The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-22
MORE PIERS NEEDED
Hearing Before the Harbor
Line Board Today on
New Jerseys
Petition.
ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL
Riparian Board Claims That =
Change is Necessary for the
Commerce of the State.
ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL

This morning, in the United States
Army building, Whitehall street, New
York City, the Harbor Line Board gave
a hearing on the application to extend
the pier line on the New Jersey side Of
the Hudson River 200 feet beyond ita
pier limit AS 1.-THE News has repeated-
ly published, the application is Joined in
by the State Riparian Board, the New
York and New Jersey Bridge Company
the city of Hoboken, Hoboken Land and
Improvement Company Hoboken Ferry
Company and the steamship companies in
Hoboken, and it was presented to the
ordered the public hearing this morning
before the United States Army officers
composing the Harbor Line Board
was crowded at an early hour. The Ri-
parian Commission was represented BY
Counselor George L. Record and Mr.. Jas
German Lloyd Steamship Company, Mr..
Ferry Company; ex-Judge M Abel /. Smith
looked after the interests of the Hobo
ken Land and Improvement Company.
and the city of Hoboken was represented
by Mayor Pagan, J. P. Minturn, Corpora-
tion Counsel; Counselors Timken,5 Gehrs
and Mohnken, Palmer Campbell. Superin-
and Edward King. The Hoboken Line
Board consisted of Colonel H. NJ Robert,
pregiding Col. G. L Gillespie. Col w.
c. w. Raymond
In addition to the petition for thesex-
tension from the parties mentioned Col.
Robert read an application from Edward
King and others who seek an extension
of the pier. line between the D. L: and W.
r. r. dc d9eks atn at Hoboken and the Dels e
one read from the New York Dock Board.
which sought a modification of its line
from Thirtieth street to the Battery. Tbs
latter petition was heard first, and much
surprise was expressed by some at the
discourtesy to New Jersey since her PEE
tition was in first and the majority or
the people in the room were interested
in the New Jersey petition.
TITS always the way with this board
News representative, ''these army Off
York, and they pay no attention to New
mosquitoes to be brushed aside
When Vernon H. Brown for the Cunaru
and Maitland Kersey for the White Star
Lines had finished their arguments why
more pier room should be granted to
them, President Robert called on the
representative of the New York and New
good reasons they had for lengthening
the pier line and thus shortening their
proposed span.
The next was Mr.. George L. Record.
who presented the argument for the Ri
parian Commissioners. He said that the
State of New Jersey was anxious for an
extension of the pier line because just
so far as the line was extended just so
much more available land would be rent
ed for business purposes. He pointed
out that not only had New Jersey not
been allowed any extension when she had
asked for it. but had had her line ser
back. Jersey City and Hoboken were
part of the port of New York and had
as much right for consideration from the
He made a brief but forcible plea for
extension. The petitions, he concluded,
of the city of Hoboken and the other
parties interested were indorsed by the
Mr.. FlaveI MCGEE followed for the D. L.
& w. r. r. and North German Lloyd
Steamship Company, and he pointed out
the great need for extension of the line.
New York City had docks for the manages
ment of her local freight, while Hudson
county had great lines pouring into it.
water and she really ought to have more
consideration than New York. If the
Board, he said, enlarges the line on the
New York side, surely New Jerseys line
be fairly and equitably considered. The
railroad companies on the Jersey side
need more piers for the handling of its
freight. Unfolding map of the river
front from the National Docks ware
houses at Black Tom to above the Hoo
bolzen line he pointed out that it was i'm
possible for the railroads to dig docks
back of the line of solid filling line They
had, he said, utilized all their space and
needed badly the extension. AS for the
steamship companies they needed docks
at least 600 or 700 feet, because the mod
ern steamers were increasing in length.
and more space was absolutely necessary.
In closing Mr.. McGee said that the rail-
roads in Hudson county were losing busi>
ness because of poor facilities for hand-
ling the freight.
Mr.. William H Corbin was next in-
troduced and he pleaded on behalf of the
Hoboken Ferry Company. The ferry
piers, he said. were only 220 feet and these
were too short. He did not ask for any
extension of the, solid filling line. hut the
on their pier line for the proper de-
velopment of their ferry business. Such
an extension was also necessary
might easily have asked the Board to
draw a line from Castle Point to Conn
munipaw, but the present request was
every way desirable for the ferry COM
pany
I'VE did ask your board for that very
line" 1nterposed Mr.. Record, but YOU
refused it,
Ex-Judge Abel T. Smith spoke in behalf
of the Hoboken Land and Improvement
Company, one of the signers of the petit
tion. The company, he said. acquired its
land from Hoboken to Weehawken long
before the railroads came in, and had
spent So, ,000,0 900 in improving the land. 1t
was through the company that the D.,
L. & w. r. r. came to Hoboken, and ii
had erected docks, wharves, storehouses
and warehouses for the benefit OF COM
merce. In the development of the CONF
pany's property, he said, a distinct bene-
fit had accrued to the port of New York
and If the pier line was extended the
company could begin Improvements bene-
fetal to the people at large. The steam
ships needed bigger docks, and while
these ocean liners were increasing in
length the pier line stood still.
How long are your piers?" asked Col.
Gillespie.
From 450 to 500 feet said Mr. Smith.
who concluded by saying that If the
pier line was not extended it would mean
a vital blow at the property of the city
of Hoboken, which was interested in the
application.
Mr.. Palmer Campbell explained a map
showing the companys property in Ho-
boken, and demonstrated the impossible
ity of digging behind the solid filing
line.
The hearing was adjourned at noon.