New-York tribune., 1884-03-08
IMPORTANT TERMINAL IMPROVEMENTS.
WHAT THE BRIDGING OF THE NARROws AND sTATEN
ISLAND SOUND MAY BRING ABOUT.


| ISLAND SOUND MAY BRING About
To the EdttOr or The TrfBUHe.
SIR: II has been apparent for some time
past that enterprise marking ont district for
improvement in the herbOr OF New York. The rapid
transit scheme for Staten Island comprising the railroad
already operated to TOttenvilo. the southern
trenity of the island and tracks 20 be extended
along the north shore to point opposite Elizabeth.
geher with swift and frequent ferry service to New
York. evidently only plan for terminal railway
In embryo. That such the true view Of the enter
prise recently been made clear by application %
Congress charters for bridges staten
Island Sound, one at Perth AmbOy where connection
may be- made with the Lehh Valley road. and the other
Elizabeth the point OF intersection between the Penn
ylvania Railroad and the Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad, the leased tracks OF the Central Railroad
or Ncw-Jcrsey II would difficult overestimate the
Importance OF this undertaking the future direction OF
harbOr improvements II is notorious among shippers
that New-YOrk City s failing TO supply warehouse
c0mmodations for commerce a scale commensurate
with the commercial growth OF the port and. conse
quence. trade IL drifting to other localities Brooklyn
has TINS principal gamer the defective
mcho OF handling merchandise in this city. She has
barely than mile OF unimprOyed waterfront
remaining within her municipal limits; and according to
present indications, the LEFT flank or her commercial line
battle will rest at Bay Ridge. The recently
ported Improvement below Gowanus Bav-seyeral hun
dred acres in extent according the statement viii
nearly close the remaining gap that enterprise must
begin look for fresh fields Of adventure The signs Of
on awakening Staten Island many and various.
Waterfront property there has thrown OF rs traditional
inertia, and marked out for improvement Is beginning
TO change hands rapidly ana good figures. This is
section OF our harbor that have been erected
especially for the service OF commerce Separated from
the mainland ut Elizabeth by channel Ouy about four
hundred broad the available water front extends
from this point continuous line about nine milcsto
Clifton. deep enough at any point after elohing Lin
Park two miles from Elizabeth. for the service n first
class commerce II lies indeed IN such relation with the
that only the cheapest preparation the c0nstruc
tion of wharycs and piers will be necessary 20 W t for
the shipping the wash Of the performing
the labor Of perpetual dredge Added to this advau-
tage Is the consideration that 1t IS cheapy accessible
to greater number Of the principal lines Of ransporta
than any other section Of the harbor NOT even ex
cepng the piers at Jersey CITY Il is not strange there
fore that necessity Is beginning to press upon the
resources or ON water front that we should hear OF
large mproN emens contemplated and III preparation on
Staten Island.
railways across The Island may oe easily Igfeseeh lue
work viii be practc. extension OF the Leh!gh Valley
road. with lts Immense coal traffic 70 Ne~-l ork bay
[ wi Philadelphia and Reading road and
the Pennsylvania ROM at Elizabeth thus enarging In.
menscy the terminal Resources ~ those great lines OF
transportation but ternlha auN HlaEes inc', , as3,
the ability 20 secure larger proportion OF the through
the remaining roads that terminate on The west side ot
the Hudson River VIII be compelled to seek the new
ware Lsckawanna and Western Railroad approaches 20
within about miles OF Elizabeth through country
or natural and easy grades and this il gap thai must bo
soon filed The Erie road VIII be- also compelled I'd uud
tnr wsv for branch to the new water front, ana
tho managers OF the West shore road with their terminus
atWeo ohawken may eventually learn that they have NOT
touched the -cabOed. This Is the prospect Oehtu
by the construction OF terminal ROADS across staten
Island
n may be Thought possibly that ths prospect. while
rea.onab, enough for the futurcw require many years
for lis nmcnt But there Is an occut Iorce OF iHnrs9
pDwer In south Brooklyn, Whch j. pr-lulAA 10 pun
with the hand OF a giant ou the machinery oI railway
transportation; and t4ls force Will ht cAefe 10 t"u-
dense pro-pectlvey long into brief period Irrm-
u- with cities and villages, and containing aied,S
1opulnrfou of nearly tbree-QuarteT- of mlIuu Long
Island ind it direct routt % the mainland across
staten Island. 1, Is not little curious Indeed ihai thIs
necessity has remained 50 ong undiscovered standing
eight miles the point of observation the crcum-
ference Viii ucOsc about seven miles OF expensive lul-
neiin-. distributed IL various ocalts ol tDt Dtl,u ol
different railroads. Yet, Wlthn ltuc more thtl HNc
miles from this same central point Jt Nrp"a ou5 cue
mile breadth have been pernltte 10 a.G n rendering
Brooklyn lnsulr ana lnaccesslple cy me @ loe o W
New York she could see 10 other WAY o ESCAPE ana
has even dreamed OF witnessing her fre -hJ liaihc.
already enormous I'm volume" conducted over tho last
River costly bridges, ANA lauuehtd upon I1tuu-i-
fIa- n ,xereroydrd that 40 certain times and places
they are weIl-uigh impossible. The construction OF
tuuc under the NdIrOWs cannot ue iHucA lOh-VI u'
laved ana It's inception VIII give great impetus 20 ehc
eouthWard movement OF capital and enterprise ,,
This j. subject To con@l Ter ho"N. II l7 uu i!'S
true that the terminal question Affecting new uiA u"t
Dor has been very mpeirciy c"ihrcholueu ~ WI oe
better 90 rather, lE rs ieilloh lo NE ,c4A p4
-lneerng that 10 has never been STUDIED az '-, OH
terminal machinery represents coI-lohgit.e -''e'tH-
Of unrelated pHris; Hud ~ Il chtfe4 hequAV q" t't'
economic demands OF our immense commerce buJ lie
Now awakening along the southern uhr> oI oI WH'cl-
front will coue IN amount Of consideration nor hereto
may look for the development 0 something me
coirrrin The commerce 0f a continent alone half-miIe
OF North River waterfront has failed
Nctc- Iork, February %, le7l SLOLN lsL1ND'