The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-12

| Bureau of Engineers for transmission to
| Congress Colonel Newton has SO long
been in charge of the Improvements in the
navigable waters which surround our city
and has discharged his duties with such
admirable ability and fidelity that he has
come to be regarded as the highest au-
thority on all questions connected with
this important subject. During the pres
ent year nothing has been accomplished SO
striking and brilliant as the mining ana
explosion of the He'll Gate rocks; but great
engineering feats of that kind are not to be
expected as a part Of the everyday routine
of Colonel Newton's work. The report shows
that he has not been inactive. He has been
laying, with great diligence, the foundation
for progress next year in breaking up the
remaining reefs and deepening to the pre-
scribed twenty-six feet the channel OF COM
munication between New York Harbor and
Long Island Sound The original estimate
for these improvements was SIS, 139, 100, of
which 50. 53S, 200 has already been appro-
priated, and s2,084. I'll actually expended.
Only $197, 975 has been expended during
the year preceding the date of the report,
leaving on hand for future work $3.50. $50.
The estimate for the next fiscal year is
$450.000. The total amount required for
the completion of the improvement is
$2,615,07S. When the work is donev YES
sells Of the deepest draught may seek the
ocean through the Sound with as much
safety as through the Narrows.
For the last year or two our citizens have
felt deep interest in the projected cut or
canal for connecting the Hudson and Har-
lem rivers. Money enough has been
appropriated by Congress for vigor-
Gus beginning, but none OF it can
as yet be touched owing to difficulties con-
nected with the right of way. Congress
appropriated 100000 toward this canal
in 1873 and added 100000 at the last
session, making $780, 900 available for inn
mediate use as soon as preliminaries are
settled. The hitch lies in a proviso at
tached to the appropriation forbiddirg the
expenditure Of any Of the money until
the right of way is secured to the United
States free of expense.
There seemed at first vague expectation
would make voluntary gift of the strip
required Tor the bed of the canal. This
vain expectation has been the source of de-
lay. It is hardly in human nature to give
what can be sold. Although the adjoining
property was sure to be benefited, each
owner would not be benefited in proper
ton to his gift, and the greatest benefit
would in many instances fall to
neighboring owners who should give
nothing; as. for example, when mans
boundary just touched the edge Of
the canal on one side, the whole excavation
being made from the land Of his neighbor
Other obstacles were encountered, which
did not arise out of the mere will of owners.
1t was found that portion Of the property
is held in trust for minors and that the
trustees have no legal right to alien
ate it. Colonel Newton had the land all
surveyed and map prepared, and he adj
dressed letter to each owner or his legal
representative. The responses were SO very
few as to convince him that there was no
chance of acquiring the right of way by
that method. although the adjoining prop
erty would be benefited ten times the value
of the solicited gift.
Nothing then remained but to apply to
the Legislature of the State for authority
to take the land for public use, with proper
compensation to the owners. This is what
should have been done at the outset as
means Of avoiding delay. Neither the
State nor the city will have to pay any
damages, since it is simple justice to assess
the value of the land taken on the neigh
boring owners, whose property will be
enhanced far beyond the amount of their
assessments All that is required of the
State is the grant of authority and an
equitable estimate of damages and dis
tribution Of assessments. This the Legis-
lature has provided for. BY an act passed
last May authority is given to the Supreme
Court to appoint commissioners for making
the necessary appraisements and assess
ments, the assessments being required to
be sufficient to compensate the owners
of the property taken and to defray
all the expenses of the proceed
ings. Since the passage Of this act
further surveys have been made, and maps
are in preparation with detailed descrip-
tons of every piece of property in any way
affected by the proposed cut, to be submit
ted to the Supreme Court. This is re.
quisite before the commissioners can be
appointed. The estimated cost of the cut
is little more than two million dollars fol
channel fifteen feet in depth.
Another subject discussed by Colonel
Newton in his report is the expediency Of
constructing breakwatcrs in the vicinity
of Rockaway and Coney Island to diminish
the violence of the waves and facilitate en-
trance to the harbor in storms Of great Sc
verify, and also the construction OF harbors