The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-18
OUR RIVER FRONT.

THE DOCK COMMISSIONERS IN REPLY TO THE
COUNCIL OF POLITICAL REFoRA.
Alta meeting held yesterday ut tho rooms or tho
Chamber OF Commerce, representing the Chamber Of
Commerce, the Produce Exchange, the Importers and
Grocers' Board Of Trade, tho Cheap Transportation
Association and the Councils OF Political Reform, the
Dock Commissioners presented q very elaborate COM
munication in reply to what had been presented the
week previous by the Council Of Political Reform
The Commissioners say that instead OF s1,l33,
the cost OF tho wall ut pier No. l was $l05,
not quite thirty-six per cent Of the sum
claimed and that the Council could easily have
ascertaned this II thcy had simply made application
TO the department ut any time; and that by no one,
ut any time, SO far as they know, has the scheme
OF building moro than about four miles OF this wall
been entertained. The wall mt presen; under contem
Platoon II Is thought will not exceed $225 per neal
loot in cost The cost Of wooden crib Dulkhcad
stated by the Council to DO $40 50 lncnl loot Tho
Commissioners show that the places designated
suitable crib would cost 1925 per nca foot; that
recently built on large scale by contract by p.ri-
vatc parties cost Sl3 ~ per lineai foot The dif-
ference IN cost between wooden crib and suitable
masonry wall Is thus shown to DO probably about 500
per neal loot. Allowing the usual amount OF bulk
head Tor pier, this would only add about so 900 10
per the cost OF a wooden buiKhead A compare
tive statement then made Of the advantages OF the
two and Il Is shown that tho masonry would be much
the cheaper and possess many other advantages After
gong all these matters for the purpose showing
the state oil the case and without having commit
ted themselves To the details oil any plan for tho whole
front future, the Commissioners state that the
date future very simple and such sensible men
will hardly differ widely about The city every
pier between Canal street aud West Eleventh street,
North River, but This section entered upon
long before the present Commissioners into Office.
and large portion Of the whole Of either completed
in some state OF progress. Much work has
been completed hero and much Is incomplete.
The city certainly far here that IL cannot
retreat IL cannot remain stationary either, Tor very
much valuable buIkhead property Is now entirely with
drawn from commercial usc and the water basins be-
tween the wall ana the old bulkhcu1 limo conino
largely the sewage matter pouring into them, making
them dangerous 10 tho health OF tho city. The de.
partmen has already negotiated leases tor nearly
the whole amount which tho entire completion will
cost u.s. therefore. not to be expense the city
but the most profitable operation which could be
tered into. When done, our foreign steamship COM
ample facilities. This section, then, tho de-
partment proposes TO finish at onca After this
the city cannot enter any district
Tor Improvement without the purchase OF large
amount OF valuable water property. This certainly
cannot be done until the citizens shall wish mako
large Investments for that purpose aud at tho
Commissioners need They do not wish to do
this. Tho commission can thcn not do anything in
the way OF great improvements elsewhere than in tho
action named, unless the commercial classes shall
agree plan desirable, and convince tho ct-
zens that II Is necessary 70 carry " out
The commission closed by invitation TO those
bodies whose delegates were present nj the meeting
representing tho great commercial interests Of this
city, to appoint committees 10 carefully investigate
this whole subject Ia cooperation with this depart
mcnt and with tho aid Of all the valuable material
gathered by them.
Alter having been read the report discussed by
several gentlemen, and II finally decided 10 np
point sub committee OF two from each organization
there represented to confer with the Commissioners or
Docks AS TO suitable means OF carrying on the works
now In process Of construction.