New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-12
FOR THE GOODOF COMMERCE
IMPORTANT ACTION OF THE DOCK BOARD.

urssRs. CASEY. MORRISON AND BURR APPOINTED
CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND DECISION
REACHED TO BUILD MODEL PIER AND
F1REPRooF wAREHoUsE-PLAN TO
IMPROVE THE WATERFRONT
Important action in furtherance Of the material
interests Of the shipping and commerce of New
York City was taken at a special meeting OF the
Dock Board yesterday The Commissioners have
long been considering the problem OF relieving
the congested condition of the waterfront be-
low Forty-second-st on the North River. and Of
building up the unimproved part of the water
front on the East River. II the plans of the
Board are approved by the Sinking Fund Com
missioners, undertakings of great magnitude and
cost will be begun.
As the initial step in the proposed work, the
Board passed the following resolutions:
Whereas. The proper and judcious preparation
and Of sneh Rns 5 5saI h ane seT
fore desires the advice of other engineers as
WI the Engineer-in-chief of the Department
Rssolyed That this Board DO and hereby does
OF three men eminent in their profession whose
duties shall be to examine and report upon suGh
erty as this Board may submit to them from time
Resolved That General Thomas L. Casey. Of
Washington. D. c., George s Morrison and William
n.
s sioR '"'n D0a'' WIZ" PEI as''' '''"psS'
President OBren then offered a resolution
which. if carried to Its fulflment and found sue
oessful. will almost revolutionize the present
shipping arrangements
GREAT ADVANCES MADE.
Great advances have been made in the methods
and apparatus for handling cargoes, and the ef-
f:iency. value and earning-power Of the city Wa
ter-front property have thus beer increased.
Here is the resolution passed by the Board
Rssolyed That the president of the Board OF Of
nscscs u Tor oombined bier and rSproof
warehouse. constructed in the most approved man
planes. for the speedy and economical loading and
unloading OF vessels and the transfer or TelSht
between ships AMI the warehouses or cars or other
vehicles.
The present idea Of the Board is TO have the
pier and warehouse constructed at West Elev-
enth-st and If the experiment is found TO be
success. then regular system Of them will be ar
ranged for. The Commissioners believe that
such a plan would result in handsome income
10 the city. and that the shippers would not be
compelled TO truck and handle their freight sew
era times The pier and warehouse would cost
about 100000.
TALK WITH Mr.. OBRIEN.
After the meeting President OBrien said to
Tribune reporter. in. discussing the new plans
OF the Dock Board:
"The general public has little conception Of
the great advantages and economies that have
been made in recent years in the handling OF
freight and the loading and unloading Of vessels.
Freight can now be loaded AMI carried, say be-
tween Duluth and Buffalo and then unloaded
for Jess than il used TO cost for one handing
The port that is equipped with the most modern
facilities -an win and hold the business Inc
Dock Board sees these facts clearly and proposes
= 10 put this port in the forefront ana Keep u
there By providing the best facilities FOR hand-
ling freight that can be devised We propose TO
begin by putting up this model pier and equip
ping 1t with the most modern machinery for
transferring freight between vessels and the cars
and other means Of transportation.
This will not only be profitable piece OF city
property. yielding a high revenue, but VIII also
act as stimulus to private capital as it will
give practical working example
WHO THE EXPERTS ARE.
The members of the new Board Of Consulting
Engineers are all well-known experts Brig
adier-General Thomas Lincoln Casey. retired
was Chief Of the Corps Of Engineers united
States Army and president of the Board Of En-
gineers in charge Of the Improvement OF New
York Harbor He put a new foundation uiluer
the Washington Monument. Washington u. C.,
and while doing brought it back TO pump
and completed il; built the east. north west
and central wings of the State. War ana Navy
Department in Washington, and the new LII
brary Of Congress building in Washington
which he is completing.
George s. Morrison is the president OF the
American Society Of Civil Engineers his most
recent work is the great cantilever bridge over
the Mississippi River at Memphis Other WORKS
Of his are The Bellefonte Bridge Bismarck
Bridge Cairo Bridge and the Merchants brldge
AT 81 Louis He has built many other lmpor-
tant bridges and other structures in the western
states He was a member Of the commission
appointed by the Secretary Of War 10 report
upon the feasibility of a single span bridge
across the North River.
Professor William II. Burr was sradua'ed
from the Rensselaer, Polytechnic institute IN
1872 He has published two BOOKS ne
Stresses in Bridge and Roof Trusses, ATcheo
Ribs and Suspension Bridges and Inc Eas-
ITCHY and Resistance of the Materials OF Ehsi-
reering" II was under his supervision that the
large bridge structures of the Phoenix bridge
Cnmpany (among them the Chesapeake ana
Ohio Bridge at Cincinnati. the Red ROCK caHli,
lever the Pecos Viaduct. etc) we're designed ana
secuted In 1922 he was professor or ensi-
reering at Harvard University, but since the Ial-
,er date he has been professor or clVl ehsiileei
ING in Columbia College. The Harlem Shll
canal Bridge at Kingsbridge was competed ldS'
Januarv under his design and SUPERVISION. "a.
y.os annointed by the President OF the Omteo
S,a,es one OF the Board Of Engineers 10 repoI
n the nracticability of the proposed Nort..
piver bridge and has since served on a Doalu
~ exnerfs advisory TO the RAPID transit |oiii-
,.fssipn and on a special committee on the
m..ar 49, ~ Nev-York City for the COMMITTEE
~ Seventy He is director OF the AM i. an
societv OF Civil Engineers, and menpeI oi ttre
,.,,!.tor ~ civil Engineers Of Great Britain