New-York tribune., 1895-09-07
THE WATER FRONT OF PORT NORRIS uNSOH
PAysEp-CoMMERCE MUST HAVE THE
prGuT OF WAY.

- v
THE WATER FRONT OF PORT MORRIS oNSOH'
PASsED-CoMMERCE MUST HAVE THE
RIGHT OF WAY.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir. In regard TO the waterways that lead 10,
,brouyb and around the city of New-fork ought II
IN he considered how commerce can be best serVeu
by them or should commerce De ieit 10 care iO'
itself as in barbarous countries?
When De Witt Clinton planned and but compete
In lsa5 the Erie Canal 363 miles in length through
the then primeval forest OF the State OF NewAorK'
with its seventy-two locks. 1t was worked IN the
summer from sunrise until sunset IN the winter
from early dawn until dark. limited az IL was III us
dimensions 10 feet In depth to ~ rect III "'u'n'
Yet its effect upon the commerce OF our country
was magical. has since received an enlargement
TO a depth Of feet and TO width OF ~ iee'' ou'
o.nmerce IA Imperative in Its demands tnat the
canal be made foot deeper and ten rec. "iue'
Then with a new equipment or steel propeiiers anu
stee, canal-boats, faster time, say, -FOUR mhes p"
hour can be made successfully 10 Coi"pe'e wiz" my
canal on this Continent.
De Witt Clinton also planned that the Erie eanal
shouId have an eastern outlet by the Harlem River
and Kills out 10 the deep water OF LONE isa"u
Sound at Port Morris For that intent legislation
was had in 1926 and has been continuous SINCE pu'
he did not live to execute his PAN
When the Great Eastern made her first entry INTO
the port of NewYork she did so by the SANDY HOOK
Rar route for all vessels did the same, anchoring IN
North River But in her second entry TO the port
OF New-York she came by the deep water OF Long
Island Sound anchoring in Flushing Bay diagonaIiy
opposite my residence, then in Nlnety-tnlfd-st.
though some three miles distant; so that as went
out and into my domice morning and night she
was yivIdv before my eyes Again, when the
Great Eastern made her third and last entry 70 the
port OF New-York she did so by the Long Island
sound as she could enter and leave regardless OF
tidal influences . -.
Port Morris has unquestionably one OF the best
water fronts from 50 10 IS feet in depth for dock
age of vessels Of the larger class OF any port IN
the world II ls less Influenced by tides and better
protected from violent storms by the island Itself
Therefore commerce does most mperatively de-
mand the speedy excavation OF the Harlem Kills. In
accord with Colonel Newtons survey reports and
the completion OF the Harlem River Canal and
Spuyten Duyvll Greek without further needless de-
with its equipment Of steel boats. commerce
with great rapidity daily Will come to ana go from
Port Morris as never before . .
How II that the turbulent ungovernabe At
lantc in one of her angry moods, yomited up from
it's lower depths that summer resort Coney lsland
and served Rockaway Beach In like manner? Ana
NAV IL not be with the shallow sand flats that
stretch from the Jersey shore 10 Coney
Island that Sandy Hook Bar has apparently a
slight hold upon for its shallow channels? Old
Gotham and the United States Engineer may laugh
at this pain talk but is not the writing on the
wall? The inevitable is at hand. Commerce. which
is the life blood Of a nation. demands and Will have
the right OF way. CHARLES STOUGHTON.
Eew-York September 4 1895.