New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-01
THE MAYORS TRANSIT PLANS
THREE GREAT ROUTES SUGGESTED FOR
TIE CITY
- rsr TIE NETWORK cENrRALs TUNNEL AND
nun .xorHrR FROM THE BIG STATION DOWN
rowy-rar TWO OTHER IISEs-srREETs

rOyS-rHT TWO OTHER LiSES-SrkEETS
Avp wHARvEs DISCUSSED.
Mavor Tewitt's third message WIS sent to the
Aldermen Yesterday. 1t treats of tie condition Of
the streets the problem of rapid transit and the
,cocssity for providing sufficient wharf accommo-
daticns for tie city's ever increasing commerce.
The Aldermen referred the rapid transit recon-
nsenaations 70 the Railroad Committee with direc-
tious to give public hearings On the subject The
other questions discussed were reierred to the ap-
propsiate committees. 1t was ordered that the
mes sage be printed in full in The City Record
ana that 500 copies he printed in pamphlet form
The following is the message in full
70 ne HosOro5tc the Board Of Aldermen:
The State OF New York owes lts -eminence among
tho states % tho Union chiefly to tho physical fac'
that within its territory the great Appalachian cha"
of mountains fails of, so that the communication 10
tween tho Great Lakes and the ocean can be secucu
on grades so low as TO offer but little resistance to
the tide of commerce In both directions. The cry
of Ncw-Yorx owes its precedence among the cies %
the Una, to the thai 1t has great ocean harDoi
Of unequallcd proportions and OF ine1haslbe posi-
tites. These great natural advantages wcrc turned
TO account by tho foresight genu- aad energy Of orr
nan. whose monument is to DO found In The Ere
Canal and I'm the vast Increase IN the wealth of the
eitv and State OF his birth The name OF Dewitt
Clinton first graduate OF Columbia College after the
Revolution. Mayor of this city and Governor OF this
state will always DO held in grateful remembrance
ly the generations who enjoy the fruits Of the incAl
culatle benefits which he conferred the common,
wealth In whose service he died lie oertaliliy lac
the foundations 81 prosperity upon an enduring o&-9'
hut since his day, Tire Introduction OF railways ma
iessened but not des'TOyed the natural aue 60
which Possesses In Its low grade lines OYER
rival cities. The Canal has not, however, iost
Its usefulness, and it should be preserVcd a. r.
highway for the commercc OF the country from mo
tives OF local pride as wen a. oi ser escrrv SeS
York carry On Ee commerce al ioNsr COT . a
any ether state, and the CITY OF NV YORK can nC
Thero arr certain Fundamental conditions. however
which cannot be disrcgaFded-
THE HARBoR.
The e,roat harbor through whose gates two-thris
OF the commerce OF the country comes ard goes,
p,pst lie carefully preserved and steadily Improved
So as to meet the demands upon its resources INC
care Of the haIbOr is entrusted to the Government Vi
the United States, and inasmuch as the lafgr poi
IT'S mort IN may be taken for granted that there will
le no lack Of appropriations not only TO preselnc o
channels as they now exist put to improve them SO
a. 10 meet the deeper draft Of vessels in which INC
trade of the world Is carried on foituha'eiS
nature cooperatcs with the needs OF man Ia the aeel-
entnr Of these chaunos So far from filing up under
natural causcs, Gedncys channel has during .hs iss
hnndred year, ao1 cc, ge that derth .uiccn
for vessels drawing thirty FEET OF water can DC Sc
cured by moderate expenditure OF MONEY ahu tio 80
this time forward there should De neither iscA VI
means nor of effort to achieve this result
THE DOCKS.
