The New York herald., 1878-03-10
TERMINAL FACILITIES.
Merchants Appeal to the Alder
manic Law Committee.
STEAM ON CITY RAILROADS.
Views OF Messrs. Smith, Snow,
Schultz and Others.

The Law Committee of the Board OF Aldermen,
which consists OF Messrs waehner, Hall and PlnsS-
ney, gave hearing yesterday to representatives, OF
the leading commercial bodies o this city on
the proposition TO permit the use Tor freight
purposes on the Belt Railroad -
REMARKS cHARLRs s SMITH.
The first speech made by Mr. smith, chairman
OF the Committee Oh Railroad Transportation, OF the
Chamber ol Commerce. He SAUL
conceive II 10 be a-sappy omen for New York that
our city authorities and Lsr merchants and corporate
bodies who represent our commerce. nave initiated
nty tho practlce Of consultation and conferences
regarding tho welfare OF this metropolis The ques.
tion OF Is be the future oil the commerce OF
this CITY Is one OF oversnadowng importance, and
lies at the basis OF all other quesions and
Improvement. In word. II The merchants and
shippers OF 'tne city cannot have equally favorable
rates from railroads with other scaooard compet-
ing cities, both 10 aud from the West, and also,
equally favorable terminal facilities then the lime Is
not distant when our friend. tue Comptroller, viii
have hard work 10 pay the interest on his bonds.
Many Of merchants Will have to close their doors
md discharge theIr clerks, pOr;ers and cartmen.
Regardiug tho railroad freight iariT from New York
shall ask the cooperation Of the city authorities
with the merchants, 10 secure the CONCESSION, u
necessary oy appropriate legislation as 10 The tcrmi
nal facilities
This matter is OF obvious importance and entirely
dependent upon The consent OF the Board OF Alder
nen of our c,y We shall ccniue our argument on
has head 10 a icw ucs wtiicn caunot DO uencd -
FIRST II costs $40 per car loud moro TO handle goods
u TINS city than Boston. Philadelphia or Baltl-
ties asked Tor II will be equal reduction OF
miles in the distance, say from New York To Chicago
that is, II would praciicall bring Chicago LOO miles
nearer TO New York thrd, u shipment OF 100
OF loreign goods were landed in New
YORK tor shipment to Wostern Guy q.
Philadelphia for Shipment to the same point West
The New York shipment cost 81 20 per more
than the philadelphia shipmeni, On account oil our
term mai taciities ourtb, there located in
New York say twenty two commission houses Tor The
,ng 10 about Sl5O 900 COO per annu.n Uness me dis
crlinnatIon against New York trade can be stopped
cius. lucy have only oeen located IN New York for
about twenty years, and we snail lose this immense
business unless We see TO IL that they have equal
rights and privileges with otner ing puinls
1t Is Tor you gentlemen of the Board Of Aldermen,
to say you will aid III corfserviug the business Vf
Luis great metropolis
CAPTAIN AMBROSE SNOW.
Captain Snow President Of the Board Of Trade and
Trans sportaiion, followed by saying
The subject when come before you advo-
cate th interests this city
greater degree than appears ~ nrst glance. And
nrst We have TO say that the commercial busi-
oil tho CITY - paramount impOr-
tance, ovcrsnadowiug all others la tue past before
the days OF railroads, many OF which now terminate
at rival Atlantic cities TO some extent, We mign: be
indifferent 10 lhe efforts OF rivairy, AS the HUDSON
River Erie Canal and great lakes secured almost
monopoly OF Tie traueof The West We must now
terminal lsciIiles 10 enable us TO handle
freight us cheaply as AT baltimore. Philadelphia Bos
and Portland. As means TO that end advocate
The immaculate OF the Belt Railroad tor tho
Ter ofJreignt around our water front provided
. for In the ordinance now under consideration. We
merchants regard the time havIns come whcn
private interests shouiu be allowed stanu IN the
way OF so great public need. We isel that this Is
something tGat our city cun do 10 help itself, and
thai no timo snou Id 90 lost 10 doing IT, other cities
have spen, millions 10 elect the objects sought the
use OF tins road tor freight purposes IN connection
win III. great truux huss OF ra,roaos Terminating
tuis port Mr.. Vanderbilt states that tho of
handling Ireightiu our city Is ssventyave cents
Ton IN excess oil what is paid at riva' ports Now,
wnaL.v.r We can save IN TINS respect just much
addtional Inducements Tor freight TO seek CITY.
Tbs want OF proper iaciltles, above ALLUDED to. has.
