The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
HOW THE OLD EAST RIVER MARKET DISTRICT
IS TO RE IMPROVED.

Is TO RE IMPROVED.
The business OF the waterfront from Cath
arine street north was not OF as great apparent
importance as that below, and did not cause
the building Of great warehouses. but yet, as a
matter OF fact. 1t was probably Of even greater
consequence to the New Workers OF that day.
Here it was that a vast fleet OF little vessels.
soops and schooners. came from the
Long Island and New England shores
OF the Sound. bringing TO market the
products OF farm. garden and orchard.
Market slip. midway between Catharine and
Rutgers slips. took its name from the char
acter Of it's trade. and Catharine Market was
the centre of a thriving mercantile district
where was laid the foundation OF many a
modern fortune. Around tho heterogeneous
lot OF wharves that grew IN in those days
boats clustered so thickly that it was not I'M
common to see three rows Of them tied up, one
outside the other. awaiting turn to unload.
Then came the building Of railroads. and the
market boats and regular sailing packet lines
disappeared. the trend of population was up
town. and although the wharves found other
uses. the adjoining district. which had been
alive with the hum Of business. went to sleep.
For fifty years it has not changed. For blocks
and blocks not new building has been erected
there in all that time and scarcely repair has
been made to an old one
about four months ago. the Dock Department
began to build new pier Of modern dimen-
sions. Just to the north OF Catharine ferry
That pier is now completed. and running north
from the shore end OF II is the beginning OF a
stone bulkhead whose extension will form
the new eastern boundary OF South street
adding to it enough to give II u width in the
clear Of 125 feet. This is not nearly 81 wide "a
the West street plaza along the Hudson. but it is
believed that il will be ample for the purpose.
~ no bulkhead sheds are to be allowed to en-
croach upon it. The next move toward the
regeneration of the old district was the be-
ginning Of a new pier month ago at the
foot Of Rutgers slip. and little later the
enforced removal OF the two floating dry
docks which for quarter Of IA century
lay between Piers 40 and A.. between
Pike slip and Rutgers sln The old screw
block below had gone before but the foating
docks held on until the last moment. for they
thew n s ons the a slip
said to he the largest Of its kind. with the ex-
SSsnti"n q t the GeW oHti4E dry dock which
Work is now to be pushed forward rapidly on
the transformation Of the river front between
Rut2ero and Catherine slips. and IT will not be
long before th" whole district will be provided
any except thu largest class Of ocean steamers
While, in consideration Of leases unexrired
-,
will be merely extended TO the pier head
i,ihne, and others, rebuilt about where
thhey are ana T e dthS
CHIEF Engineer Bonsel il for piers 80 feet
W1S aS about Foch dest 1nE VIII 29 i2t
OF water. His, plans have been preparedul-
ready to extend The line Of new piers ,by build
cry street. kWt no dSntS n"iom has YET been
taken for donGthe building Above that South
strc't goes so near to tn" water line estab-
lished by the Government for Iiors that moth
Ing but short wharyes, such as now exist;
Corlears Hook to Grand street. The improve
m en,s noT IN hand VII cost. independent Of
1t is believed that with its new piers the
old market section will become the centre of
the China trade TIE slips ana piers VII be Of
as they come and go 81 seldom the fierce tides
aud Swirllng currents, which MAX this Part Of
vessels. would not affect them as they would an
ordinary tra9satiantic service. The old build.
To- warehouses or offices. and the old region
wakeu
II is the hope Of the Dock Department also.
al It has been now, for ten years or more, that
al the big steamboat lines plying down the
r ana The others "HS the Nor r2 RHsr d ds
trict about Murray street. will eventually he
Induced to cluster together OF the Last River.
the neighhorho"d Of East Twentieth street,
but they stick TO the old districts because these
are close to III" dry goods sect ion, to which
much OF heir freight Is consigned.
II i M interesting fact that while the old
fleet pt small sailing VrsI"lS which piled about
our Earh"r have nll"s; all dI appeared md
none now make sch"uul"i trips "a the shores
of J"r-cy nor up III" North River to its many
towns. thcr" are sill a few lines lett. remnants
OF those Of a century ago which run regularly
from the old market district. These leave
from Piers A. ~ or ~ and 81 From here ON
wr"k,X tr.ps to stony Brook. Huntington aud
Iou Washington, Long Island and Cos Cob,
Miamls and SouthpOrt. Conn, run half dozen
Scoops and schooner, carrying freight. but these
in the days when Catharine and Market slips
Wern in thnir glOIN.