New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
THE HARLEM RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
WHY NOT COMPLETE IT INSTEAD OF FILLING
UP THE STREAM.


WHY NOT COMPLETE IT INSTEAD OF FILLING
UP THE STREAM.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: In today's Issue Of your paper appeareo
partial account of a meeting held yesterday IN inc
Army building, in this city TO discuss tho filling mp
OF an arm OF the seathe Harlem River. when co"i'
ncrce has used for time immemoraal. Had TINS mcst.
ing been properly called. and the cause been Jst'
would have been OF great interest 10 the commerce of
the United states y was called and held u WIS
farce II was due 10 the efforts OF Simon Stevens. VINO
has succeeded In having Senator Platt OF Connecccue
Introduce bill In Congress 10 suspend all worR ana
grant. for the Harlem River improvement. until the
United States Engineer Department should report upon
tie utility OF the work. This bill WIS properly sent
10 tho senate Committee Commerce. and BY sent
10 the Secretary OF War for bis opinion upon 1t, who
in turn sent TO the Engineer Department In this city,
for their report. Thus far all properly done.
The Engineer Department sent calls to certain land
holders. and few doing business along the nver.
10 attend q meeting at IL b settle tho question
whether the Harlem work should continue or ceese'
The press had aso casual notice of the meeting to be
held in the afternoon, at an hour not mentioned. The
arrangements were adroitly made. as to this tncon-
yen,ent hour and as to the press announcements OF
the afternoon.
The meeting was called 10 order by Colonss Henry
G. Abbot, who presided, assisted by Colonel ID. l..
Houston and Colonel e.. T.. Gillespie. The Chairman
bu, read letter containing eight questions to be dis
c,sscd the principal one being the advisability Of
filing I'D that part OF tho Atlantic Ocean called the
Harlem River Mr. Green, city engineer, spoke
forcbly against tire measure, showing that commerce
had Just and right claims upon the rvor as water
way Apart from Mr.. Green, the call appears 10 nave
been sent out landhodcrs and Spectators as II the
improvement when made, would be for their especial
bcneft Why the Acknowledged exponent OF the EN-
terprise WIS arbitrarily ruled out does not appear.
Some business men also appeared, but not one OF them
who took active part In the discussion had al tne
beginning OF the enterprise for the improvement SIX
teen years ago. attended single meeting TO advance
1t. or contributed dollar to IT,
Mr. simon Stevens spike at length in favor Of nnng
III, the river as did also saloonkeeper named Grifn.
although It was not very clear why the latter should
hive been selected as Mr.. Stevens's supporter Mr..
stevens called attention the fact that his interests
and many others would be greatly enhanced by TINS
change and Implied that the river, waterway Tor
commerce. was not needed. Without doubt he was
unaware OF the that prominent business men, rep
resentng the commercial interests of the States Of
Illinois, Indiana Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts ana
Connecticut, had repeatedly peuioned Congress -
appropriate money FIR the Improvement OF the Harlem,
md that similar petitions had been sent from the
prominent business men, merchants bankers captai-
lists and nearly the entire shipping interests Of the port
Of New York. one OF these memorials, presented In the
Of Repre- entaveS by the HCD a. D i.c"i T. Tcp
resenting fully S75OoOO,OO0 OF active commercial
capital He may also have been unaware that the
city OF Ncw-York by the act OF It's Common Council
bv the Chamber Of Commerce. the Boards Of Trade ana
Of TRANSPORTATION. and by the Maritime Board, mad
ioned with the state OF New York. In It's Legislative
acts Of 1867 and 1873, In request, which was cef'
tanly definite and apparent enough U most people,
for an unobstructod and navigable Harlem ~ view
0 Drayement might well have been left to the ancient
History in which II belongs Mr. stevens must turMer
have been quite of the deep interest felt oy
the general commerce Of the United states In Its right
of way through the centre Of The lily Of New-f orK an
interest OF winch the petitions islancei are an lhucs
ton, and which appropriations by Congress vi
500 900 are n response, while the right OF way mas
been secured by the city, at cost OF s2,9'ooo ihe
fostering Of the engineers, quarter OF the worK
on the canal has been accomplished and that further
grant Of $4,000 for II Is In sight Had Mr. simon
Stevens been aware OF these aspects OF the case II j.
hardly probable that he would have thus moved In
matter which concerns the commerce OF the thitea
states so much more than II concerns his own III
teress. Even II the interests OF great railroad ae
hidden under the Of Mr. stevens and MS
ally, the saoonkceper, the proportion Is hardly altered
In value. ,.. IL, $3.50.
While Senator Platt acted in good faith, there was
the matter for any further notice 10 be taken OF Mr.
steyens's bill I}ut certainly the secretary OF War,
who l., supposed b know every rvule and creek wet
or dry throughout the land should have dscerned the
strategic way OF this water communication around mo
island should have recognized lis importance COM
mcrcially as an outlet OF the Erie Canal and HUDSON
traffic, Long Island Sound, and should nave uio"u
grcsSional committees had. from time 10 time, re-
ported in favor Of this Harlem River improvement
CHARLES SrOUGIlTONt
New York, July 90, 1892