The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-31

OF the piers the lack Of width In the river srrceu
OF the city is entirely too crowded. and 1t is imposs
BILE to transact the shipping business SATISFACTORILY
In the very region where 1t y more than probable
that the heavy general business OF the port mnss
always be conducted. II H. therefore, evident that
the new system should be FIRST applied TO this por-
soon as practicable.
The proposed arrangement win give between
Grand street ana West Eleventh street wharf line
OF 2l4s miles greater than the whole existing quay
line OF Liverpool. including the new constructions
at Birkenhead which amounts In all to about 2ON
miles, against an existing line within the same
limits OF 207 miles, and from the superiority OF the
arrangement IN the increased width Of the piers:
water making every foot available for use, Will &C
commodate with ease much greater commerce
than now exists.
THE COST or TnB WORK
lhe cost OF the proposed system between Grand
street ana West Eleventh street VIII be about as ioi
a. 900 600 per mile, $losz5o oo piers SO, 600
Total, b., $40 600 or pc. mile OF wharf ne
river wall the filing OF the river street Is included,
but not the paving. In the estimate for the piers,
structon of which masonry and iron can enter, but
the great majority are to be OF preserved WOOD
sent system. The question OF building piers OF ma
sonry or iron Is SIMPLY OF COST and they can be
applied anywhere along the river front whenever 1t
Is considered desirable TO do SO.
ECONOMY RECOMMENDED.
But the cost OF building permanent piers Is so
mend their general use, especially at a time wnen
money Is of such great value and when taxation for
all purposes Is 80 heavy burden upon the commu-
NIFTY. / have no doubt as to the immediate
necessity OF widening the river streets and build
ing a permanent river wall, as recommended
the present with constructing piers that vii afford
all necessary facilities In the way OF space general
material. leaving 1t for other generations, richer
than we are, TO replace them by permanent struc-
lures whenever 1t becomes expedient to do so.
1t Is TO be understood that the proposed locations
ana dimensions 0I the piers are liable to be changed
at the discretion OF the Board, when the question
comes up for solution In each particular case. o.
pier laid down as so feet IN width may, 10 serve
some special purpose In It's use. be changed to 100
feet or 90 feet, and uios So too, any special
slip may have 10 be widened or narrowed to accom-
m0date to the best advantage the commerce OF the
adjacent piers Sheds are not included in the above
estimate, as their construction must vary with the
use 10 which They are to be put.
COMPARATIVE CHEAPNESs OF THE NEW YORK DOCKS
IL may be interesting 10 call attention to some
facts in reference to the cost of the Liverpool and
London docks. The Liverpool docks up to 1894
n goa y1 the mao S1sI a90 ST
this expenditure was IA miles, ll9 yards; that Is
about ss,5oo,ooo IN gold per mile; or, bear,
material at the time these works were executed,
should think It not unfair to say that similar work
amount Again, the London docks mot the dock
system OF London) have capital Of $4,000, 600
ses ana n's the DOCKS eesxsS wholly
and hence, according to oh the al above statement
line. And similarly the st. Catherines docks OF Lon
don, with quay line OF g. ITO Ieet cost AT the rate
OF S10 600 O0O per mile. In word, the nature OF the
water front OF New York is such that dock facilities
equal to those in Liverpool can be obtained under
the arrangement proposed at q cost tncOmparably
less than that Of those superb constructions.
In Terminating this report, 1t may be proper to
repeat that II is not considered advisable to propose
piers to the entire water front Of the city at once
or IN the Immediate iuture, but only TO provide
promptly Tor the requirements OF the existing COM
merce, and then TO extend the new construction as
that commerce increases and requires additional
facilities so that the expenditure shall be distributed
over q considerable time, and the burden imposed
be In just proportion to the commerce II IS intended
to accommodate. Respectfully submitted.
GEO. b. MCCLELLAN Engineer In Chief.