New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09
WATERFRONT IMPROVEMENT.
THE LARGEST WORK OF THE KIND EVER
UNDERTAKEN BY THE CITY.

This city is now engaged in a work on the water
front which is the largest and most important OF
the kind that has ever been undertaken. 1t In
wolves the removal Of largo quantity OF made
land" along the North River. between West Elev-
enth-st and Gansevoort-st.. and the construction
of five big piers which have been leased long before
work on them has been started. Land is not the
most important thing in New-York, even when IL
has been provided at large expense Of money and
labor. Some proposed the Milling up OF
the East River In order TO provide easy means Of
communication between New-York and Brooklyn.
hut the suggestion never aroused enthusiasm in tho
public mind.
People generally recognize that the water on both
sides Of Manhattan Island IS an important factor
in the commercial development Of the city, and II
the rivers could be filled up. while the territory OF
New-York would be largely increased its prosper
ity would be seriously interfered with. Neverthc-
less there were some people in this town nearly
half a century ago who thought It would be a aood
thing to fll up part OF the North River and they
added number Of acres along tho waterfront
north Of East Eleventh-st. In the words OF George
S Greene jr chief engineer of the Dock Depart
nent the city is now engaged in "undong the mis-
takes of our ancestors" and enabling the water
front in that part of the city to subserve its proper
purpose.
The plan Of Improvement which Is now being car
ried out proposed by Engineer Greene as long
ago as $780, but IT took nearly fifteen years to get
a beginning made In the execution Of It in speak
ing about the work one Gay last week Mr.. Greene
said:
Some time in the hftes tho river-front between
Eleventh and Twenty third sis. was injudclously
filed in. and IN 1871 a bulkhead line was estab-
lished. In 1880 l recommended extensive improve
ments here and part of them are now being car
ried out We digging out the land that was
made nearly half century ago, and will restore
that part Of the waterfront for wharves and ship
ping purposes. Under the plan agreed on in 1894
We have recently been acquiring property taking
down buildings and excavating the made land TO
feet long and S feet vide with water space go
though some Of the buildings on the land pTr:
dredging is completed the building of tho piers will
be taken in hand, and they will be pushed forward
agreed to lease them are impatient for the sddi-
tiona accommods tions; The proposed piers have
will have TO be provided for the piers rther north.
The FIRST two Of the new piers h north Of Pier new,
rental Of $SiSI5 each; the next one will be used by
the Wilson Line. at the same rental, end the
Sss and si9sa2, respectively The reason for the
lower rental for the most northsriy OF the swd
at that point only one side OF the PIER will be avail
able II is. therefore, only half pier The lessees
years each at an advance of 10 per cent in rental
at each renewal
at 10000 AS the city viii get upward of $4,000
annually from the use of the piers AT the start and
more later on the return on inc Investment W
that the piers be completed in n year and a
half or two years His original ss%ae Of the s cost
of the property taken has greatly Increased IN the
time In 1850 ne he set down the cost OF the
those now contemplated will be more than twice
that figure: but the piers TO DO built Will be both
wider and longer than those suggested seventeen
wears