The New York herald., 1876-10-01
Water Fronts and Wharves Of New
York and Brooklyn.
THE HUDSON AND EAST RIVERS.
Harlem RiVer-Its Entrances
and Surroundings.
TIDES AND CURRENTS.
What Must Be Done After He'll
Gate Is Cleared.
GENERAL NEWToNS ESTIMATES.

GENERAL NEWTON'S ESTIMATES.
The success that has attended the FIRST attempt 10
remove the obstructions navigation the He'll Gate
channel by the destruction OF Haets Point Reof has
directed attention to . part OF New YORK for which
there Ii unquestonably great future For many
years back has been observed that the Of
this city restricted space that much OF tho
trade Is leaving tho bank Of tho Hudson
sentrating with wonderful rapidly the Now Jersey
shoro Even there IL is also cramped for room, and.
unless speedy arrangements made to increase the
facilities for the shipment and unloading OF freight
both sides Of The river II is only natural u is ncvt
able, that other ports will reap largo benefits from
our shortsightedncss and lack Of commercial entor-
PRISE New York mas hitherto bcen solely dependent
the Wharfage OF the North River and part OF the
East River for space to handle freight Down town
the greatest because is the section Of the
city almost exclusively devoted to mercantile affairs.
The great and bonded warehouses OF the city
closely grouped together, that traffic in the
OF the lower wards continually impeded by the
NOUS Of freight that collected there for ship
ment TO foreign countries inland transportation by
steamer and railroad The cost of banding freight
thus immensely increased because. owing to the limited
space the disposal OF merchants continuous
ment in progress each succeeding cargo necessitat
ing the rehandng OF the preceding one, well the
manipulation OF hundreds Of thousands Of tons Of
chandse already moved many times. The only solu-
tion to the difficulty tho extension Of tho wharfage
for the reception OF freight along lines which will be
accessible by ships large tonnage will be
convenient for the storage and handling OF merchan
disc and to the forwarding points represented by the
termini Of the great trunk railroad lines
BROOKLYN DOCKS
These possess all the advantages that could de-
sired far spproachability and spaciousness
concerned but they fulfil tho other requirements
TO make them permanently available for commerce.
ship, laden with freight destined for the West unloads
Brooklyn wharf and has her cargo In order
to send the merchandise CINCINNATI It necessary
to load IL again barges and and it
the Bay to tho Jersey City side, where 1t is unonded
on wharf and again reloaded with extraordinary
labor on railroad cars II it possible, indeed
It must be- to the Brooklyn dock system di-
rectly With the railroads. then, indeed, immense
saving would be effected in the handling OF freight, and
the Brooklyn docks would need nothing more 70
thcm the best and most conveniently located the
Atlantic coast
These presented not with Wow to dispar-
ago tho Brooklyn DOCKS but to show how necessary It
Is to LOOK elsewhere for better accommodation for the
growing commerce OF New York.
Owing TO causes, the nature of which u unneccs-
sary discuss here the available front OF New
York the Hudson River Is extremely limited and
very indGereny provided with piers and jelties for
the accommodation OF shippna BY process OF
lection which reflects no credit on the authorities
charged with the regulation of such matters the
fusion of classes OF and sailing vessels Of
small tonnage that use the piers is almost chaotic
One oyster soop and an ocean steamer side
BY side, while an Albany passenger boat bumps
against New Orleans packet in the same slip. There
some good pers built OF substantial material,
but others rotten with age and crumoliug under
their weight their worm-eaten piles
Some long and others short Some arc COW
erod with infammate woodcn sheds, while others
have nreproof storehouses set upon them Yet every
of these piers constantly loaded with freight
from every part OF the world and sometimes the
Of merchandise is great TO prolonged sus
pension of traffic in the adjoining Streets tor the
that loaded cannot get away empty. Tho
picture presents itself only in, II anything, worse
East River 'front.' for there the shore line
Is broken by settings back OF the water front and by
numerous indentations caused by incomplete I'M
provemen,s, py iron foundrics gas works and other
establishments requiring I'm ncnse area in proper
tion their actual need of frontage. Practi-
cally the front for mercantile purposes the
East River the Houston Jerry, leaving
al tho limo northward from that point unavailable Tor
commerce. This condition OF things TO several
causes, among which may be mentioned the follow
Ing
On account OF the dangers attending the navigation
Of the Upper East River, especially IN the Biackwes
Island channels ana nj Hell Gate. the East River rs
regarded by seamen ct de sac, into which It
prudent TO venture TOO hence the crowcing the
southcry END OF the line near Tho entrance IRON Now
York Bay. The absence vi store aud warehouse
commodaton well wharfage for frei2hL along this
limo, also q chcI drawback The atter want may
be considered depend the former ana both indl-
rcctiy on the character the shore front ise which
is dicu for the building OF any kind OF storcs
aud especially Tor tho heavy structures needed by
commerce. The topography also ASSISTS IN rendering
this upper line OF the East River commercially barren,
for as progress is made northward tho land becomes
more rocky and abrupt until II nnally develops into
the blum front at Fifty seventh street, which con-
unues along river Tar as He'll Gate. But, of all
thcsc difficulties the chief one is the nrst men.Ioncd
its removal Will necessarily reduce mportance
aud the influence OF ali the Others
WATER FRONT OF TnE urrER EAST RIVER.
Taking into consideration the present oustructcd
condition oil Tho channel ut Hell! Gate the line OF
water front available Tor com northward or Hal
letrs Point very limited but this Limitation Is
wholly due TO the conditions which arise from the n
hnenec OF the obstructions referred TO. Take Wards
and RandaPs isiauds, tor instance, and IL viii DO
found that, so Tar depth OF water in the
adacen: channels arc concerned, there is nothing 10
be desired which these Islands do not possess With
the New York and Wcstchestcr shores anu with each
other these slan1s the OF Of the best
located centres Tor commerce on the entire continent
Assuming taat the operations at Hell Gate will
be continued until every vcstigc OF the on
eructng reels IS removed and tie channel dcclencd
tor the accommodation vessels drawing twenty six
feet OF water, two outlets viii then be available from
this group oi islands toward the Atlantic Ocean. In
eiiher OF outlets there will be dangerous
liicuii bonds and turns tpat could conpIicate
navigation beyond The controi oi skiIfu seamen. Tho
tds cub How through He'll Gate viii be reduced 10
uniform currents, the action aud influence of which
VIII be easily recognized ana PROVIDED Tor any
are now vl, in the broad Hudson
RIVER Deep win uc found on every side, that
the Valuable ships ride saey IN tie nari owest
part o. the stream. Docks and PIERS VIII nave solid
Inn Msu ulA gan NIL Ia
cargo. The loads Witt all these advantages
II Will rule load freight directly from ship
~ the railroad cana; boat or rice rersd.
ISLAND SHORE
Although tue Tact that II OIL iruin the main