New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-19
FOR HARBOR IMPROTEWENTS.
COMMERCE COMMISSION CONSIDERS
THE QUESTION OF DOCKS,
ERAsrUs wIMAN SAYS TRANSFER CHARGES MUST
he REDUCED AND THAT STATEN ISLAND
SHOULD BE CONVERTED INTO
A GREAT TERMINAL.

SHOULD BE CDNNEklED IN ~
GREAT TERMINAL
Tho first rublc hearing Of the Commerce COM
mission. which was appointed by Governor BACK 10
inquire into the causes Of the decline OF commerce
at this port and to make whatever recommended
lions deemed necessary to better the condl-
tons. was hold yesterday in the Governors Room
Of the City Hall. The Commissioners present were
ex-Mayor Charles A. Schieren the chairman; An
drew II. Green. c. G. Shayne and hlex9nfer H.
Smith. Nearly hundred persons were on hama 10
listen TO the discussion or TO take part In the pro
ceedings BY resolution OF the Commits sion, the
question Of the docks of the city was first ;aten up
Dock Department FOR twenty seven years. waF the
first person address the Commission MI. q. ne
do%k prnps S ' ne the Rorog ~ Manbatan was
owned by tho city. and he thought that the pubic
would not derive much tenent nor would oondi,ions
be materially improved ~ the acquisition Of 81 me
dock property by the city. The reason advanced
for this belief was that the private docks are
mostly used for domestic purposes He said mat
he did not think the system Of free docks could be
Charles Stoughton was the next witness. he
has been Interested in the Improvement Of the var
lem River and the Bronx Kills for commecciai pur.
poses for many years lie favored the opening, OF
he Harlem River eightecn feet deep from The
Hudson to III" Sound which. with fye-fo2' nne'
would give depth Of twenty three fee H..
Erastus Wman was next called and spoke s, f1r
nearly three quarters Of an hour about me ,acin
OF the port. its advantages. disadvantages ana
especially about the opportunities of converting h
harbor Of New-Ycrk in tho present mode Of
handling It's traffic performed IN" purposes o.
terminal In manner most expensive. most cIlH-
brcus and most disastrous 70 IT'S eventual success
as n port Of the first class.
THE purposes OF a terminal" he continued, are
three-these are receipt storage and shipment. IL
would be impossible to conceive worse condition
than AT present prevails in NcWYork in th"se
respects For. Il matter OF fact nlnc-tenths o.
our exports received In jersey city; all that
needs storage L. stored IN brooklyn. and nlle-
tenths Of the shipments are from Ne"- crK. inc
result IL that the element OF .ighterage is intro
duccd at n cost disastrous TO the port as to *
coed that Of any other charge for service 50
slight Whatever. therefore. viii have tendency
TO eliminate lghterage in that proportion will IL
contribute to the success OF the harbor. Inc won
der Is not that our commerce u declining. nut inat
there H. any commerce at all 20 encounter diff,
culties serious. OF all places within ne port or
Npw-York avail able for a complete reduction OF
transfer charges the Staten Island shore OF the
rarhor affords the most complete promise. Us
chef advantage Is It's accessibility to all. the RAN
roads west OF the Hudson by the construction OF
the Arthur Kill Bridge"