The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-06
MENACES TO THE HARBoR.
RS IMPORTANT CHANNELS BEING
RAPIDLY FILLED UP.

Supervisor OF the Hsrbor Deiehsnty says
that Congress II Not fuiiy Alive 70 the
Seriousness OF the Dangers which Are
ThreateainE New York Seaport.
New York harbor Ia In imminent danger OF
serious i'm pairment aud great damage has al
ready been done"
That was said with much seriousness yester-
day by naval Lieutenant Commander Daniel
Delehanty. supervisor OF tho Harbor 10 Sun
reporter who called at his office in the Army
building. Mr.. Delehanty recently returned
from Washington, where he went to present
this matter to the House committees on Rivers
and Harbors and Appropriations.
The Chamber OF Commerce and all the
officers whose duties make them familiar with
the harbor," continued Mr.. Delehanty. are
alive TO the seriousness OF the situation now.
and our delegation in Congress and the COM
mitteemen | saw have promised aid. but
the public opinion OF the whole state OF
New York should be aroused to such
an extent as TO force Congress to act.
Tho damage is done by the Illegal dump
ing OF dredge barges. excavation barRes.
and garbage barges. as we have found by an
examination Of the material which lie shoallng
the channels. COL Gillespie in charge OF the
New York harbor i'm provemonts. found this TO
10 80 In his examination Of the Coney Island
channel. and | found the same thing in my
eAhmluhNlOn VI Nub east NHduuois "hiN" 80
ond in importance TO the main channel. In
parts OF the east channel. where there is sup
posed to DO twenty-one feet OF water at low
tide, we found only fourteen feet
In order to prevent this illegal dumping
we must fix the responsibility in such way
as to hold the contractors and tug owners re;
went 10 Washington with amenlments to the
law designed TO secure this end; ! was SUD
Of Commerce and by the recon- m Ell d atone OF
the Secretary OF War. But even " these amend
ments are passed this office cannot enforce the
ESTSor w OF Nsw o oE its s%peTSsor having 100
square miles Of water TO watch and ts.uOuO0O
supplied by the United states Government
with three launches two OF them useless. and
two tugs, one unseaworthy. one would sup
pose that. as a mere matter OF insurance for
the money already expended on tho harbor.
n suns 1s 9RsRnS tHe oe
this office 1854. OOO, OF which $4,000 was for
two new tugs has been reduced by the Appro.
is ridiculous in view Of the commercial value
Of the work that the ofllce Is expected to do for
Very few people comprehend the amount
OF material that is annually dumped from the
cause II to shoal the channels Of the lower bay:
The total Of all kind OF material Is lnVOOOoV
TaTE eicht feet. The contractors and tug own.
ers who handle this must DO watched, and X
they are found dumpipS sny Of this material
to be preserved from shoaling. understand
that the contractors have lawyer represent
lug them In Washington. but know that that
will do us no harm IL New York makes itself
heard in this i'm portRnt matter as IL should.
Il have written to Mayor Gilroy on one
phase OF this subject i'll which. | believe. he
has already expressed "a great interest: that is
the separation Of the ashes rom the garbage
in the collections made 10y the Department OF
street Cleaning. Tho street cleaning barge
dump is near the mouth Of the east channel;
and in the shoals OF that channel we found
quantities of ashes. The law gives me the
power to change the buoy which marks the
city barge dumping place. but II that 10 done
II will mean AN additional expense to the city.
II the ashes were collected separately and
used. "a they shoId be-. for filling. the garbage
could then he cremated. or converted into fer
filters. But even II the Mayor finds means
for doing that. the dredge bsrGes and the
barges OF the contractors for excavations must
be watched. and new York should insist upon
being supplied with proper and sufficient
means for Watching them and watching every
menace TO the shipping OF our harbor."