The New York herald., 1879-08-29
ALMOST RUINED.
Further Discoveries in Regard to the
Dumping Nuisance.
CHANNELS SHOALING EVERYWHERE
The North River Damaged hy Deposits
from City Sewers


Initiating the example of the Pilot Commissioners,
the Dock Commissioners held meeting yestcpday
to investigate the charges made against the steam
tug Alanson SUMNER accused OF violating .he State
laws by dumping mud and refuse inside the point
hxed as the prohibitory limit The meeting was
held In the Board room, ut noon. Commissioners
vsnderpoel and Dimock conducted the case. as
sisted by Mr.. Lynch. secretary. and Mr.. Green.
chief engineer of the department. Captain Con-
way. the Pilot Commissioners inspector. said that
he had not yet got his evidence in shape. He in
formed the Commissioners that the HERALD re-
porter had made charges against the tugs. and would
be usod In company with others. as a witness. Cap
tain Conway very indignant that the outraees
had been allowed to 60 SO long unpublished. He
said that when the charges were proved the Union
Dredging Company should be made to pay the full
penalty for their unlawful act. Tho point at which
the ofYenos had been committed was on limo be-
tween buoy No. l6 and the hospital ship. Captain
Conway then stated that he had detected the tug
Webster, of the Union Dredging Company. dumping
on three separate occasions near Fort Wadsworth.
AN EXPLANATION.
This led to an explanation from Commissioner
vanderpoel. who said that the Department OF Docks
desired to the harbor restored, and that the
HERALps expose would probably lead to the dredg-
formerly the This would give them direct con-
troll OF the boats and scows message then
ceived from the Union Company. stating that the
manager not present they could not appear to
answer the charges. On receipt of this news the
investigation was postponed. Complaints
ceived from the Albany Towing Company against
ferry companies being allowed to let loose timber
Goat from their slips. The paddle wheels of the
river steamers had been seriously injured lately
from this cause. The complaints referred to
the Pilot Commissioners. The meeting then ad-
journed.
matter has come to light within q few days past
which assumes the shape of personal controversy
between the Pilot and Dock departments. fow
days ago DR.. Ambrose Snow, Of the Pilot Commits
soners. informed HERALD representative that last
year suit was begun against the Union Dredging
Company. "The Dock Department after short
tine.'' he said. notified us that they would not
hold the moneys due the Union Dredging Company
amy longer. We were consequently obliged to COM
promise for less than one-fourth OF tho original
sum sued for" Dock Commissioner Vanderpoel
said to the reporter that the statement was
false. No such communication had ever been
sent, and any statement to the contrary was q
groundless fabrication. AS this very plain
way Of putting the case the reporter interviewed
am surprised said he '.that Mr.. Vanderpoel should
deny having refused to back in case last
he himself makes misstatement when he says that
going to continue payments am almost certain
that the Secretary OF the Board has copy Of the let
ter file, IL not the original document"
FURTHER OFFENCES
Ever since the agitation OF tho harbor question
by the HERALD offences have been committed. The
loose management OF the city authorities is illus
trated by tue following telegram from the agent of
the Maritime Association at City Island Long Island
Sound:-
CRY ISLAM, +. l.. August 2s, 1879.
Thoro has been lately number Of scows loaded with
Point. Tho Frank ItdKeOu unlOaded tho
2h inst Tss greater % OF n, Gs Jumping don. At
fa!hos four and the anchorage ground ut City
The owner OF the tug Frank Pidgeon has written
to this office stating that his tug is not employed by
the Police or Dock department. and that II any
offence committed it though ignorance alone.
A gentleman whose name is we'll known said yester-
day -''There should be q law preventing any solid
matter from being emptied into the harbor from the
sewers. It should be utilized with the street
garbage in fertilizng the country Look at>Iong
Island. near the outer bay. The soil is barren
So nDsS. 5 Why know lots Of A'pss people 'os Mno
receptacle for this solid flth. There is dock be.
tween piers No. 40 aud Al North River thats foul
from drainage that 1t can hardly be used. II a
vessel lies in the dock twentyfour hours 1t needs
repainting. This is the result OF drain emptying
into the water. SO shameful evil should not be
allowed to exist. The dock at the foot OF West
Eleventh used to be splendid one, but it Is
now shallow that oven canal barge cannot lie
there at low tide There are too many officials aud
too little work done. The Police and Dock Com
missioners have repeatedly been petitoned to have
the abuses abatcd. Now that they are caught no
mercy should be shown thom.
WHERE THE GREAT EAsTERN LANDED.
Whom the Great Eastern came to this city in 1860
considerable trouble was experienced in finding
pier suitable for her. The one at West Eleventh
street WAS finally aelecteu ~ tho finest in the
harbor. 1t deepcned at cost OF $4,000 and the
monster steamship made hor landing safely. To-
day the dock In 50 illcd up with mud that there
not more than seven feet of water. Tho dock in
question Is the largest in New York.
Not only are the docks OF the North River being
destroyed but the whole stream itself is gradually
and systematically being rendered unnavigabie.
The numerous quarr.cs which line the banks OF tho
hudson have tor years been III the habit OF throwing
all their refuse and stone clippings out into the
river. This tor time almost stopped navigation.
Then the river was diked by United States commits
sioner and state law was passed prohibiting the
failed to the ground. Last year MIR. Maclay
president OF tho knickerbocker Ice Company, used
lis influence to have The act amended that
dumping could take place except bshnd substantial
bulk heads On Tuesday. the 18th inst, passenger
on the steamer City OF Hudson saw stone chips
being dumped into the river between Four Milo
Point aud Coxsackie. Tho United States survey
made In 1865 Shows that the main depth OF tho
channel was then twenty-tour feet. AT present
boats drawing more than eight feet have hard
work to get up the river. The x danger is that
the stone bars which forming will spoil the inn
provements made by diking few years ago a
OF millions OF dollars. There to b, no officer
who has any special business to prevent these out
rages.
n Nrff,lt