New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-05
THAOSON THE WATER FRONT
BARroR WITHOUT RULE OR ORDER.


Nowyorl barbor the greatest port on the
American continent is to-day, so FAR as ~sfrus
any lawful authority 70 regulate ana govern inc
vast fleets that throng these waters, almost III d
state of anarchy. Once inside Tie oar at SAMMY
Hook ship captain may become Ptac"caiS
law INTO himself There is scarcely rule per-
tanning TO the management OF commerce horc
that he cannot set at naught WIFI nhPun'v'
The regulations of this harbor provide that eX-
eept in cases of distress no vessel shai DC an
.hored in the North River between line from
the foot of West Thirty -ffth-st to Castle Point,
Jersey City, and one drawn from Communipaw
ferry Jersey City, TO Governors Island 1hey
Also prohibit anchorage in the last River between
q line running from Grand-st. TO the soutberly
shore of the WaiaDout Bay and another reach-
ing from Hamilton ferry, Brooklyn, to the south
side Of Governors Island
But if the commander of the big Germanlc
should take "a notion TO anchor right III lfoht OIL
the Erie, Hoboken or Pennsylvania ferry SHIPS
or the captain of a Nova Scotia lumber schooner
should decide to halt before the Fulton ferry
house he could do so, and there is no lawfully
constituted body except the United States courts
to whom these ferry companies could now APP
neal for assistance IL they went to the Pilot
Commissioners, Captain Snow or Secretary Nash
would tell them that the matter dd not come
under his jurisdiction. Mr. Leaycra1t, on Dehall
of the Port ardens. would doubtless express
authorized him and his associates 10 look aiter
damaged vessels and cargoes ana the Heu Eate
pilots II the ferry people should u. tiie DooN
Commissioners, the chances are that that cntef-
prsipg and really efficient board, would oHer
help. President Stark sOud order the trouble
some steamer or schooner to weigh ahchor, III.
the seamen, knowing that the Dock Department.
authority extended only to the bulkhead or
little way beyond, might coolly bid defiance to
Mr.. Stark's mandate and continue TO obstruct the
passage of the ferry boats
ONLY MANY MOUNTAINOUS.
This illustration is by no means entirely fan
oiful. There is scarcely ferry company on the
North River, at least, that is not put to lncon-
venence, more less. by vessels anchorlng IN
tbe way-that is inside the lines where anchorage
Is forbidden. But this matter OF anchorage Is
only one Of many remarkable features OF the pres
ent chaotic condition of things. There are others
still more important-because they are contln-
ually occurring. OF these the most serious Is the
question of berthing vessels The harDor Is
to-day without any recognized authority 10 move
vessels or assign them to berths. What is the
result?
They purposely run into anothCr's way and
detan other craft that are waiting to unload thelr
cargoes A vessel has been unloaded and discharged
Her captain learns that another boat is waiting
30 take his place. He therefore refuses 10 i s
except for some consideration The ofher REFUSES ;
and appeals to the Dock Master This o1iiclal
orders the obstreperous seaman to clear out In
reply the captain will declare that the DOCK
Pt being W be oe enea by the
wharf officers and perhaps with success, il the
skipper is Weakened. But generally II the
second skipper is to get the pertn ne mus' ouy
Vessels in fact, are sometimes kept tied up to
docks for months and even years 1nd si Ihe pre-
in reality the craft is used as an office OF o
hoating Storage warehouse
At the bulkhead and pier at the foot OF Wese
Eleventh st., for instance, hay and Ice barges
monopolize the berths to the exclusion OF other
vessels Again. the harbor regulations pr1vde rha.
hall rhanO hor
without obtaining special permission TO 90 80.
As there are no officials to give such permission
Vessels having C,npowder on board are Obliged,
when anchored I'm the harbOr. to keep req nag
hoistcd When this is done now 1t Is simply be-
couse the seamen have too much respect Tor
wisely established requirement not to comply with
WHY FARBoR MASTERS ARE NOT APPOINTED.
There has been no one hero to enforce the rules
since $50. when the last of the Harbor Masters
stepped down and out, after waiting in vain Tor the
State to pay their salaries. President Cleveland
was then Governor lie afterward appointed
smother Board, but the state Senate refused 10
confirm the new officials. The deadlock Degun
between the Governor and the Senate then has
continued ever since. There have been rumors
from time to time that Governor HUI was gong
to appoint Harbor Masters, but he has never aG
tsmnted to do So There is every reason to think
that he does not intend to try to MI these va
eancies. When one of the Governors hungry
and thirsty" constituents comes around LOOKING
for an appointment the willy politician meets inc
hint by saving: - My dear fellow, I've had you
booked for HaIbor Master of New-fork for months
I'd appoint you tomorrow, but the Senat, wouidnt
confirm YOU or any other good man Ia send In.
According to a careful calculation the Governor
has made this same confidential deealatiom "
about eighteen thousand five hundred Democrats
since he became chief ruler OF the State. ms is
what Mr. Hill calls L" fine work. and so long as
there is chance for him to indulge in such pea
nut poitics,n the port is likely to suffer from the
lack of central authority to regulate its shipping
and maintain order on its waters
NEW GOVERNING BODIES SUGGESTED.
1t is entirely proper to say however, that there
is a strong sentiment against going back to the
old plan of managing the affairs Of the port by
means of Harbor Masters. Various plans have
been suggested, but there are only two winch seem
60 be making any progress. One OF these Is before
the Legislature of this State; the other has oeen
brought forward in Congress. -,
The first is contained III a bill prepared by the
Corporation Counsel at the request OF the DOCK
Department. 1t was approved by the Mayor ana
The heads of Departments on January 20, and was
presented in the Senate by Mr.. Reilly. Briefly
stated, its purpose is to confer upon the DOCK
Masters the power ana duties ol hhrG S nnaiuind
and qualified A similar bill approved last
year 1t would perhaps be more correct to say
that the bill proposes to legalze the acts OF the
Dock Masters in.discharging the duties Of HarbOr
Masters: for they have been doing this for years
II is hardly likely however, that the State wlll
certainly belong to State officials OF course, the
Commissioners will urge tho transfer strongly, as
did President Stark in discussing the matter the
Other dav. g" We doing the work Of the Harbor !
Masters" he said, better than IL was ever done /
before and yet at saving of thousands Of dollars
each year. He explained this by showing that
= hereas the Ilarhor Master received $4,000 q
wear the Dock Master now does the work for $500
wear in addition his regular salary of $1,000
COMMANDER TAyLol's PLAN.
The plan before Congress is looked upon by
many as the best solution of the harbor problem
vet presented. The proposed law, as explained
t. ~. chIeI advocate Commander III. Z. Taylor,
formerly Naval adviser TO Mayor Edson, provides
Tor the appointment by the Government Oh
Garbor Commission for New York. 1t is TO be
composed of an officer Of the Army Engineer Corps
al officer of the Navy, one vi the Coast Survey
cit zen Of Now-l DIRK, represe ming the Chamber
of Commerce and other commercial bodies, ana one
eifilnn of NeN-Ier,ev 10 rtpresent the lnlerestS