New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-30
THE CITY'S PIERS.

SYSTEM OF STONE BULKHEADs AND PIERS CON-
DEMNED AS USELESS AND EXTRAvAGANT-CRIB
WORK RECOMMENDED BY THE SPECIAL MER-
CHANTS COMMITTEE.
AT the conference held at the Chamber OF
Commerce yesterday Of the special committees ap-
pointed by the principal commercial bodies and
the Council Of Political Reform of this city, for the pur-
nose OF taking action in relation to matters connected
with the dock system Of NewYork, only committee
was ready report. Gustave Schwab OF Committee NO
read the reror The First Cost and Pracucability
OF stone Bukheads and Piers on the Present or any
Plan and also Bulkheads and Piers of Other Materials
and on what Plan"
The stone pier No North River, cost, II is stated In
the report over 600 600 and after six OF work
spent upon it. "i stands TO this day unfinished OF
doubtful stability" monument OF the period OF OK
trayagance and folly winch called 1t into beinG' inc
report then crtcises the manner OF bookkeeping III 'Ie
Dock Department. which fails, it is alleged, to CLASSIFY
the expend;tures under the different heads OF SPECIFIC
work performed, and which, IN the committees opihoh'
could not be improved If its purpose were to cnVeop
ts operations In mystery" In looking over the carrier
reports of the Dock Commissioners the committee mus
thathe costly Improvement at an estimated expense vi
SO 600 for the 500 feet OF front from West
Elcvcnth-s around the Battery to Grands East River
would cost about $2s,0o0,Oo0 After carefully investl-
eating the subject of stone bukheads the committee
finds very slight advantages to he gained over the
CRIB bulkheads the dsimeuishng feainTG OF St na
manent foundation in the deep. soft nud sur
rounding the water front Even that pOr,
tion of the stone bulhhead between Christopher ana
Wcs Eleventh SIS, which has been constructed on thc
most expensive plan. with beton blocks on TOP OF tne
niles has suffered serious injury aud has bgeu our per
cephly IN one place Tor distance OF 40 rect On the
Canal and Kngst section where tie bcton BLOCKS were
discarded used. the latter mas 1alcd 10 sc
IN hard mass, and the wall is Insecure An lmproNeu
crib bnkhead recommended, the cost OF when Is 10 DC
81 10 luca foot about onetWclftb OF the cost OF
The stone bukhead which shown to have
cost about 81 $50 lneal loot The saving 10 tne
city alone by adopting this recommendation, ne
tween West Sixty-firstst. and East 3-lirs' /,
st. the line taken in blythe adopted pan o o.
the commissioners it is claimed wOuld be Fosoooouo,
and the work would be ndestructDle as any masonry
built on piles 49,, o -, .
the plan OF buiidng stone piers and surrounding ne cry
with a stone bulkncld should be abandoned as useless
too extensive, and affUrding 10 security or tnc udD-
ltv OF Inc structures erected under II That the stone
hlkhead now in cOurs OF construction between W esq
Eleventh and Canal-sts sh0uld I've finished only Oh that
foundation has already i'll whole or III part been lah
and that on the remainder of that line all preparation Tor
and prosecution OF masonry Work shOulu 81 once NC
snpued ana that such bulkGeads speedily as posi-
bic should be completed by sinking and building lrs-
class cribwork; that il general plan Is required Tor
continuing the present extension OF the water rom OF
fine CITY INTO The river, the bulkhcad Should be
built OF rstcass cribwork which would secure all inc
advantages OF permanent, durable, ana moderae! eA-
structure, well adapted 10 inc wants OF COM
merce that the law governing the Department OF DOCKS
should at be altered as 10 secure economy ana
proper accountability. end the rendering OF accounts,
SO as to show the taxpayers the actual cost OF every
kind OF Improvement. The report signed by W. II:
Webb Gustave Schwab, W. II. Guion, t. D. Donneli, ana
III, N Beers.