New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-18
LONGER PIERS MUST COME.
STEAMERS oUTGRow1NG THEIR BERTHs

THE DOCK COMMISSIONERS CONSIDERING Ho"
TO PROTECT THE CITY's INTEREsTS-lN THE
SPRING THERE MAY BE CHANGES ALONG
THE WATER FRONT.
When the City OF Ncw-York or any OF the Dig
European steamers more than $50 feet long are lying
at their piers in the North River the stems Oh inc
great vessels project twenty feet or moro oo'"i"
the ends OF the piers The vessels have grown more
rapidly than their accommodations on the Ne"-iorh
water front As the tide falls ana inc current
sweeps down the river the steamers are often placed
IN nsriIous Situation as they arc likely TO be struck
bv The lighters and canaboats which are continually
passnc Nearly all the steamship companies Keep
barges or tugs anchored of the ends OF their piers 10
break the force of any collision II an accloeh' shon
happen On the New-Jersey shore and along the
Brooklyn water front the piers extend from 700 TO 500
feet from the bulkheads and the water IN the Slips
is kcpt deep enough for the largest steamers In
several instances the piers 1000 feet long But
the pier line as at present marked out by the law
on the New-York water front, Is reached by the
longest piers which extend from $50 10 oSo ieet'
The steamship companies find II important Tor thelr
business to have their piers on the NewYork size OF
the river and they pay the city for their rental nom
$4,000 to $4,000 year, but there are frequent
complaints about the want of better accommodation
and the Department of Docks has for more than year
been making study of the situation
One proposition has been to secure an aaoiuonai
100 feet by acquiring property on "est-sr ior pier
purposes This method was considered TOO cos"S'
and Il would destroy the broad water front street
which is needed for commerce The CONSTRUCTION 0,
bac,ns I'm the place OF piers has also been suggested
but the limited area Of the New-York water 'front.'
Will not permit that method Chief Engineer "recn'
10 the Department has worked out plan by which
he proposes to additional loo rect tut 'o
piers at relatively small outlay The present pier
line was made with the understanding that IL was
he chor To
of the largest steamers and not 10 interfere with inc
river current But the length Of vessels has increased
beyond expectation since the Line was ur@"n' AL
examination OF the current has shown MI "roon
at further extension can be made at certain Poih's
without affecting the current Above Chrstophers"
and from that to west four. -.
there is a deep indentation in the shore where the
river current strikes after being denected
from the Ncw-Jersey shore further up ING
stream beyond weehawken. This inden'ahoh
IS preserved by building the short piers Only 10"
hundred feet long, otherwise the enure chaf"'c Vi
the water front would be changed by disturbing Inc
current Below Christophcr-st the wafer line Is !"
regular making a slight inward curve sira'sh' hno
drawn from Pier A at Castle Garden on the Prese"
uer line to the pier line at Pier No Al near Christopher
81 would pass outside OF this curve and would give
from fifty to more than 100 feet TO many OF the piers
The Dock Department will request the next lie ssa'ulo
TO make this change in the pier line ana by tha' e
IL is expected to secure greatly increaseo aoooin
ton for the shipping ,>.-.,nar,
Edwin A Post. of the Dock Deparr'in neaa
saws that this extension has been studied WIN gres
care and that the department is convinced that ths Is
the proper change TO be made, as II woud lnvoe ne
expense and delay than other method II she ne
Is changed this the piers can De ehesiue III n
spring such measure j. due TO lessees OF the re
Who require better facilities ana IL Is een. rtaI
part OF the city which will receive an Increased
nom the extensions offer every legitimate iacin,y
70 accommodate these commercial interests AZ INN g
have been gresi deal of the business which properly
belong 10 New York has crowded over 10 blooh
Ivn and New Jersey but this is one OF the mIIeua'9
measures which the department hopes TO secure anu
which will help the city retain such poruon OF
the commerce and business of the harDor as nsuray
belongs TO IL as the business centre As an lhdc
Of the needs caused by the growth in the SIZE Oh me
vessels Mr. Post referred to the new lnman steamer
CITY of New-York and her sister steamer whcn Is
expected TO be ready next May The White star Linz
ex pects also its steamer Majestic, wch VIII 10
larger than the Inman steamers. next season. ana a
COMPANION TO the Majestic at a later date some OF
the other companies arranging for new vesseis OF
the same character while the German lines would az
once rent piers on the New-York side II they could
obtain any that would afford them proper accommo-
dation