New-York tribune., 1901-03-21
GEN. vOYRON.
GEN. WOGAK.
CRAGIN SCHEME VETOED.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT OBJECTS TO
THE CREATION OF ISLANDS IN
NEW-YORK HARBOR.
TpY rELriRArH TO THE TR1ruNE.I

Washington. March 20.-So long as Secretary
Root and William Cary Sanger remain at the
head of the War Department the scheme or
the so-called Cragn syndicate to construct a
vast shipyard between Bedlow's and Ellis ISL
ands in New York Harhor will not he realized
This positive assertion is made advisedly. and
with a full understanding of what is on the
cards at the War Department. Until the eN-
posure in The Tribune of the revival of the
scheme under the new guise of a shiphuilding
and docking est blishment ostensibly located on
the Jersey flats officials had considered the
scheme utterly defunct. but the grand project
for the benefit cf New York's commerce, doing
away with the necessity Of sending the big
ocean liners to he docked at Newport News, Is
now regarded by them merely an attempt
to resusCitate a long ago dscountenanced effort
to seize a large area under water in New-Hork
Harhor and erect there a valuable island with
nearly mile and a half Of water front, along
side of the Statue of Liberty on Bedlow's ISL
and and directly in front Of the shallow fats
owned by the Pennsylvania and Central rail-
roads tho Standard oil Company and other
large corporations. which would he thus cut off
from a direct channel to the North and East
rivers.
As said in The Tribune the Treasury
Department withdrew its objection to the pro-
posed Cragin "shipyerd'' provided il did not
approach within five hundred feet Of the ok
listing immigrant station on Ellis Island. which
would enable the Treasury Department 10 ex-
tend the southwestern end Of Ellis Island 100
feet further in the future without running the
risk of having undesirable neighbors As there
is a clear distance OF 200 feet between Bed
lows and Ellis islands. 10 Cllkin syndiDc'
wouId stiH have a good thing il the War De-
partment gave 200 square feet for the private
ntIt iS ~ Var
partment will steadfastly decline TO do
The hearing before the New-York Harbor
Board tomorrow ON the Cragin plan is likely to
develop interesting question as to the al
legged Jurisdiction Of the state Of New-Jersey
that part OF New-York Harhor lying be
tween Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
The project to create the new island rests
wholly on an application by the Riparian Com
mission Of New-Jersey for such a modification
of the bulkhead and pier lines would validate
the concession. which it appears these commits
sioners have already granted to Edward f. Cra-
gin. The War Department does not recognize any
right OF New-Jerscy beyond the pier head line
on the mainland, the State of New-York
exercises jurisdiction both in the North River
and the XIII Won Kull up to the New-Jersey'
pier line. It Is the opinion here that the pro
posed Cragin island would he in New York
state and that legislation at Albany would he a
prerequisite TO serious consideration Of the
scheme by the national government.
At extreme low tide there is over five feet Of
water at the site of the proposed island. and
the character of the bottom is such as To render
big drvdoCks and other great structures alto
gether visionary. The locality offers splendid
opportunities for getting rid Of city refuse and
dredged matter from the harbor channels to
avoid the expense Of long trip 10 the desig-
mated dumps at sea but the War Department
has provided such a place OF deposit at the
southern end Of Governors Island. and adheres
TO its determination not to permit promiscuous
islands to multiply in the busiest harbor in
America.