New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-23


Dcpew talked with Tribune reporter with regard 70
the improvement Of the Harlem River by the con-
stucon Of canal for use by vessels Of heavy draugh
The topic up about the time that the New YORK
City Northern Railroad complained Of interference
with its barge traffic through the existing drawbrdges
on the Harlem River. Mr.. Depcw spoke follows
on the subject:
The question Of rapid transit in New.York City and The
development Of the NcwYork beyond the Harlem
River connected with IL problem which
have noticed included In hi, calculation Under
the energetic and intelligent Of about ten property
the Harlem River the Congress Of the United
states has developed plan for turning the Harlem River
and spuytcn Duyv Creek into ship canal and spending
upon the improvements many million dollars 1t
the justification for the work that while New
the phenomenal situation having three OF It's
deep fronts dock facilities not 1.-THE
developed demands that the fourth side shall
by artificial processes De also made nayirabe par, Of rs
hsrbor De lined with bulkheads and warehouses; This
course viii make Island when the canal Is
completed every island and approach to II
what Will ultimately be the greater
NewYork. from the New-fngand States New.York STATE
aud By any present methods will be- impossible
proposed navlQable stream twenty feet in
depth hundred feet width at the narrowess
part East River to the Hudson River and
through this 10 4, anticipated that the coast traffic from
Ncw-Eneand through Long Island Sound and for points
the Hudson River will pass. II f. clamed that this
viii This afc twelve miles Of river nay-
cation. II the scheme results in such movement OF ves
sc- q, anticipated. dnwhridGe, over tn" Harlem River
suspension bridge is III feet from the surface
u the water at tide Thu Of the ground %
either Harlem River is such that the cOnsruc
ton of a suspension bridge this height the height
u 1870 feet wholly mpracticable. The srear
being narrow-onlv approach meet tht
height would require such long distances on bo
Of and such vast amount OF property
the streets to BE- ned by these approaches that the oea
%, a suspension bridge necessarily be- abandoned.
The question. and most important one Is how are tho
people NewYorA City who live beyond the Harlem River
down to their places Of business IL is evident
present bridges. with draws. must all be swept
away. II 4, equally that suspension bridge Is
npractcabc We then 70 the only other teas'
hie plan. which i tunnel
The present drlwbrdce which pass the trains OF
the New.Yor Central the NcwYork and Harlem and the
Ne~-York and New-aven roads l. l3 Zee, above the
surface of mean and touches grade either
side Lower this i3 feet to the water p feet under
water and - feet more the Roadway for tunnel
and we have grade which Will be- less than 10 feet
below the high and nearly the same at Mott
Haven and Harlcm stations. II would be impossible 70
come before reaching onehundred and sissy'
.,ond =. or nearly a mile from the Harlem River. This
Is favorable place FOR tunnel but many Of the
avenue crossings all o, the crossings FOR rapid transit
trains to connect upp wards with the city would re.
quc much deeper under ground and from not
loss than two up mile, In length The
pene q would be enormous. and the dis
comfort Of riding In them demonstrated by tho tunnel
under River Chicago and the tunnel under
tho Ner.cy in England such that would travel
ths, way eScep, under the greatest necessity.
I, seems evident. therefore. tina, this Improvement
* completed Ncw-York north Of the Harlem River will
a, once. cease to grow a part the Under
maj conditions would in the next fifteen years be
about people In that territory but cut on from
pleasant communicate with Newfcrk below tho
Harlem River population would diminish and property
wold dto-orate in value. There other possible
solution and would De for Congress TO authorize
all bridges built by the city rapid transit companies
OF by railroad corporations the Harlem River to DO
constructed without draws. and at uniform height Of
no, moro than twcntyour feet from the surface OF the
water. This Is tho plan adopted over the Thames IN
London and over Seine in Paris over such bridges
the avenues might carried and railway travel kept open
communication NewYork proper and the rest Of
the world might maintained and rapid transit between
IN, New York beyond the Harlem and the
Ncw.Yorx q the present below the Harlem developed
In tina, case. however, the Legislature must second
this effort Of permitting the closing OF tho
street, either side Of the Harlem. which would DO
necessary order get down TO grade 1t is singular
the Chamber u Commerce nor the city authos
tics have paid any scheme which apparently
must present form in permanently dividing
the city New-York 10 leave one part OF It Isolated
from the other part the Of the world eNccps
/ by water and the other part plrayzed and dead.
have no ngures 10 show the value OF the traiic
which would 60 through the Harlem River II this i'm.
! movement wer. made. have heard 1t claimed
that It would increase in any way the
/ commerce o, the city of New York. Any one familiar
With navigation knows that the saving OF few miles TO
freight sailing amounts TO very little in long
VOYAGE say Ing only ten or twelve miles IS all that
f., claimed There are 80 passenger trains now run.
ming daily across Fourth-avc. railroad bridge
and over IL como United States mails express
matter for the Ncw.York and Brooklyn from all
point, I'm New England and the North Northwest.
rhtr. are elevated railroad ridges over the
Harlem River. which transport vast number Of PEG.
pr and transportation ~ passengers and teams over
the bridge and the otht city bridges very
great At present. and growing beyond all calculation.
Of Nil this business will DESTROYED %
very seriously affected by this improvement. inter-
calculation would be- whether would be anv
reduction 10 the consumer the charge per
ship and oop and schooner through canal which
would compensate for the increased the trans
poraton OF passengers and goods and uppep
part o the city Of New York any Increasing
commerce to meet the city trcss.
ury from the shrnkagc and paralysis axatle values
north Of the Harlem River.