The New York herald., 1875-12-16
THE GREAT CENTRES OF TRADE.
MOVEMENT TO coNF1NE THE CANAL COMMERCE.

MOVEMENT TO CoNFINE THE CANAL COMMERCE.
TO THE NORTH RIVER
At meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, held in
June last the following preamble and resolution was
submitted for consideration and referred TO the COM
mittee of the Chamber the Harbor and Shipping to
report thereon:-
Whereas the Judgment of this Chamber the towing Of
around the Battery T. not only but adds much
Resolved That the Dock Commission be requested to
brcakwater and piers the Sorh Rver between
TO the city for the sole otana boats and barges
The committee were at the same time instructed 10
hold open sessions, for the purpose of giving all
parties interested opportunity to be heard this
question.
In accordance with the above resolutions the com.
mittee, consisting of Messrs. P. n. spoford G. W.
Blunt F. r. Fabri, j. s. Stranahan and J. H. Frothing-
ham, met yesterday to draw up report to be sub
united to the Chamber of Commerce. A majority OF
the committee present, and Mr.. Sponord
took the chair Two pilots, Mr. Henderson
and Mr. Rolf, were examined relative to tie danger
incurred vessels In passing up and down the Nortt
River by the large tows OF canal boats which
brought around the Battery TO their present station
They both testified that the rivers we're sometimes
blocked up for hours by passing tows that there had
been about twenty five boats sunk during the last thl
years. that sometimes these tows very large oAen
containing seventy canal boats.
Mr. Arden, another pilot who came in subsequently,
examined and confirmed the above statements
Mr. David DowS was present and strongly opposed,
behalf of the merchants of the Produce Exchange the
proposed change oil the present site Tor the boats be-
tween Coenties slip and the South ferry. He had .
lively argument the subject with Commissioner
Blunt The substance of hs remarks that
tho business OF the city had grown
such magnitude that 1t could be removed
from its present centres The water front where the
canal boats now land formerly the property OF q
Nr Lent who donated TO the city for its present
condition that IL at any time It should not be so
employed would revert TO the owners OF the property
fronting the slip The accidents that had occurred
u very small matter indeed compared 10 the
New York. There less accidents here than in any
other harbor in proportion to its size and amount OF
commerce. "Gentemen,' continued Mr.. Dows, ''you
cannot do anything with the Legislature about this
matter-at any rate, the Chamber OF Commerce cannot
Go in for brcakwater ii you will but let the canal
boats alone II you 90 to Albany with that view you
will lind opposition When you undertake. to remove
this business the upper part Of the city you wi nd
that II won't 40 there
departure the committee adjourned to next
Saturday ut two O'Clock.
After the meeting HERALD reporter called upon Mr.
Dows ut his Office with 10 ascertain still further
his opinions the subject He considered the project
OF Mr. Blunt wholly impracticablc. HIS idea
that all the heavy business OF the city and all the
banking Institutions should be the water II the
change should take place they would be removed three
miles further from the Atlantic and Erie basins and all
the large gram warehouses, and three miles from tho
inoncyed centres. The Legislature could appropriate
boats at the foot OF Gansevoort street. but even then
the business would remain wnero IL is as every ner.
chant would still have the right TO bring his grain
where he pleased