New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-23
FOR HARBOR IMPROVEMENT
NETWORK BUSINESS MEN BEFORE
COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS
NEED OF DEEPENING AND WIDENING The
CHANNELS NEAR SANDY HOOK

STRONGLY PRESENTED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE THIBrNE.l
Washington. Dec. 2.-The Committee on Rivers
and Tiarbors OF the House OF Representatives mas
never listened TO stronger arguments BY ab'er men
than 1t heard to-day from the representatives. OF
the commercial bodies OF New-York In behalf OF
the Improvement OF the approaches TO New io'N
Harbor. In the course Of the hearing every Phase
Of the matter discussed from different points
OF view. and the committee was placed In posses
sion OF mass OF important Information. much OF
which was new TO It's members. and which clinched
every argument made. The fact was also clearly
brought out that the proposed improvement - more
largely OF a National than local character I'M
merse as are the local interests involved.
The committee room is spacious. but every square
foot OF available space occupied to-day by the
men who had come In behalf OF one OF the most
important and rneritc rous projects submitted.
Their earncstness, well the cogency anu
strength Of their arguments evidently made a deep
impression on the committee. although In the
OF things II was not 10 be expected that us
members would commit themselves then and there
In favor OF the plan submitted. Chairman Burton
however. did hold out some encouragement, ana MS
sympathetic remarks elected a round OF applause
At the head OF the delegation was ex-MayoT
Schieren OF Brooklyn. chairman OF the New-fork
State Commerce Commission. with william o. Cor
wine OF the Merchants Association. as secretary.
The following organizations were represented;
gins and Vernon II. Brown. 49,
From the Produce Exchange. Thomas A. Mcln-
tyre. Augustus HAYS and Evan Thomas. ?,
From the steamship companies Ggstav +. r.;
schwab OF the North German Lloyd steamship
Line: oswald S. Anderson. OF the Wilson and PhG
nix Line. and Emil l.. Boas. of the Hamburg
From the Board OF Marine Underwriters Clifford
Hand and M waiter T. Jomes william F.
King John W. Ambrose. ". Bayard cutting, Al
yah Trowbridge. s. c. Mead and william H. Cor
From the Commerce Commission Of the state o OF
Sew.York. Charles A. Schieren and Alexander !"
From the Manufacturers Association OF New-
York Charles y Chadwick and Archibald C. shen-
stone.
The New-York City delegation IN Congress was
represented by Messrs Cummings Mcclei'ah'
Ward and others Senator Plat. Of New-fork'
sent word through, Representative Ward that ne
was called 20 New-York. and wanted to RECORD MS
hearty approval Of the proposed Improvement
ARGUMENT OF Mr.. AMBROSE.
REPRESENTATIVE Cummings briefly urged the need
OF Government attention to this great artery OF
commerce. Ex-Mayor schieren introduced mo
delegates to the committee. and the hearing De
gan with statement from M. Ambrose OF inc
Merchants Association. on a large chart no p'i"'
ed out the tortuous and dangerous channel nov !"
use and showed the need OF F-foot chanhei from
the ocean to the Narrows. TO be ZOO feet WIDE
and OF a channel along the Brooklyn shore' 10 NC
20 feet deep and 242 feet wide. he sald tha' tnesc
improvements were not merely local. put were VI
importance TO the whole country. The srea. ava
system OF New-Yori he pointed out. had COST Ns"
yor s,ata MANY millions almost much as all the
river and harbor Improvements made by the gen
cral Government. These canals were Tree 10 .no
shipp,ng OF other States. and were OF especial Fae
10 the West in securing cheaper neigh's. IN o.e
| hundred wears he declared. out OF the 1896 I'D
, spent by the Government on waterways New iorh
Harbor had received only about 100000 In this
| time OF the entire customs collections by "hicn
| the Government supported. 81 cents gu, OF
every dollar was collected in New-York YET IN
| this time out OF every dollar spent by the "o'
| eminent on waterways. New-forh haroor re-
oo,ved ia cents while IS % cents went 10 rivers
and harbors OF the rest OF the country MT AM
brose urged the justice OF present attention 10 'hs
| proiect and in detail he showed the stimulating
| effect II would have on the commerce. shpp'"s
| and navigation OF the whole country, as We'll as
| that OF NewYork.
| I-Nf ID