New-York tribune., 1902-08-30
DOCK IMPROVEMENT SOON.
COMMISSIONERS HAWKES. WILL ASK Foa
BIDS FOR NORTH RIVER PIERS
IN A FEW WEEKS.


Within a few weeks. it is expected the Doc.
Department will ask for bids for the new piers
10 be constructed between West Eighteenth and
Twenty-third sts for which the Board Of Est1-
mate and Apportionment and the Board OF
Aldermen have appropriated S6O00Ooo. These
piers will probably be one thousand feet long.
the longest piers in the city. as il is understood
by Commissioner Hawkes. that the War De-
partnent will act favorabI on the application
for pier line two hundred feet beyond the
present one. II was the intention of the de-
partment to construct piers only eight hundred
feet long and when The applica tion was made TO.
the War Department. for change in the pier
line it was for the purpose Of saving the city a
large sum OF money which otherwise would
have to be spent in dredging out the slips which
were TO be cut two hundred feet into the bulk
head in order TO give the necessary depth to the
piers There would have been saving in time
also
Since then the steamship companies which
hore 70 obtain the three new piers TO be built
now-arnong them the American Line evidently
representing the new steamship combination
have said that they desired piers one thousand
feet long Mr. Hawkes. said yesterday that for
this reason there would be the same amount or
dredging required whether the change IN the
pier line was secured or not The favorable ac-
ton of the War Department will nlean- there
fore that the piers viii be one thousand feet
long instead Of eight hundred. as they otner-
wise would be
The changing OF the pier line will make It
possible 70 extend the piers. built under the
Strong administration just south of the pro-
jected improvement further ont into the river
and doubtless some of the lines now using them.
which include the White star. the Leyland. the
Wilson and the Cunard will wish 10 have the
extensions made. The Cunard Line is 10 have
fr.- he 2,
couple of years or as soon as they can be buih,
and may desire such an alteration Of its piers
Commissioners have been selected by the Sr.-
prenne Court obtain right and title TO the
property between Eighteenth and Twenty-thtrd
SITS. These commissioners are Wilbur Iarre-
more. Stanley W Dexter and James A Allen
They are TO assemble at the County Court!
House on September : for examination
Two or three days ago Commissioner Hawkes.
sent to Mayor Low report OF his observations
while abroad examining the dock systems OF
several ports He discussed the question OF
| transferring cargo from railroad to vessel d.
rect sucfect which was treated by Mayor Low
| in one OF his talks. In regard to this he said
| in part:
In but few instances can railroad cars be run on
methods OF handling large quantities OF freight
are found in rival ports, and their existence IS
The system Of meeting the requirements should
be 2
tracks TO De kept as main tracks and the outside
! lines used stand situated that the
| cars can be approached by trucks or teams That
is to say tracks should De run from the our de
track side TO the piers ana on the
land side into adjoining property wherever depotsi
were established. With this system there could
be complete railroad communication with the piers
BY general transfer bridges on the water rront.
and the blocks adjacent the marginal way would
be available for freight stations or warehouses
When Commissioner Hawkes. returned from
Europe he was OF the opinion that a craving
dock for large vessels should BE constructed by
the city al this port Apparently he has reached
the conclusion that the craving dock is not such
an iuDerat tive necessity that the city should
hastily enter upon the construction of one
Commissioner Hawkes. also said that the port
| charges, the cost of towing vessels and charges
| for general wharfage, are lower here than they
are abrOad