The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-12
GREAT GRAIN PORT.
National Storage Company
Will DTedge Channels
and Erect Huge
Elevators.
TO SPEND TWENTY MILLIONS
When Completed Caven Point Will
Be One of the Greatest
Shipping Points in
the World.
TO SPEND TWENTY MILLIONS.

The National Storage Company pro-
poses reeapturing for this port the grain
transportation business, if ingenuity and
increased facilities will accomplish that
end. The companys plant is on the Jersey
shore, south of the Jersey City line and
adjoining what is known as Caven Point.
According to Asa w. Dickinson, of the
law firm of Dickinson, Thompson s. Nc
Master, counsel of the company, there
is already invested in the works $10,000.oOO,
and $20,000,000 more are to be expended in
the creation of channels, building of
enormous grain elevators and the maxi
ing of other improvements necessary for
the proper conduct of the business.
The great bulk of the grain business is
now centred at Newport News and Balti-
more. which fact is largely due to the
manipulation of the Chesapeake & Ohio
and Baltimore & Ohio Railroads.
The removal of the business to those
points was brought about it is asserted
by railroad men, because of dissatisfae-
ton arising among shippers over the
accommodations at Brooklyn; the many
landings shipments were subjected to
and the charges that were imposed.
Brooklyn, it is now contended, is on the
wrong side of the river, as the operation
of elevators there necessitated the un-
loading of grain from trains on the Jer-
sey side; lightering to Brooklyn and final
storage in elevators, There was too, a
difference OF quarter of cent bushel
in the handling of the grain over what
Baltimore and Newport News offered,
and the accommodations provided at those
points freed shippers from possible delay
charges.
The National Storage Company Off
cials have gone over the ground care
fully and believe that they will be able
to recover not only the business Brook
lyn once enjoyed but more besides. 1t is,
perhaps, secret which has been more
or less guarded that the company has
for more than year been dredging a
monster channel, in what is known as
rocky shore, in order to accommodate
heavy draught vessels. Enormous rocks
have been encountered, and the company
is today using a dredge, patented by its
president, --- ------, which
raises rocks of any size, shape or
weight. When the channels are com
pleted the work of erecting grain
elevators will begin. The largest ele-
vators in the world are to be built, it
is reported-elevators that will take care
of every bushel of wheat or other grain
that may be shipped to the seaport. The
company will be and already has been
ably supported by the several railroads
having terminals on the Jersey shore.
The railroad facilities offered will be
greater than those offered by any ship
CSf,v,,
the National Docks Railroad, which is a
branch railroad extending from the Penn
sylvania Railroads main stem at the
CUT in Jersey City southerly to the
works. Direct communication is conse-
quently had with the Pennsylvania. The
Storage Company, too, is interested in
the New Jersey Junction Railroad,
spur a quarter of a mile in length, which
COST owing to litigation. S2000,000. The
Junction Road starts at the. West Shore,
north of the Pennsylvania main stem.
passes under the latter through tun-
mel at the Point of Rocks and connects
again with the National Docks north of
Grand street, Jersey City. The Penn
sylvania Company epdeayored to pre-
vent the passage OF the line under its
tracks. but to no avail.
Jersey Junction connects every line north
and south of the Pennsylvania The
primary and principal object of building
the road, it is now known, was was; to pro pre-
vide direct and speedy connection with
the National Storage warehouses and
elevators. Every car load Of grain o., or
the junction Road be switched within
twenty minutes time from the terminals
Of either the West Shore, Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western. Erie. New York,
Susquehanna and Western, New Jersey
Central, Baltimore and Ohio, or I.ehigh
Valley Railroads. The intention of the
company is known by many railroad men
and they prophecy that when the plan is
carried into execution business at this
port will be almost doubled
1t is believed that storage and freight
rates will be affected, and it is not con-
sidered altogether improbable that a rate
war will ensue unless the Joint Traffic
Association interposes its offices.
The location of the warehouses and
elevators on the same side Of the river
as the railroad terminals will; it is con-
tended. result in a substantial saving to
shippers Much interest in centred in
the enterprise. particularly in railroad
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