New-York tribune., 1892-01-03
TIE HARLEM SHIP CANAL.
WHERE MR.. sTOUGHTON PLACES THE BLAME FOR
DELAY IN IT. CONSTRUCTION.


WHERE MR.. sTOUGHTON PLACES THE BLAME FOR
DELAY IN IT. CONSTRUCT1oN
TO the Editor Of Tine Tribune.
Sir: ON October L. 1576 the following misSivc was
sent ont far and ncar-fir TO san Francisco ana IN
termedatc cities near prominent citizens OF TINS
city-to attend "a nciehborly ~0ciabc To be hcid al
the house Of the writer on the l7th OF the month L"
solve the following problem:
l. Is Port Morris the central point to our CITY III
the world, great highway from Euop" to New->orh
san Francisco Japan and China if connected by
steamship and rail"ay-.
- Could a ,tcan.h hip in II round trip from the said
port 10 and from Europe save day of twenty four
hours rather than from to jersey city or the Norh
River thereby c,scnlnG the steamers expense some
~. 900!
3. could a company Of traveller. Of ten. fifty or
100 persons in urgent haste. going from one Cont
ncnt 10 the other 10y said r0utc save day In tim"
and $50 or more each in such rip
T. Could passage ticket, by such route be reduced
s1j to $50!
D. Could corn be- sent Port Morri, and shipped to
Europe fuy cent bushcl cheaper than by any
other route also and all kinds Of produce that
20 for the worlds consumption bc sent 1T correspond
inc Ie>, expense and more qucly and merchandise
be returned in Hike manner at les, expense than hN
any other route!
g. VIII not the several nations be minglinC together
more and more thereby requiring more complete ma
lions or world, great highways
:. II the foregoing question, can bc answered only
in the affirmative. doe, there not cluster around them
an interest that cniitlc, your con,dcr:c attention
and personal presence at the said place and hour
Should We take any preliminary step, in the matter.
or can others do it better. while We quietly tir over
on the other side -lvng a little moro sleep, little
slumbcr
Th, meeting was held with deep interest. At the
request Of wcllknown gentlemen over their own slg
nnurcs this missve acan sent ont calling
another meeting. which was held at the same place.
November % l576.
The conclusion reached at this meeting was that
these questions should answered in the Affirmative
and other meeting, followed in which the interest In
the project oi rendering the Harlem River navgaoe
as a cannl increased II received great support from
the commercial men In the Eastern Northwest and
Western state, and in the city ~ New YORK. The
Chamber OF Commerce, Board of Trade and Common
Council Of this city supported IT, we'll a. the State
Legislature by an act First and last more than 100
memorial, in behalf of this project have been signed
by prominent commercial men Of tie tinted states, one
Of these memorial alone. signed by banhcrs. mcr
chants and capitalists. and those having shipping
Interests Represented over $7j000oOOO Of active com
rncrcal capital These memorials requested Concrc--
to appropriate money for carry ing thc improve
ment urged that IT BE- Immediately commenced. and
that the work should be given the writer to DO. con
grc>s promptly appropriated S3OO,oOo. June Is l-11
and S1oo 600. March 3. l-79 which amounts. how
ever the United state, Engineer could not then apply
for lack Of the right Of way. The writer. urged TO
proceed further by the mcmoriai,L, hcrenpon occurred
the right OF way. for the of 10000. and on
October - 1-7s. rendered 1t free sit IN the
United state. with proposal to hui.d the Harlem
canal. complete I'm every particular according to tlc
utcd states Engineer -IrNcy report. n sent {"
Congress, February -. 1-73, the work To have been
-plctcd I'm lao. Tor the sum Il $4,000 The
engineer had declared the -amc WorH more and
no less. would cost s@i:,5.:'6- - ard LON. aftor
much LEGISLATION aid litigation. lc la made the right
Of way cost s29s 600. Through the writer, mnu
encc supported by the commercial m'n of TIE United
sta'c- Congress ha, appropriated ihus far T'"po"O.
and not a quarter Of the proposed work Vet done.
Here wa = waterway. to pa. directly through the
city Of New York. tuai misht lave been hunt hy D.
Witt Clinton. but for lis "ry death "a I-2e. that
commerce la, been clamorous for since lr,'i. when
legislation wa, frat had upon 1t. ati that
Ia, received unprecedented support from bu,inc-,
men. Tho hcncnt- that would accrue to the SrcA'
industries - the country ard Z" the commercial world
would be material lu lc--cnlug the time and expense
of transit and preventing "a" vcNAtlou- delay and in
couvcnicnccs resulting from tidal Influence Fvr
grain and other products could then be- sent through
tho Ere Canal and the Harlem 70 Port Morn. mon
chaply than by any otlcr route ard here daily Inc
pa,tI.r FOR Tuf,uc without lei or hiIdrc ~ Lv mo-
other route IN. commerce of other countries would
In Hike DO hcnehted. while the advantage that
would accrue u tho local commerce would b. very
grat The opening of Iic cana vouid rndcr ~omo
wenty-ivc miles ~ dock room available adding II Ia
the imited amounts on the Hudson and Fast RIVER.
The night u Tor the work offered 10 The GOV
crnment aS a frye Gt. aif a proposal VA mad" -
build the cntrr canal 10 the sum Of t970ooo compc
Ing Il In 1880.
II he question !, a,ked. why nj, reasonable, pro
poSa not arccptod. thorhy 'tlng The night - way
dlncutv aud completing th" longd"aycd work within
year.. The Will bc found In the cupllty and
mbcclllty which control the Engineer Department. and
through IL the Cove. pf United
cnwditv directs tn. policy Of IN" Government imbc
CITY IN carving out the Government work will clO.cly
follow, While ccOnoms aud enterprise ~ elsewhere.
where moro desired Witness Tie results Uf the imtc
Gle policy of the Government rerar. merchant
main" service Formerly the American rar rated Al
Jrsc" 70 al Ns'ions controlling tho European carry
Ing trad" and commanding higher rates o. freight In the
New Orleans cotton trade. But now our fsc is not
seen ~ European waters, and II Il j. rated all II
must BE- al q. Dlr commerce and our lnltnl trans.
portatlcn need facility 10 cnabic them SUCCESS
which i making every cndeavor 70 divert ir7,d
rom Ncw- York 70 her pot,; and vet this Harlem
Inland cDnmc-c" 70 the Dream steamers wharvc- i.
permitted to stand for ~iNtr fv" wears after IL first
have n in harA year after wear is Shining away and
qEaI1"r Of the wc.A is not done
TIL. Ir'nlt is entirely due ~ thr United STAFF, Engi
4, ,r,e msny yca- Ihr yItt'r ha'rrlned for the rIrn
il co't 2230.o0o Tho Government conld hAv, had lc
Harlem Cana completed in I--O FOR s97 600 Tho
and make ext rom 1900 900 o ~ 900 600 '1.m Thu.
the Ia7"m Canal work /, in the hands u men VII am
~" people iayc fed dothcd and cducstcd but who.e
,iitn"ncv Of commercial whom The wrlt~r has tho
honor - cpT"scnt in this matter d'NiriS to ability
and arh of confidence oS TO- their urrlchtncs@
Vow York. Dec. 3 1891.
INITIA11oNS At HARVARD ut 80 cRr-EL.
To the Editor or Tho Tribunc