New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-04
DREDGING NEWTOWN CREEK
"DETAILS OF THE IMPROVEMENTS PRO
POSED BY THE RIVER AND
HARBOR BILL.


r.o details OF the River and Harbor bill.
-.sosa introduction into Congress means
',,h for Brooklyn were made public yester-
49,, Two of the most important sections OF
measure. so far as local interests in II are
"-osrned. relate to the long-delayed improve
.or, Of Newtown Creek and to certain altera
.'or. in the channel of Gowanus Bay. For
100 time the first of these has been constantly
'~,o,ed by representatives Of various business
s..h,,shments in the neghborhood Of the creek.
IA feeling of widespread relief has extended
'...y among these with the certainty that
..nsthing definite has finally been done toward
'..rr,ns the end for which they have worked
long. ..,s,
Tho entire appropriation provided for in the
.u !. uS0 900 $780, 900 Of which, II Is stated. is to
=. w. ,n,nished at the outset. that contracts may
=. .ntered into by The Secretary of War for
~, materials and work as may be necessary
=. oomnlete the modified project of improve
NAN, The remaining s420.0 will. provided the
n,ronr,ation is granted be apportioned into
40, appropratons of $4,000 each This. at
,., ia known TO be the present plan. The
~o.o-oI recomme ndat tons are according to the
sarorr made March "a by Major H. A. Adamss
oorns of United States engineers.
II is declared by those familiar with the sub
.oo, that Newtown Greek. for its size. is the
largest shipping water in the world 1t is
tidal stream about four miles long. and is the
most important channel which connects the
Fast River with the north and east suburbs of
BROOKLYN and the adjacent villages. Separat-
inc Long Island City and Brooklyn. as it does,
=, affords a most extensive commerce for these
two places in almost every article. The com
,rerce annually f1oated in fact. is estimated al
aver 10 900 900 tons, and at value OF $lO0.OOooOO
Along its banks are some ninety manufactur-
,ng. mercantile and shipping establishments
representing investments which aggregate over
s2s 900 900 The wharves Of the creek form in
reality. II has been said. an extension OF the
yharves OF New-York City and Brooklyn. and
any increase 10 the shipping facilities or the
stream serves 10 enlarge the commercial i'm
portance of all. Mindful of the advantages con-
tanned in this body of water. property-owners
along the creek themselves have spent over
sex 900 in doing work large part OF which
they had reason to expect would De accom-
pished by the National Government. TWO es-
,ablishment, on the creek pay to the Govern
ment in internal revenue taxes more than
s., 900 yearly.
The great need OF the creek is deeper ship
ping channel which would enable vessels TO
reach their wharves The two estabhsnmen1s
in question are each subjected to several thou-
sand dollars of expense a year for hghterase'
hacauss ~ the Governments failure TO make
such provision
WHAT BUSINESS MEN SAY.
Henry Clementson. president of one or these
corporations the Columbus Distilling Company.
10
received by the Government from our company
alone is s225 900 a month. We also spend con-
siderable sum annually dredging along our piers
TO maintain there eighteen feet depth OF water
but as this depth is not uniform throughout 'ne
stream. the ships We need cannot come up 10 our
pier 1t seems as though the Government out
of the tremendous income /, receives from prop
erty-owners along the creek. could afford more
than the s177 600 or so which believe constitutes
TIE total of its expenditures thus far in improving
hings here.
Some ot those interested in the matter point
a the fact that a comparison with rivers. with
1 total gross tonnage Of about one-fourth that OF
he creek. have received aggregate appropriations
more than twenty-seven times the total appro-
,ria.ion of this stream One Of the most ener-
setic promoters Of the plan for improving the
,-eek Is James Sherlock Davis. a stakeholder IN
the Cross. Austin & Ireland Iron Company. IN
reviewing the efforts made along this line. MT
Davis said that the first project OF the Govern
rnent for improving the creek was proceeded 10
In 1874 There was then IN use smaller type
NJ vessel for coast transportation. but now the
coasting vessels or most Of them al least, are
much larger with three and four masts. ana win
capactv for from 300 600 70 100000 fe OF lumber
AS The deDih of the water in the creek VIII not
accommodate vessels Of over twelve feet draught'
many cargoes cannot be brought up the creek
by the vessels in which they arrive ana the uH-
loading Of the lumber must be done near the
mouth on 10 lighters at increased expense
10 the merchants OF about 81 1000 rect
In addition to this disadvantage. numerous
manufacturers and commercial firms are pre-
vented from taking land along the creek Dy 'he
ia,lure of the Government to make IL
MYkab stream for vessels Of ordinary draught
Tie investment by the Government OF say sooo'-
10 would insure the investment OF many adoi-
tona buildings its banks
A DANGEROUS OBSTRUCTION.
The president Of the Newtown Creek rowing
Company. Captain Frederick Russell. Is famiiiar
with every foot Of bank and channel along '"e
stream In reviewing the existing conditions
along It, he dwelt with particular emphasis Oh
Its condition between the second ana thiru
bridges those at Greenpont and Meeker-aNe"
Where the bed Of the stream is obstructed ps
rocks and powders. endangering vesseis ana
forming dam against the washing out OF the
upper part OF the creek. This particular section
ne explained. and all above it. is worse CON
kested now than ever before because OF the IN
'rease IN the tonnage Of coastwse vessels IN
uuceu oy the greater economy OF shipping by the
idIsei crafts In preference to the smaller ones
captain Russell further called attention TO the
wretched sanitary condition Of the creek which.
as much as any other reason. perhaps. demon
S'd'es the crying need for Improvement. the
l n deposits underlying the waters Of the
o o., pollute them and cause them to fill the
o.. WIN uhwhoiesome vapors. serious menace
80. exists ne said In the fact that the upper