New-York tribune., 1896-11-22
A BRONX KILLS CANAL.
THE ATTENTION OF CONGRESS TO BE
CALLED TO THE ADVANTAGES OF
SUCH A WATERWAY.

One Of the projecta OF the late Austin Corhin
which he had held many serious consultations with
his nmates In business the construction OF
new route to Europe. This to have its American
terminus at the eastern end OF Long Island and long
before his death elaborate plans for piers TO he butt
that point had been prepared Passengers were TO
be transferred waiting trains and conveyed TO the
city the Long Island Railroad and landed in
the station Of the road by way OF tho East River
Bridge. that has It's central pier solidly planted on
Blackwells Island II urged In promotion OF the
scheme that II would materially shorten the distance
between English ports and NewYork. In fact. It has
been asserted that fully day and half would be
saved over the Sandy Hook route and any one who
has figured the cost OF running ocean
liner for twenty-four hours needs not be told what
such saving would mean to a steamship company.
The benefit TO the Long Island Railroad Company.
too. would have been considerable. While there were
original features in the Long Island plan Mr..
Corbn was not the first perhaps. to turn his aten-
ton toward shorter ocean route TO Europe and
which as we' should be free from the difficulties incl
dent to the in past Sandy Hook and through the
tortuous and troublesome channel which ends at the
Narrows. Almost coincident with the first plunge OF
lake waters into the HUDSON by way Of the completed
Erie Canal in 1926. began TO speculate upon the
future of Spuyten Duyvil Creek. the Harlem River
and the East River factors for deep waterway
TO the ocean through Long Island Sound Varying
legislation punctuated the more or less general
thought on the subject for half century. and good
deal OF money was expended on surveys. Charters
were granted and annuled and all the time the city
Of Ncw-York kept steadily advancing toward the
head Of the island
With the blowing out OF the rock that bedded He'll
Gate persons may have thought the beginning
OF the end had come; but this not So The
creation of safely navigable channel there was in
the interest of Sound traffic in the estimation of the
men who had been dreaming Of an improvement that
should bring all the untold riches of the Northwest
pouring into the lap OF the country's metropolis The
cana-mprovement idea from It's commencement
contemplated the union Of the North River and the
Sound by way Of the Harlem and the Bronx Kills
with the harbor for shipping at Port Morris. A part
Of this work was completed and opened for traffic
June H. 1895. The thunder OF cannon. the echoes
of martial music. the plauds OF multitude and
luncheon at Oak Point following the marine spectacle
heralded the fact of completion OF the Harlem Ship
Canal. There those who will agree that the
smoke entirely disproportionate TO the size OF
the connagration and those who thus agreed
likewise a unit that Harlem Ship Canal was
misnomer. 1t should have been called Spuyten Duyv
Ship Canal.
Nor IS that part OF the work completed the
gineering of the future may have chance to reveal
The deep water extends about half way across
the depression in the land at the head OF the island
and In the last analysis the remaining part Will have
to be dealt with means OF strengthening the
channel Then the Harlem River will have TO be
deepened. totally different proposition. however.
body viii be asked to make an appropriation OF
$500 900 canal 34C0 feet In length through
the Bronx Kills or, the local custom has mis-
named II, the Harlem Kills. The is given
narrow channel extending between RandaIl's Island
and the mainland II surveyed by Colonel New
ton In the course or the He'll Gate work. The idea
all along has been 10 cut the channel through. thus
connecting the Harlem River with Port Morris
Here Is the beginning Of an immense deep water
basin. ], is bounded the west by the Port Morris
shore and by Randas Island. and just off the shore
OF the latter lie the Sunken Meadows. The deep in
curve Of the shore from Port Morris eastward
to Barrett Point makes big. natural basin. crcu-
lar in form. the eastern protection for which IS tho
cl., mod fkar's nd no
IS deep. Right up TO the bulkhead line-there IL no
pier there-the water lies AT average depth OF
over sixty feet at low tide. The biggest battle
ship OF the Nation could lie broa1side against the
piling. There is ship-going channel at low tide
clear 10 the ocean, and steamers could pass out
any hour of the day night with the regularity OF
exprcss trains. and returning enter In the same
manner for IL Is rare that fog inierferes with the
daily and nightly runs OF the regular Sound boats
Numbers of business men have given their approval
10 the plan. and the steamship companies are cred
tied with taking sympathetic view OF H.. OF course
the canal would be utilized by Darges ana lighters IN
Sfc