New-York tribune., 1879-12-11
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE CENTRADs NEW PIERS.


VISIT OF THE DOCK AND SINKING FUND coMMis-
sIoNRRs TO THE WAREHOUSE AND ELEVATOR
Two piers built by the New York Central Rail-
road and the proposed pier at Sixty-hfth ST.. were
made the subject of special inquiry yesterday by
the Sinking Fund Commissioners. Soon after p.
m. the Mayor the Controller the Chamberlain and
the two Dock Commissioners-Messrs.D Dimock and
vanderpoel-accompanied by Assistant Engineers
Nichols and Kidd, embarked on the Dock Depart
ment tug-the Manbattan-at the loot oi Chanoers
ST.. and steamed up the North River Mr. Greene
the engineer and chief of the Dock Department
who is said to have given the only authority which
il ever received TO the New York Central Railroad
Comnany TO alter the plans of construction of the
piers NJ the foot of Sxtythird and Sixtyfonrth sts
was al the Office of The Dock Department IN the
morning, hut dld not accompany the eNpeuition'
He was reported TO be sick.
The party examined the new steamship piers as
the Manhattan passed them. but no halt was inaue
until the Central Railroad warehouse pier az eHS
foarth-st was reached. Here the party dlsenpath,u
and made a careful inspection of this pier ana the
one at the foot of SiNty-third-st, on whicn 'iie
grain elevator is built. The two piers are hnilt al
an angle of about go degrees, with the bulkhcad
line inclining down the stream These are the only
piers buit ON either river front when are NOT aI
tight angles with the hulkhead line. lhe pier
wsich fhe comnany proposes to build at the foot OF
Sixty ST. iS to beon line Win thoSc a,raui
built. If consent can be obtained from '"S pVOA
Department and the Commissioners oil thc SINKING
Fund. c-....... o...,.;,,od
that when i'm 1874 application was made to the old
Commission by the railroad company TO build two
piers at SiXty-third and SiXty-fOnrth SIS, no au
thoritv was given IL 10 build except In lne with
the streets and when 1t deyiated from this plan y
dd so at IFS own risk, and subject To the refusal OF
the Dock Department AMI the Cominlssioners OF the
Sinking Fund to approve the plan. Nhen 'he con-,
pany applied recently for lease of the ground
under water above Sixty-hfth-St and presented
pau for proposed pier at the foot of that street
The present Dock Commissioners inquired into the
o,I lIt
approved above Sixty-tirst-st., and sent the
plans from SXty-trst TO SiXly,hith-sts; TO
fLe Sinking Fund Commission. Ihe railroad
COMPANY had acquired the ownership Of the land TO
the bulkhcad line from SiXty-second TO SlXtN-SeN-
enth-st., and OF the ground under water netWeeh
Sixty-third and Sixty-iourth-sts., and between
SixtV-ffih and SiXty-seyenth-sts.; and IN 1871 II
obtained from the city lease OF all the ground un-
der wafer not already owned by 1t between Sixty
second and Sxty-hitl-sts. Ii was therefore main-
famed that the inclination of the piers from the
bnikhead line, and their width 100 feet instead OF
75 feet as specified by the law of 1eOS, were not
i'm violation of any law or right, since the railroad
company held in fee by lease all the land under
water covered by its piers
listened 10 all that said, and asked many ques-
tiOns. but expressed no opinions Mmle Ill the
elevator the party was joined by NJ LnnceG
who explained that the piers had been built as they
had been IN order 10 obtain longer curve for the
railway tracks leading into them. They were also
more convenient of access TO steamers coming mp
the river. and they were less obstructcd
by lee, winch Ill tn1t part ol INC iNti
Is very troublesome in Winter. He said
that the company would have 10 submit
to any conditions that the Sinking Fund Comnls-
sioncrs might impose upon it in building its new
pier; but urged that il doing much TO build up
the business of the city. He added that Application
would probably be made from time to time for piers
up as far as 72d-st
COMMISSIONER Dimock pointed out to tho Sink
Ing Fund Commissioners that both the piers OF the
Central Railroad wereso constructed as to canse
little if any, more obstruction TO the n)w OF the
tide than If they had been built at right angles TO
the buklead line.
The application of the company will probably be
acted upon at the next meeting of the Sinking Fund
Commissioners. The Dock Commissioners VIII
take no action the value of the lease until the
decision to the plan.