The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-17
TERMINAL FACILITIES.

SECOND SESSION OF THE ALDERMANIc LAW
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF THE ADVOCATES
AND OPPONENTS OF STEAM ON THE BELT
ROAD.
Another two hours session of the Law Committee
OF the Board OF Aldermen held ut the City Hall
yesterday afternoon Tor the purpose OF giving oppo
nents and advocates OF the proposition 10 nso steam
on the Bolt Railroad for transfer OF freight an
opportunity OF being heard Additional petitions
10 support OF the scheme sent from the iol-
lowing bodies: = Maritime Exchange, Produce Elk.
change, ship carpenters ana caulkors. tow boatmen
and pilots Fulton Wholesale Fish Market, longshore-
men. cartmen, hide and leather dealers. insurance
companies, banks and Boat owners ASSOCIATION.
Mr.. N. A. Shipman was the first speaker In oppo..
sition. He represented some OF the property owners
on Finy-nin,n street This is one OF tho streets
covered by the Belt Line. He thought the grade
would interfere With the of In this locality
Another objection urged was that Fity-ninth street
being the southery boundary OF the Central Park Il
would be unadvisabe TO interfere with IN any way
Owners Of p,opsry on mi. this ,e0roasnass pad
for lots Fiftyeghth street They understood that
nuisance would be permitted In that quarter
Their assessments, too, were more than doubled for
improvements in the vicinity. Sir. Shipman only op.
posed tho resolution SO Tar as It affected Fifty ninth
stroct.
yoRK's COMMERCIAL PROSPERITY
Mr. H. q. Gardiner proposed to stand up for tho
commercial prosperity oil New York. He furnished
statistics as 10 the reception OF bushels Of gram by
the lake cities IN 1850 and 1862 II Was conceded that
New York was losing her trade. She had not
have gone to Maryland, Delaware, Boston and other
places Tho business OF Now York was commerce
uss steam as suggested Sno Would ,p,urS
this commerce very materially From 1900 down TO
1860 the population wa, increased about .wenty,esht
teen per cent No such other instance OF loss was
found in the history OF the world. Our rail.
roads decreased, while the Pennsylvania and
Baltimore and ONO roads had Increased In
business. The main cause Tor decrease OF trade In
New York was stated be the high cost OF handling
goods alter arrival among uscost Of transportation
injury TO goods during transportation ana cost
OF storing them. The Central road handled
less than 1000 600 tons Of freight In the year. while
the 90 900 carlmen carried over eleven million tons
during the period. The proposition was 10 per-
wnere did all the balance of 100000 OF
freight 60 TO which were taken from the
They wore brought to warehouses in narrow streets
and other places There were great many ques-
tons to DO considered IN this connect'op. Mr.
Gardiner during his argument stated he was
ready to prove that the condition Of the
wharves kept Tweed IN powcr for many years.
certain was up for consideration In Albany
which affected Tweed. Tho wharf thieves raised
$50 O0O and sent II up the river Tor the purpose OF
defeating the bill and they succeeded The speaker
then went on to argue that tho wharf, tue railroad
depot and the warehouse should be brought together
That was tho way 10 lesson tho cost Of transporta-
ton. The trade OF New York could not DO brought
back by running freight cars over tho Belt Railroad
aud sending steam engines through our crowded
Mr. W Niles was not in favor of'giving this priv.
ilege any private corporation on tho ground that
1t was wanted Tor the public good. He cautioned
tho committee against awarding any further privileges
10 companies or corporations. They should weigh
and examine carefully what they proposed to 49, II
anything done to facilitates terminal facilities II
should be done by tue city authorities, who repre-
Bented the people.
Mr. II.
favor OF this plan had adopted theory which would
ultimately tend 70 decrease instead Of increase inc
In the metropolis was TO systomatize things
No one can tell where warehouses are. steamer
boat What was the necessity of dragging down freight
cars to the lower end Of tho city 10 probably
a single warehouse There should be dividing line
In this connection. Tho business OF this city
stretched across the whole length of tho island.
There should DO FREQ access to the water front
Although the railroads asked permission to run their
freight at different hours oil tho night did any
Imagine they would keep within this provision IN tho
proposed ordnance? No ever heard Of q
railroad corporation In This city living exactly
up " It's contract with the municipal
thoritics Ii the freight cars hay the tracks and
blocked up the streets for any length OF time hun
drcds OF thousands OF dollars would DO lost. Get
blockade IN West street and hundreds OF people
who had goods TO ship would be seriously tmpeded.
The commerce Of this city had been growing
aud expanding Tor years until II had got into grand
blockade of the freight weeks might elapsc be-
fore remedies were applied. Application might
bel made 10 the Mayor; ne could refer them
the Police COMMIT ssi0ners, The latter to the De-
partmeit OF Public Works, and from this quarter to
the Board Of Health. resolution might finally be
passed by the last body which would give the
necessary relief but what would become Of the inter-
ests affected In the rneanwhiley Mr.. Cornell con-
cuded by calling the attention OF the committee TO the
great importance OF the subject before them for
sideration.
Mr.. Ii. A. Mott appeared on behalf of q number Of
carmen He stated that he neld petition from that
interest which had received over one thou
sand signatures. They asked That tho whole
matter be laid over for two weeks in order
to give opportunity for more fully discus
sing the subject Mr.. Mott also stated that he ap-
peared there behalf Of number OF uptown prop
erty owners and opposed the idea OF running the
through Fifty ninth street, that the Central Park
might not be interiered with
The committee adjourned TO meet again Thurs
day next.