New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-09
TO IMPROVE COMMERCE.
CHANGES ALONG THE WATER FRONT
RECOMMENDED.

RECOMMENDED.
REPORT OF THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS APP
POINTED BY THE DOCK noARD-LEss SPACE
FOR RAILROADS AND 4 CRAVING DOCK
BETWEEN roRTY-NINTH AND FIFTY
THIRD SIS. NORTH RIVER.
An exhaustive and comprehensive repor; has been
made 10 the Board 81 Docks by tho Board Of Con-
shifting ENGINEERS on the contemplated Improvement
% the water front. which Is based upon the recent
thorough Investigation ~ me North River water
front The Board consists q General 7. l. Casey.
George 5 Morrison and William II Burr
Speaking OF the report. President OBrien said
yesterday:
The Commissioners u Docks are Administrative
crs. and not supposed ID have the technical
Tncr afs, duty Therefore was 20 correct as FAR as
possible errors Of rehabilitation. and conduct ne
ccon1mcal manner This has IN a larse. measure
been accomplished. as the report to MS Honor tne
Mayor during the last calendar year Will snow.
Their next duty VAS to have eminent engineers re-
Wv The Improvements 81 hr |s,ef rgn sno .,s
nsgld be- mad. in the general plan already adopted
an! - wha, extent tho work already done could be
ms ic a proper foundation for Improvements CON
iemYlaiel.
40 TINE To LOSE.
The Board Of Consulting Engineers in pursuance
o, the resolution adopted by the Board OF Docks
- December r. 1895. has rendered a preliminary
report !; appears proper TO say IN connection
wl,h rs publication ana IN view OF the fact thar
powerful Influences A:e AZ Work TO attract shpphS
elsewhere ana deprive tbs city and port OF much
% rs commerce. that no time should be lost IN
rrovil!ng suitable accommodations Tor all classes
81 vessels and ~ the construction Of large
gravns dock The Counsel to the Corporation has
been requested % formulate bills 70 b. introduced
Into The present Legislator" winch VIII give the
Board ~ Docks the necessary authority for the
construction ~ irst-cliss craving dock. and. in
effect. control ov,r W,st-st. 90 is casterly line.
The method Of constructing the bulkhead or
river wall which IS highly praised by the CON
sul,ing Engineers was adoptci by Salem II. Wales
Henry r. Dlm1ck and J. \. Westc-yelt the COM
mssloncrs constituting the Board OF DOCKS III 4'''
and has Stree been consistently adhered to BY the
successive Boards. The credit for It's successful
development and the Improvements theFednl'r Is
due i'm 4 large measure % the prof s-ional skill OF
George : Greene Jr.. who has been ensineer-in-
chief OF the Department since July. a'''
The Board divides the water front into three
great dlylsions-the North River, the East River
and m. Harlem RIVER OF which the North River is
by lar IN, most important and the only one adapted
to the accommodation ~ the largest class OF vests
The report discusses inc t,tc' 80, 80, 49,, "' I'm
ana the Deepen lence " The c1iy on iole.n con
n~rce ana thea takes up the ply seal haracterlsucs
OF tho North River AMI the construction BEST suited
for piers and other structures.
BULKHEAD WALL PRAISED.
Il praises the hakhead wall Tow in and con-
silers the wall a solution OF very difficult prob
lem which is remarkable for its originality and the
excellence Of is results" The report continues:
with the exception OF Pier 40 l, which was ap-
parcntly designed FOR a monumental work, the piers
arr simply the best examples IF form OF consruc-
ton which Is In almost universal use IN AntIloAIi
seaports This Board has examined the details or
the plans The piers consist OF piles capped by
l2xl2 inch timbers. covered with piahKs, ana pro-
yldcd with such braces and special projections as
needed u resist the blows Of passing ice ana OF
vessels which strike them, they are adHltapy
pensye strucfIres as # is now wise to float in mud.
The only objection that be raised Is the perish
able character Of the timber, and 80 long as me
piers must be founded piles which Is by far the
best Of securing mud h9tacn we know s, OF no
perrnanence to Justify its increased cost
The report goes ~ follows:
The North River az available for steamship
the property OF the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad Company at Fftv-ninth-st inns
Eleventh and West Fourteenth SITS. whore the piers
ARE short not TO be available FOR steamship
vide for a change In the location OF the bulkhead-
wall between Charles and GanseyoQrt sts; so as 10
pf re gnnnI1 De me Hew Vest Washington Market
so that Gansevoort st practically divides the North
River front into two parts While above twenty
third-st there IS reach which IS well adapted TO
steamship service and IL already used in this way
il is the portion beow Ganseyoort-st which now
needs special consideration without prejudice. now
ever. to similar developments above
NOPE THAN TWO MILES
Tho length measured the bulkhead-line, from
tho Battery TO Gansevoortst Is Il 419 feet-a little
more than two and one-haif miles OF this. s.0S9
feet-about and one-haf miles-belongs to the
city; 3,i33 feet be.ongs to various private owners
and 1917 feet to railroads The city owns about 50
per cent OF the whole.
The present use OF the lS.i& feet is as follows:
Foreign steamship lines ....'''...'......' 80
Coaatng steamship lines. ca,
Railroads o9N1
|
Miscellaneous including inland steamboat lnes... $500
Total Id 9So
In other words, OF the two and half miles OF
water front which better adapted than any
other the Of the class OF commerce on which
the prosperity OF New Ork Is most dependent only
- a per cent Is now occupied by foreign steamship
lines and only q 0s per cent is occupied by ali classes
OF steamships, while 2s.sy per cent Is
cuped 10y railroads.
The ferries must remain where they FacJ-
ties must be provided for railroads and for North
river steo mboas Enough the transfer OF the latter