New-York tribune., 1898-11-17
THE COMMERCE OF NEW YORK
WHY 1T is DECLINING AND HOW 1T CAN
BE RESTORED AND PRESERVED.

Sit: The recent appointment by the Governor or
a State Commission to Investigate the causes OF
the decline Of the commerce OF New-York city has
given added interest to this very important sub
ject. and has encouraged every TO hope that
this Commission may find out why this ports
rating OF 81 per cent few years ago has run down
to - per cent. and may point out the remedy. The
question of the commerce OF this port was dis
cussod In a conference at the residence of the
writer october H. 1876 this general PROPOSE
tion viz Would not a Minnesota grain man. hav-
ing one million bushels OF grain to ship 20 Europe
see that IL thither by the route most eco
nomcal OF time and money? The problem for
consideration stated follows. and in this
form sent out to merchants and various boards OF
trade IN this city, the West and elsewhere
rs Port Morris the central point in city. in
the worlds great highway. from Europe to New
York. Chicago. San Francisco. Japan and China, II
connected by steamships and railways? Could
steamship. IN round trip from the said port 70
and from Europe. save a day Of twenty-four hours
rather than to and from Jersey city or the North
River thereby cssening the steamships expense
some 5000? Could travellers from one continent TO
another by the said route save day in time. also
twenty more dollars in expenses each. In such a
route and trip? II the foregoing questions could be
answered In the affirmative. should we take any
preliminary steps in the mattc., or can others do
it better. and we quietly turn on the other side,
saying. A littlc more sleep. little more siumoer'
The questions here asked were answered In the
affirmative. without dissenting voice, and the
solution OF this problem began ny an dppHcd'!OH
for an appropriation for the work Congress
promptly granted $4,000 TO improve the Harlem
River and the Kills. from the Hudson to the Sound.
conditioned. however upon obtaining the rlght OF
way free to the Government. More money was
promised as required and the merchants Interested
naturally supposed that the work would proceed 10
completion. After a long delay. however. the War
Onlce informed the writer that the lack OF the
right Of way. OF funds TO procure 1t. had caused
the Office to lay aside all work relating to the
Harlem River canal. and at the same time re-
oucsted him to see what he could do In the matter
lie therefore negotiated with the owner for the
plot needed for the right Of way. and on october
y 1S7s rendered II in person to the Government
coupled with proposal to build the Harlem CahaI
from the Hudson 10 the upper end OF kahdaIi y
Island in accordance with the United States En-
gineers survey and unde: his supervision. for the
sun, of $4,000 the work to be completed in 1850
The enc!neer's estimate. reported on February -
1915 was 8 So 26S The proposal was considered
advanta geous to the Government. and 1t was sup
posed that It woulG NE accepted AT this stage we
United State engineers rcsurveyod the route
though unauthorized by Congress TO DO 50. The
. width was increased from 50 to 4o) feet. They
also Increased the amount OF land for the rsht OF
way ana the number of plots and owners 10 suo'
an extent that no individual could expect TO se'
cur. the right The rieh: Of way Was. at last ac-.
ourod through legislation and much litigation at
a total cost Of $4,000 which cost might have he's
SHARED and ne work was commenced. Now, aitef
the lapse Of more th.n twenty years. ana al
though sl2C5Co0 has been granted for the I'M
/ provomont the work on the Harlem River section
alone does not to be more than half finished
and this half poorly done while the Harlem kIIs
( section has not been touched. The canal might
have been completed and placed at the service II
commerce IN 1883 When il will now be properly
completed Il is quite impossible to say.
Meanwhile the NcW-YoTk Central and Hudson
River Railroad needed % rev hri ic' across the
Harlem. ard hnii; ono Nithou' delay. =! cost OF
$4,000. Tho ci;s neoGed bridge across the same
river. and paid S'.5)00O) FOR t.. The work of pfl-
vate corporations is carried out promptly and we'll
Municipal work can he done SO and often Is. bu'
q II seems as If no power We're adequate to carry on
this vi,al Improvement OF the Harlem River to It's
/ proper completion despite its Importance IN the
settlement Of the commerce question of this port.
1t is not expected that The Government engineers
Will adequately represent the commercial interests
Of the country in planning works of this kind. but
they should under any circumstances venture
10 oppose hinder thwart the works that COM
mercial mcn require advocate
BY wa cf contrast 1t is worthy % note that me
. CANADIAN Governmen, took up the WcllanI Canal
project Il few years before the writer Interested
himself In the Harlem River. In A paper which
laid before the NLNth Congress ] stated tina; the
b Canadian Government purposcd spending some Us
00ol00 for the improvement Of IT," Weltrd Canal
and thu. for the diversion through Canadian ports
. Of commerce that ought to pass through American
channels i is now officially stated that $Seh"O
has been expended hy that country TO perfect iis
waterways by canals. locks, harbcr' ana all OF
tho resources OF iatcllgent engineering carried on
in a competent and scientific manner During each
Of tho twenty years thus occupied the writer has
appeared before the Un.'eG States congress IN b.-
half cf the construction Of the Harlem River snip
Canal. only 60 nn1 IT, a. the end OF this period
unsldlfuIy planned and bat parity executed, us
osrios, completion sevcial year away. and its
urobab.a completion for efficient usc only 10 be
looked for with a cham in the method oi CARRYING
on the Work II Is no| anHouh.,u ,I@' h V.iian @aoI
proposes To abolish iol"ge ices Oh lhe " '''ri"
Canal. Is it supposable ior m"meii thal lne
United Siotes commerce within reach or mes, " "'-
tcis Will not be- diverted 10 in,H,' o 'rLe, ~ ,,.;
compete successfully i'm the v3Id m"Fhe's WIZ"
As far as New-York pocs. III facts even no"
are the answer This port formerly rating its pr
portion OF the country commerce al o. per ,y[tnt
now claims but N win 4 rt,hdE Ig't, ta,,,c,r.t,nns
OF commerce The sriter has studied them dHTinSS S
many wears Of travel. excndnS from Vu9dry r me+l
the Golden Gate and during YIara o, chfinrt nb
cial life in New-Orleans and MS Gity re nan has "n
served the frequent 1"'emjio'. transfer
charges and the many Other itci1 spn',sin,n n gn m
important taken scDarately. but When lrN'n -, -"
gether determining the course oil s'o"'"A " "
Thcse coHditicns. upon which the general econ
only of available routes depends apply equ Lly, -
New York Sandy isok IS suhicsAl odIriI[ ,,d .ui
Ne Nrst pi". ~. 'onsidcrnc the trsfic there are u
more ~ daneerors w"tcra Than those around the
Battery and lower New-York. In the second pi"fG..
there is not sufficient dO'k room along we or( n
/ waterfront for the commerce that ~Ouid ndtuId,E
come to this port; cargoes coming nov xn.nSc CS.
for ishterasc wharfacc. storage and sometime
% Sntr%E, ht ,he 'I IN New-Orcans nfiy years ago.
one comurehorsivc remedy lies "a using the greg %ereat
Eastern demons,rated ard tie consequent exten.
sion Of the water and cock front aionE ,h1 iit Htn1
saw with prophetic eye that the Erie canal f1eslts
River and The dccp-sca channel of Long Island
Sound to the ocean with i.e sphfioMGs M %eitcj 81
LEGISLATION I'm 1896 but his untimely doath put an