Tho bar,,or eeing thus inproy ed. it remains only
for the City to provide sufficient wharf acconhoo*
ton for the handling aud storage OF merch"i''o'
,nd eucb highways as may be necessary for cheap
and convenient transportation This ou'S r'9u
o4ctnalv In part In the and In part IN me ny
80 lar the state Is concefnti II hsS dsr yster
10 the City ali fs ghts t. the iand IEliis ~ Se
~. Manhattan Island requiring Improvement III oiu
~ afford the necessary facilities for commerce
iect 20 the right therefore, OF the Sit'c 20 IN In
nentnrss on The part Of the City, there IS aniid0
,1IVer in the local authorities 10 piONhs 'De I"SI
~. ~ ard cxrsnson The Dock Department
81 tbis CITY is in esied with suflceW P""tI 70 ~
vide all the accommodations ana 10 mac az " u
movements which In the judgment 81 Ia, ~ If is
ii,ucbt Ia bc secured. As the law now status, II
contemplated 10 construct street ul0a me West ~ i
,orsn~ a uidtb Of 90 feet, bounded the river 10y
hukbeads supplemented by piers OF large ulileis' 1
extending out to the pier head line. ms TOih of
Leon begun and is anlslly eNecuiou' -, ~oor~v
bowpyer OF late years. ieen pushed win euEIgS.
mainly becatise public opinion was not sunl'ela4
bas meyer vet been decided whether the city should
become the sole owner of the wharf po.cIS' ,,bnr
recarl TO ownership. there are three aeriS w. i,ste
The CITY NAV own al the wharf property OF PR ~
individuals nav all subject 70 tle eo,ro, and ID
ne afss Of wharfage or there may be mi ca IiiC
AID private ownership with the c9iI t -. = he
,imo has now cornc when a definite and permsn~lu.
policy should le determined uron ~. IT, Nn Tere
are AZ present inadequate for re dead, Vi a. o,u,
The verv great change which has occurred IN v.s
dav in the mode of carrying on foreign 1Ste H; ~
compcllcd the Appropriation OF wnarNos anu p'0- "a
ecfisI Kinds OF business and lines of vessels Inc
Atlantic OCEAN has become Iraetlcay IAN .eamers
between this continent and Europe Inc IN
Innst have definite landing PLACES, rom when a.
~ a. Indispensable that the piers OCCUPIED BY tncse
t,eame rs should be enclosed so as TO prQ'ec,
the merchandlsc from injury: ana IL has ~ 1
even TO occupy the bulkhcadS with sheds i3r
H. Srar, storage Of goods This. although lawfn
was certainly not contemplated when me p' Ica
las ~ .s citv Is mt to very great incOrvcn ence
and increased cost. Tho meiellsis lolua a -
sari,v forced 70 inconvenien places, and very gLca
and unnecessary expense incurred III CaI'... a., n
long distances through streets Whcn A. Ho' 7, hoe
n Condition for heavy business of this KIND II mas
been impossible to prevent ms or uisd,1rv
t,,Spess OF tho city. Nothing but cOlS,aef'iuio
, OF wS demands made by rapid
growth OF the city business aud IN Co.'S @ OIL
5nnrra in the purchase Of dock properly and TIE
building Of wharVes and piers ana lls IN IN -
ppended in any ono wear. The reason why the eX-
pendure has not been going on during me IasI nVe
he difficulty In securing from the Of the wharf
property title upon terms which W0nII re f ra,n5
whose Judgment this point IS under INC la~ n..[
Moreover certain legal questions Wee IN % y,
the property The most important OK these 1n,IiS en-
has been decided by The Genera !ep VI .n' now
the ownership OF The properly upon tern
VIII warrant ~ ae!nlsi9n Dpt 1e0 The PROPERTY
end acquire possession. Is now done In me case oI
the Hqnednci upon tho beginning Of the proceedings
for condemnation leaving the amount 10 he paid 10
future determination by the courts. In order thst
the work NAV go promptly. 1t VIII bc necessary 10
secure such legislation and | have caused q Din 70
he framed which win sable the city TO acquire te
title 10 wharf property In the same manner rs u haS
hecn acquired for the New Aqueduct. Tho WORK OF
construction can then go on ana as 10 cr' an! 49,,
between the improvements already MADE ny inc CT
there can be no donht whatever thai the properly
should he acquired by the city and no time l"St IN
completing the widening of Wcst-st and bhd'ng the
new rers which necessary for the business Vi
tbe r-y The work widening South-St. 10 600 ftS't
ss contemplated hv the existing law. has not been
begun. In my judgment II should nor % nhofrisa ,
CITY 10 become the sole owners OF the doct NoI"IV.
have not been able 10 procure suniclen lntfna,l"n
10 enable me 20 express definite opinion upon ms
enliccf hui the prepOnderanre OF testimony seems
BE that il viii he profit abe operation iol me g.,
70 DnrfhaSc All tho waterfront ~ its present value