The New York herald., 1879-07-03
ERIE'S NEW STEAMSHIP BASIN.

THE IMPROVEMENTS IN PROGRESS AT PAvoNIA-
VAST DOCK, LONG wHARvEs AND coLos-
SAL GRAIN ELEvAToR-MoRE COMPETITION
FOR THROUGH EUROPEAN FREIeHTs.
The Erie Railroad. in conjunction with Mr.. Jesse
Hoyt at last enters the lists of competition for
through European freights with the Pennsylvania
and the New York Central roads. There is now in
rapid process construction at Pavonia one of the
finest steamship basins in the United States. in con-
nection with what will be the most colossal grain
elevator so far erected in the world. The work has
been progressing steadily since April last AHERAID
reporter found army of laborers toing in blaze
of sunlight whole feet of steam dredges.
pile drivers, scows and tugboats are en-
ployed in the work of Improvement. and
the air was vocal with a medley of noises,
from the ring of the stonecutter's hammer
and cbisel to the loud buzzng of the circular saw
and steam plane and the ratting thunder OF the pile
driver. The scene of the improvements Is south OF
the Pavonia ferry the Jersey shore. Between
the ferry and the wharf occupied by the White Star
Steamship Company previous to the removal Of
their landing place to New York is dock at present
occupied by Funch Edge Il Co.'s lines of Rotterdam.
Amsterdam and Antwerp steamers. Back of this
dock was formerly shallow noisome BASIN whose
waters defled by the waste OF the abattoirs flowed
through narrow channel spanned by primitive
drawbridge, into the dock and thence to the North
River The only craft which utilized this basin
small canal and cattle boats. Before the year
is out their places will be occupied by steam
ers and grain ships. Where few months ago
lighter drawing four feet of water stirred the mud
at the bottom the vessels of deepest draught which
enter the harbor will be able to float.
The new basin, from the end OF the old White Star
pier to its inner extremity, will be about 16OO feet
deep. It's width will be over 200 feet At low tide
the depth OF water will be 90 feet. This is a foot
more than the low water depth at Sandy Hook bar
Three steam dredges are now employed excavating
the bottom labor of no little difficulty.
NEARLY COMPLETED
The southern boundary of the basin formed by tho
long wharf on the centre or which the elevator will be
erected. The expenses Of construction borne by
Jesse Hoyt who also holds long lease OF the White
Star pier. The railroad undertakes the building
of the remainder Of the wharfage necessary to en-
close the basin. The Hoyt pier is now nearly COM
pleted and is one of the most massive and substan
tial erectons Of its in this country. The build
ers are Messrs Guidet White. The length of the
wharf from its commencement to its junction with
the old White Star pier is ITO feet 1t ia Of varying
width For distance of 205 feet from the old pier it
is 60 feet wde Thence for $50 increases 125 feet
the elevator will be built is lsl feet across At its
shore end the wharf expands in order to permit the
necessary curves to the railroad tracks by angle
piece. which makes 1t at its junction with the Erie
section 145 feet wide. The wharf is built on piles
driven three feet centres, massvely braced with
triple strngers of the heaviest description and soy
foored. The supporting timbers close to-
gether as to form almost one mass. The piles are
of pine and driven. unpointed. to the bed
rock. Most of the tmbers came from Michigan.
The wharf timbers all prepared the spot.
The sheds of the old White Star wharf have been
converted into machine shop. Six thousand kegs
of nails are piled against the walls. Machinery and
iron work crowd the vast space, leaving scarcely
room to move about The section Of the wharf de-
voted to the great elevator is constructed on the
most solid plan in view OF the tremendous burden
1t Is destined to support
ELEVATOR.
The elevator Will be 37l feet long The buildings
for the machinery will extend IS feet further. 1t
will be 80 feet wide on the ground floor. The bin
floor will have width of 80 feet The height of the
building from frat floor to peak will be Isl feet.
There will be $50 grain bins. each 50 feet deep.
measuring 1lx13 feet; 12O will 5x11 feet and
2A0 5x6 The capacity OF the elevator will be about
q million and quarter bushels All the machinery
will be of the newest model and many novel i'm
provements will be introduced.
Two lines Of track down the centre of the build
ing will enable cars to enter Under each track will
be series of largo iron tanks. These will be en-
bedded between the foundation piers and will be
twelve feet deep They are to be set two together.
with open pier intervening between each COM
mon pier. There will be twenty-five tanks in all.
Into these the grain will be dumped from the cars
and from them carried up to the bins. Twenty
will be discharged in i've minutes 1t s calculated
to elevate CO. 900 bushels an hour.
Two engines OF 5o0-horse power each will furnish
motive power for the machinery. The lower floor
of the elevator will be walled with brick. Above,
beginning at tho bin floor, the building will be of
iron plates sheathed with wood The roof will be OF
corrugated iron. The chimney will be erected on
sixteen feet deep stone foundation and will be $50
feet high fourteen feet square at the base,
the top, octagonal in shape and capped with iron.
Outside the elevator two lines OF tracks,
each side Of the structure. will enable to
the entire length of the new wharf, The wharf on
the basin side the elevator building will be twenty
one feet wide 1t Is along this wharf that the deep
draught ocean vessels will lie. On the south side OF
the building will be wharf seventeen feet wide The
shallower water here Is calculated to float canal boats
and other small craft whose movements would
otherwise interfere with those of the seagoing ships
COMMUNICATION WITH THE RAILROAD.
The OF the old White Star wharf 10 at pres
ent some four feet lower than the now pier. 1t is
to be raised and covered in with freight Sheds When
this is completed the Erie will have q level run
of quarter of mile from the Abattoir bridge
to the end Of the pier and freight will be transferred
cost of the wharf and elevator is S75000O. Directly
the wharf Is finished work will be begun on the ee-
vator.
The improvement of the northern boundary of the
basin is the work of the New York. Lake Erie and
Western Improvement Company It will consist
primarily OF wharf similar plan to the one
described. The contracts have been made, but
work cannot be commenced till the dredging of that
portion of the basin is completed. The wharf is to
sustain freight houses. 500xl50 feet stories
high and with capacity for storing $4,000 tons Of
freight Double tracks will be laid the length OF the
pier.
The necessity OF this additional space is best DEM
onstrated by the fact that Funch. Edge 4 Co. at
steamers in this city for lack Of mooring space ut
thair dack