The New York herald., 1874-09-12
DAMMING THE HUDSON.
Filling Up the Channels Of the
River with Filth.
DANGERS TO NAVIGATION
What the Dock Commissioners and tho Pilot
Commissioners Have To Say About II.

Commissioners Have To Say About II.
For the past ten years and moro merchants and
others who have the welfare OF New York city at
heart have done their utmost to have the harbor
protected from obstructions and improved for
navigation in every way possible, and, mainly
through the exertons OF the Pilot Commissioners,
backed up by the money and influence OF come OF
our largest shippers, have they been partially sue
cesstul. so far as the upper bay Is concerned the
stringent legislation against making 1t q sort Of
dumping ground for all the refuse Of the city and
against the making OF it the receptacle OF the coal
ashes and cinders OF incoming and outgoing
steamers has been reasonably elective. How
ever, OF late captains and masters OF vessels see
70 have forgotten that there is a prohibitory law
against
THE ASH DUMPING BUSINESS
and have dtsregarded its provisions to such o
dagrant degree that it was deemed necessary day
before yesterday for the Pilot Commissioners to
issue the following order which is to be handed to
every vessels captain coming In or going out
until every captain and master having dealings
with this port can no longer plead ignorance in
case ne violates the law
OFFICE OF The BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS or PILors?
and s 6 S1S , SsPs r no
neA that they forbidden to throw any ballast or
sss % t'T sf @ S
sandy So The III ys1y are be9 TeaS a
'oai'' 's 0'''' u III GEORGE W. BLUNT Secretary.
But while 1t Ia to the interest OF every shipper
and every merchant that the lower bay should be
kept In safe navigable condition. 1t Is equally to
their interest," as II Is to that OF almost everybody
from here to Albany and beyond, that the Hud-
son River should also be protected against OBJ.
structions that may render navigation, If not i'm.
possible, at least dangerous and costly. And yet,
II report speaks truly, the laws Of the Legislature
looking to its protection arc daily set in defiance
by the captains OF vessels and others who ply its
waters. In 1857 law was passed prohibiting the
throwing OF ashes cinders from vessels into the
river, and still there are those, who pretend to
know OF what they anhrm. who say that they have
frequently Of late, at night time, seen nremen
showing cinders out OF the fire rooms into the
water. But just now the chief complaint comes
rom residents along the river. between this city
and Spuyten Duyvll Creek, who contend that up
to a very recent period 1t has been the practice
with captains OF tug boats, having in charge scows
which are employed to take away
THE DREDGINGs FROM NEW DOCKS
and else where, to dump the stun at points as near
% Fort Washington and even as low down as
opposite Carmansville and Manhattanvle. The
law, strange to say, gives ''dumpers" the right to
nowhere beow-that is, without given them posi-
lively the right, 1t does so mpedly by prohibiting
them from throwing into the water any cinders,
garbage or the like below the creek. Most of the
complaints in regard to this matter have come
nom persons In the neighborbOOd OF Pleasant VAL
ley, Fort Lee and the Englewood dock vicinity. A
HERALD reporter. desirous Of ascertaning II poss-
Bile II there was any good ground for the COM
plants, and If so by whom the violations were
committed, day or two ago paid visit to
several parties at their places, who, he was led
to believe could give him definite facts about the
matter. Mr.. Meeks, of Gutenberg, who has charge
Of an immense estate in the neighborhood, which
has large river frontage, was met with In his
travels. The old gentleman spoke quite freely on
the subject, and during the conversation which
ensued he remarked:-"O my own knowledge
could not say that OF late there has been any
dumping going on anywhere below the creek, but
thave heard great many persons say there was
considerable. l know one thing, however, and
mat Is taat about two or three years ago dseov "
scows where the Cunard and White Star steamer
companies were deepening their docks were
Investigation. found out that the scows belonged
ny protest, and threatened the law and ali tnat.
The result was that the scOws did not visit me
a as I'm fney 9a aG to
himself as he uttered the words. .'they went the
pext day and dumped their nasty stun In front OF
somebody eses place, not too Tar on 10 make
their journey any the less profitable in the matter
OF time consumed in getting from the dredging
place to the dumping place than when they paid
ne the nonors. II Is notorious 1act," added Mr..
Weeks, that
TUG AND sCow OWNERS
who contract 10 carry away tn, dredgings violate
the law every day. You see the shorter the dis
tance they make from the dock being dredged to
where they get rid OF 1t the more profit they make.
IL Is a crying shame that they should be allowed to
60 on as they do BY and by the waters in this
beautiful harbor of ours Will not be able to ride an
ordinary sized coastng smack; AS ! said before,
have not very lately seen anything like violation
they wanted 10, could tell how men are getting
rich around us every day by filing up the river
this side o. Fort washington with the refuse and
clay dug from the docks"
TWO RELUCTANT WITNESSES.
The reporter then started on the steamer Pleas
ant Valley Tor that peasant places but, 1t should
be saio tnat before starting he was informed that
Captain Dean, OF the Alexis, knew all about the
scow peoples shortcomings. But the Captain
proved TO be witness VINO knew OF only wnat he
had heard others talk about; true, he had not
seen the scows unoaded below the creek, but he
had met them every day going up the river loaded
and coming down shortly afterwards unlOaded.
Ae then reierred the reporter to Captain Leary.
about the matter. 'iou tell MN tod you to
see him. SAID he; tell him who you are
steamers Journey. however, at Fort Lee, the re.
porter learned that Captain Leary was the same
sort OF man as his confrere, Dean. "why," said
he with a look OF wonderment on his sun-bcaten
lace, II never saw the scows unload anywhere.
didn't. I've seen the n go up the river every day
and come back mighty quick, and I've heard peo-
pie say they saw many OF them unload way this
side OF Fort Washington Point. But II you want
to get at the iull lac,s about ali this business
there's man at Pleasant Valley who can tell you
all about 1t I'm sure. HIS name Is Wandel, Cap
tain andcll. He's been this ere river over
sixty years, aud II lie can't tell you anything de-
finite apout the scows can
LOVER or THE HUDSON.
And true enough, CAPTAIN Wandel turned out
to he a good witness. lie Is pleasant looking old
gentleman. Is the Captain, with q Tree and easy
Yet quiet way OF talking ana expressing MS views
as to matters and things generally and the Hud
son River articularly tnat was quite taking. lie
had sailed a ''pcrUgue'i when Commodore Wander
bit dlG the same tuing between Staten Island and
New York, ana he talked glioly about the shock
he had experienced when he beheld Tor the first
time vessel propelled by steam. But though the
days oil aud lang ryne were evidently TO INN all u
DER with sweet memories the Hudson seemed 10
be the one thing hat he well knew then aud
knows still that he had the most reverence Tor.