Grand TO Roosevelt street, contiguous 10 tne water
front, 10 less than II was thirty-hve 10
water front lies opon for great and rapid improve
mens If we will ouiy adopt the use OF the Beit Rail-
ruad tor freight purposes. Lot cast his eye along
The East RIVER aud observe tue warehouses; tbat have
become almost usrl-ss--tnc larger amount OF prop
erty ina, Is either unoccupird or used ior purposes
ubrrontaOie To the OWners-tnat wouid quickly be
prontabiy utilized IL THIS plan were once adopted
luke, ir exsnipe, the large warehouses at and near
Coriears Hook. Suppose railroad trucks connecting
the great Westera railroads into these
stores or tneir wnarves tnat ship could then
cargo IRON Chicago or any otner
part oil the West at once that ignborhood would
vccome centre oI activity, freight would go there
that now goes TO other ciies ana what applies to
that locality applies wItn greater or less iorcs
wnvlc water front Regard the matter as you may,
rentemep: cry peace as mucn us YOU Will: other
cies seeking our trade, the o competition IS
upon us, and II we do not meet II with the wise uI
iziiion OF our natural advantages we shall make man
lie our ""ltness TO compete ior metropolitan su-
premary, w.ch We claim 10 have | Will close my
rem 'fks III the hope that what we shall give utter
subject deinands.
THE NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION SPEAK.
Mr. William o. Mcdowell Of tue New Jersey Asso-
ciation sand that unless We brought the vessel,
warehouse and tie railroad together We should lose
much oi our commerce. Whatever hcped the growth
oil New York helped all that around her. II it
were impossible TO chearcn the commerce In Now
York, New jersey was ready TO do ali she could In
that dire ;ton
% Cham her Cf
marked t. al our terminal iaciItics were INFERIOR 10
that of all other American cities He read The pettiop
asking Tor the proposed privileges, which had
signed by hundreds oil ury goods merchants, wnoit-
groeer-, gsnorencn pilots STEAMBOAT aud
others The oI this petition nave already been
puUshed Mr. lhulber coptnucu by stating that when
tue subject came up last year II was coinparativey
new. since then many persons who had opposed IL
were no" IN isvor Oi Ia" project. HIS urn had been
compciied during the past year send goods to
Bosor, BaltimVre, aud even 10 New Orleans, IN pref.
erchec To New iofE lucy also had under CONSIDER
htlon The establishment oi branch house IN the
ccntrc OF the country. There could vc no suDslan-
tal obJcrtion TO t1c prnntBg OF sucn privilege
tue pc ition sugge~ict. could be 80 guarded that
,hcrc cuud ue 90 abuse. The speaker then answered
ouections az 10 DiocEs. up tue streets wan Ircisht
cars, pontig out tue act that tue request was only
nude pcrInlssoE L, run cars between nine the
evcuIn- stx O'CLOCK ~ the morning.
Alderman Wuenncr askcn wGere they proposed TO
Keep the cars III ,us u9y line.
1 lhurDer read fivnl ior,nsr report, jn which IL
hal bccu proposed 10 run tbem mo freight depots
nUd only moved DIg:h. One important place
disposlug Oi tuen wouid ue ou tb' piers.
ME ArSTIss KEMAKks
Mr Robert AUSTIN, member ot the TnamDer OF
Commerce, SAID lhal Tor Tho as nIty years New YORK
bnd Attempted TO Keep pace. witn tue improvements
of tne age tue princpii city Ol the North Auer-
can contincuL lhe mann questions now were to
VINO shoulu 40 the business. who should handle the
products aud WINS retain the preciniucnce a
scaDoard city, New YORK would De np,Iicd 10 give
this piIvnesco. uaiDg steam IN orucr retaIv her
trade
Mr.. jackson. :. schultz made II lengthy speech, in
winch he gave ua his opinion lnat New York haa
seen lis paimivst days. IL might continue to Do
great money centre; ~ distributing cOmercal crL
tTc u had unuOuUtcu,y los; us prsstigc
RAILROAD MOxOPvLfts
Mr Robert y. 81 arms, s"stvn ruhant also spoke
In favor llt project. tn. stuatIou New York as
scasurL amIy htted her Tor large prantaue uus-
in,ss. rllc great important Inc trans, or .,ton
from NV YORK 10 CnicdgO was tue New YORK Central
I.alir. al. nc oi thr country was
xe, TO pay divrrn,ls on tue wntcrcd stock oI tins
cUrlioruticn ne ndvis, his hearers help through
tho reorgun ZilIon the Ere Railway as "A Coipeti.
WIN Central Nj. Stcarns also adj vcat ed
tte vwuersl,,p % pusiic y. Tho state