The New York herald., 1879-12-12
FOR THE HARBOR'S PROTECTION.


YORK DAY-yIEws OF THE MAYOR AND
OFFICIALS CONCERNED.
The introduction of the New York Harbor bill in
Congress Wednesday by Senator conlSling created
decided sensation in this city throughout mari
time and commercial circles yesterday That tie
crct of bringing about this reform due solely to
the HERALD not denied by any In the face
of it's investigations and exposures coupled with
the legal data in the matter. it puzzle
to many interested parties to understand
how serious breaches OF the law had so
long been permitted to When
the facts presented the members of the depart
ment concerned made answer that they were him
dered by lack of authority. They claimed that the
State laws the subject were too vague on the
question of their jurisdiction and that the class Of
refuse prohibited had not been specified clearly or
succnctly. Although Attorney General Schoon-
macher agreed with the HERALD that there abun-
dant ground for the prosecution of the guilty
officials and sufficient authority conferred on the
Shore Inspector perform the duties of his Office.
still action taken. When the HERALD expo
made Governor Robinson. however.
ordered Mr. Hopkins to appear before him to answer
charges of official misdemeanor.
In order to avoid any possibility Of excuse for der
ELECTION of duty it was then suggested that the
United States authorities should take charge Of the
whole question Of dumping refuse in the harbor.
As it has jurisdiction the entire wall no
complications. it was argued could possibly
power to act. The bili presented by Mr.. ConEiins
provides that refuse shall be dumped within five
miles of Coney Island or Sandy Hook This point is
just a mile outside of the limit fixed by the
Pilot Commissioners bill. which failed to pass
Albany last winter. line drawn on the chart
directly from Long Branch to Far Rockaway crosses
the point inside OF which it will be illegal to dump
refuse 1t is just two miles inside Of tho outer light
the ebb and how tides OF New York Bay. and none OF
it, it believed would return to the city create
nuisance on tho beach at Coney Island and Rock
away. But the foul matter would not. it is
feared. be thoroughly disposed Of even then.
The Gulf Stream passes upward at the rate
of about three miles an hour and the
counter current settling southwark along the coast
has nearly one-third Of that momentum. The refuse
would be dumped in the portion OF this current
which sets southwesterly. Consequently. the mat
ter would be strewn thcky along the coast OF Jersey
to the injury of all the small towns on the coast.
According to information given to HERALD
porter by an EXPERT the only way to carry the dump
ings out to effectively is to carry them out be-
yond the ligntship. where theywould work into the
current of the Gulf Stream and disappear forever.
OFFICIAL VIEWS
reporter visited the Office of the Pilot Commfs-
sioners yesterday to learn how Mr.. Conkling's meas
ure received. President Ambrose Snow was at
Washington, representing the Board of Trade but
will his influence to have the harbor bill passed.
Mr. d. A. Nash the secretary of the Bo ard informed
the reporter that the Commissioners not
II attribute it," said he "to Mr.. John g. Schu-
maker, who has been very much interested
in the matter, and has worked actively to
measure. OF course nothing could have been done
in this direction If tho HERALD had not made such
prodigious effort to the harbor from destruc-
tion 1t is proof OF the tremendous power of the
press when exercised in the right direction As for
the bill ITSELF think 1t is excellent The United
States government the only power that had
enough authority to prevent the ruin OF New York
to overstep their powers or The
tenor of the bill is identical with that Of the
bill which the steamboat men defeated at Albany
last year. The only means by which tie provisions
of the bill could be carried out would be by the
use of the steam hopperbostom barges bin has
been drawn up. asking the State Legislature for an
appropriation to build these vessels and will be pre-
sented at the next session.
SPECIAL OFFICERS NEEDED.
Captain Conway, the harbor inspector. said that he
| was delighted that such prominent man Mr.
Conkling had taken up the movement and was about
corps Of special officers to enforce the laws
would operate well. Nothing desirable
tho form Ukited states governments deputies thsre
| could be no doubt as to the result Captain Conway
in the language of the bill through which offenders
could escape. He admitted that the refuse would be
carried away by the coast current. but thought IT
| Shore Inspector Hopkins stated to the reporter
that the proposed law covered all the ground neces
| sary to protect the harbor and bay from the en-
croachments made upon 1t by careless steamship
| men and reckless officials. when vent TO Albany
| to answer the charges made against found that
the whole evidence against me was concentrated
to provo that the Street Cleaning and
Dock departments had dumped in the bay
the original permit. Governor Robinson. after con-
| sidering my care--'-'. decided that l had
| Commissioners. was suggested. although he was
| fully convinced of their guilt Consequently
| the charges were dismissed. think the whole
country is under obligations to the HERALD for the
fearless and mastery manner in which 1t exposed the
abuses which have nearly closed up New York from
| the commerce OF Europe and the world. The new
| bill is Just what Is wanted to put stop to every
thing tending to close up the cha channels
| Office will be, any the less necessary as
the state and general government can cooperate in
hshng the violstors OF the law. There is one weak
| the money will come from for the salaries of the
special harbor police But in all other respects tho
bill is perfect. All We need now Is an appropriation
from the State Legislature for sufficient money to
construct steam barges which the street sweep
ngs and clip dredg;ngs can be towed out to sea- At
present there are no violations occurring that we
know Of. The severe lesson given the offenders by
the HERALD will not soon be forgotten"
Commissioner Marshall stated that he was taken
by surprise at the presentation OF the new bill Of
Mr.. Conkling. He was confident that it would pass
THE MAYORS OPINION.
Mayor Cooper said to the reporter that he had
not been consulted by Mr. Conklng as to the adj
sad hs 0. of any measure which viii save
New York harbor from being closed up
Is the New mos; York ssy and "s
have the support Of all the business men
aud citizens" The Mayor. in answer to an inquiry
cheapest disposition OF tho refuse Of the city, said
that several plans had been submitted to him. He
in favor OF increasing the apparatus OF the
city for that purpose but had not fully considered
the subject yet. The hopper bargcs required
dumping boards similar to coal "shutes.
A large number OF these dumps would savo
great deal of expense in carriage when the refuse
was gathered But the expense OF erecting these
dumps the rents of the dock they would occupy
were be considered ON tho other hand. Besides.
the theory of utilizing the waste and garbage for
fertilizing land had not yet been refuted Mr.
Cooper however. would not commit himself as in
favor Of either plan until some formal action was
taken by the city authorities to make n selection
The Dock ommissioncrs declared themselves in
favor of the passage Of the harbor bil as 1t would
relieve them from the responsibility OF prosecuting
their contractors and would settle all questions Of
jurisdiction. A number Of shipping merchants were
interviewed and the feeling was found to be ono of
intense satisfaction that Congress was about to come
to the relief Of the shipping and commercial inter-
ests of New York. It was asserted that the North
Atlantic Steam Traffic Conference supporting
tho bil and that it WIS presented at its request.
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