The New York herald., 1877-02-28
LITTLE HE'LL GATE.

CLOSED.
The Police Commissioners were yesterday supplied
by General Newton with tho following report made to
General A. A. Humphreys, Chief Of Engineers, United
States Army
GENERAL:-In referring tue enclosed communication
from the Police Commissioners have to state as my
Ward's and RandalPs islands, known as Little Hell
Gate will not operate injuriousy upon the tidal cx-
change between the East and Harlem rivers, upon
the currents IN the Harlem River, the ebb current
having moan tides q maximum velocity Of ]. %
knots. is stronger than the food with corresponding
Velocity Of l. a. knots From the East the ebb enters
the Harlem River with great velocity through Little
He'll Gate and tho Harlem Kills. setting strongly 70.
ward tho New YORK shore, and forming eddies at us
junction with the waters OF the Harlem River.
The Hood the other hand entering tho month Of the
sn.tmn1d da to the The
Little Hell s;s and o. the Harlem X xs between
Gate yard, in sSs 81 wh an s .in S S
depth Of ssh. feet and the ScSss. twsasy The bottom
rspid-Har,or commi:sionsrs' Report 1857. .. aO7.
Little He'll Gate in It's present state is not used ex-
cept, perhaps by small fishing boats, and necessity
exists lor its Improvement IL not proposed TO In
tericre with the Harlem or Bronx Kills, separating
Randalls Island from the main land, because this
channel has been considered important after certain
needed improvements, as connection between the
Harlem River and He'll Gatc for the service OF vessels
to and from the East Under the present regime the
currents through those passes are OF no benefit TO
tho Harlem RIVER ana as ,s TO tdai exchange snos
and gains in the ebb, making 1t difficult to decide
whether the loss is not greater than the gam But as
these points, viz, the currents and the tidal ex
change the influences OF these passes trivial AZ is
now for good III, will be obcrated by tho changes
consequent upon the Improvement OF Hell Gate and OF
the Harlem River.
Respectfully submitted JOHN NEWTON,
Lieutenant Colonel Engineers Brovct Major General
The Board passed resolution requesting members
OF Congress from this county 10 urge the passage OF
the act now before Congress to Ill in the place.
ORJECrfONs TO CLOSING THE PASSAGE
Objection tho project Is becoming active and II Is
certain that If the Commissioners Of Emigration aided
by the Board OF Managers othe House OF Refuge and
backed by largo majority OF tho residents on tho
banks of tho Harlem river can do anything to prevent
the filing up OF the II will be done. Tho action
already taken shows at least that they In
The commissioners OF Emigration, hearing Of tho
proposed measure, and what asonished that they
had been invited to the meeting OF the Conference
Committee, which thoy would gladly have attended,
visited Wards Island yesterday, and after thorough
inspection OF the ground, unanimously resolved to
oppose the measure and protest against II. There
we're present Commissioners Forrest, Lynch, Kauf-
mann Maujcr and Quintard. Tho Medical Board Of
the island consulted the question and they were
very decided in their opinions that such course OF
action would be highly detrimental to the
health Of tho inmates ns saod o o asa %opa
prove great Of annoyance 10 the residents OF
the banks OF the Harlem River. II would prove
source which would be bred, and while in
the process Of filing up would spread contagion.
delegation Of residents OF Harlem waited upon the
Commissioners
oppose the filling mp They look however, upon the
filling up OF the injurious from another and
totally different standpoint They believe that II the
flow OF should be stopped that the Ice would ac
cumulae during the winter 10 such an extent that tho
navigation OF the Harlem River boats would be i'm
peded in fact, that should tho winter prove unusually
they would be forced to abandon their trips al
together.
more than twenty years, aiordng the only rapid
transit the people have from Harlem TO the ouhern
portion OF the city. They also argue that the swift
rush of waters between the Sound and Harlem River
by Little He'll Gate Is great help to navigation, and
that its close would bring the Harlem River toward
the character OF mill pond, and Tor months ~ winter
the uptown residents would have reliable means or
conveyance between their dwellings, and their work
IN the city when every other avenue Is blocked up
This however, Is not the least evil OF which
they complain The broad territory OF Harlem lying
between Ninetieth ami 140h Streets and containing
more than three square miles, Is rapidly hlng up with
Tor halt mile OF shore line, empies IN Harlem River
which will be tested TO Its full capacity OF current TO
carry of the materials thus brought to It. The most
potent contributor to Its present current Little Hell
Gate, which, whlc it thus helps tho Harlem River,
acts as seton to the greater and moro dangerous
floods O He'll Gate.
The Board OF Management Of the Society for tho
Reformation OF Juvenile Dcnquents, whose House OF
Refuge Randal's Island, have also petioned the
Senate and Assembly OF the state pronibt the pro-
posed filing up oil Little He'll Gate. They claim In
their petition that they thrysix acres OF ground
fronting Little He'll Gate and lear that the proposed
action Of the Will bring disease and death
among hc inmates Of the House OF Refuge 10 dc.
gree not experienced in the than niiy years OF
It's history. They also refer TO the PROBABLE oosruc-
ton In the navigation OF the Harlem River and In their
petition smost respectfully pray that the bill Tor I'LL
ing up Little He'll Gate may be rejected and that tais
helpful passage OF the sea may be preserved" Mr..
Edgar Ketchum, President OF the Board oi Man
age:nert went to Albany last evening TO use his
persona efforts dcleat the proposed BILL