT TO tn. CITY
for the purposes mentioned in the communication.
q fair Compensation. He then went On to describe
the peculiartties OF the rocky water edge Of the
GO feet 70 svenae he ced e the fact GsS ts
The streets up there had been laid out to the water
ront and the assessments levied, but that large
again and the citizens OF the ward thus deprived OF
ne use Of a the " water frons the property owners
heir properly acting on the idea nst USsA 0
THE WATER GRANTS WERE VALUABLE,
and the city would be obliged to purchase It for the
ing commerce OF the city. He then went on to tell
how the down town streets were land out on
and that De Witt Clinton, Gouverneur, Morris and
other public spirited men, seeing the future wants
Of the CITY had planned the straight and broad ave
nues and streets up town, and the people he repre-
sented were following In the steps OF those men.
THE DOCKS HAVE GROWN UP WILD
nave sn 70 do Justice to
the metropolis and give relief to the citizens OF the
ward. The petition was received and
placed on file, and Mr.. Motion assured that the
would look into the matter and do
all In their power to give the "relier required
An elabOrately finished plan OF i'piHt i.N
AN ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE DESIGN ,te.
was submitted by Mr.. Simon Steu on behalf Of Mr..
william Wilson, Consulting Engineer or the London
the Italian government. The design OF Mr.. Wilson
the erection Of stone walls and docks
N ryer nn nto fhe bay ana y"
CONNECTING GOVERNORS ISLAND WITH THE CITY
about midway between the city and the Island,
structure. Basins would thus be formed containing
dOckage area OF eighty acres each or one half the
dockage Of all the London docks together. On the
sides and cross walls warehouses to be erected
This would enclose the Battery and the water front
ON South street to COentles Slip and by having this
front properly enclosed by walls with sufficient gate
ways, and with one or two gunbOats stationed out
sde the entire foreign shipping could be protected
from assault Of any nature whatsoever. Tramways,
hosting apparatus and all other necessary appurte.
nances are provided for, and all will
COST TEN MILLION DOLLARS,
One-haf OF which Mr.. Wilson proposes the city
should pay, and the other half to be borne by com.
pany which should have charge OF the warehouses;
the city to receive the revenue for dockage and the
company the returns for storing and wareh0using
In return for the privilege of taking portion OF
Governors Island the plan c0ntemplates the erec.
tlOn on the outer side or the island OF -
IMPROVED BkTTERIEs
to be constructed for the federal government on the
best plans and 80 as to resist any style OF ordnance
not be inJerfered with at all by this plan and
Buttermilk Channel made the principal connection
between the North ana East rivers.
The Commissioners seem TO be struck with the
originality of the idea, but there are r ,.f-.f
s SERIOUS DIRECTIONS TO THE PLAN.
nne nave @ no right to extend their
they have no right to acquire title to property on
Island. BY the plan the main channel
between the two rivers would be cut OH, ana vessels
coming down the Hudson, bound for any point on
the East river side or uce Uers0 would be obliged to
90 out beyond the Island. The plan, therefore, could
not be adopted before next year. and then only pro-
vided the State Legislature should extend the pow.
ars Of the Board. The plan, however, was received
and ordered ,t ..sse +
ON FILE,
Besides the above plans were received from Mr..
Alfred Mabie, X. A. Cheesbrough and Ralph Aston,
Of the, UnHed States Engineer Corps and ordered
on file. The last mentioned plan was accompanied
BY drawings Of piers and warehouses of stone built
on piles, and along the river ir0nts at intervals,
small parks are provided for. The plan looks both
feasible and pretty.
After transacting some further routine business
the Board adjourned. tp
BLANCHE BuTLeR's COMING MARRIAGE.
The Programme Of Festivities Arranged for
the Wedding Of General Buffers Daughter
IN fny Avvnna