New-York tribune., 1903-05-18

obiact;ons are easily answered and are worth
answering In view of the Importance OF the
Improvement to the commerce OF the port III
the first place. the extension asked TOT VIII NOT
decrease the cost of construction, but VIII III
crease # bv the cost of adding two hundred feet
TO the proposed piers. When the application
was first made. II Is true the city expected 10
save money in the cutting in Of the bulkhead'
which it was thought would be unnecessary II
the application was granted Since then, now
ever. ii has been found that the construction OF
the new Cunard steamers, which are likely 10
be over eight hundred feet in length, and of
other large steamers viii make it necessary ID
build these piers one thousand feet long. There
fore there will be no saving in this respect, for
the same amount of cutting in will have to be
done as If only SOO-foot piers were constructed.
The army board, apparently. did not take into
consideration the fact that the receipts from
the leases of property which the Dock Depart
nent has bought and improved do not yet Ddi-
ance the cost of the Improvements. Id rounu
figures the Dock Department. since II was or
ganizcd in 1870, has expended Oh the purchase
Of property and the improvement of these pur-
chases S17.O0O000. The receipts from this I'M
nroved proDerty have been between SS.OOO.OOO
and 100000. Inasnuch as the city does not
propose to change the line of solid filling, the
third objection does not apply. 1t would pracu-
caIy be impossible TO change the location OF
the piers to a point above West Thirtieth-st' as
the character of that neighborhood has become
fixed as a railroad receiving point Many
years Doubtless would be spent in litigation
before this site would be available for improve
ment.
Apparently the chief objection TO granting
the appIication is that it would reduce the width
of the channel. But engineers laid little
stress upon this, and the objection is more ap-
pa rent than real If the extension were grahteu
there would still remain a channel twenty
seven hundred feet wide, and that is gener
Ous in these days OF twin screws y steam
ship provided with twin screws can maneuVFe
in a circle whose diameter is little greater thah
her length. AS q matter OF fact board Oh
army engineers granted a private dock COM
naDv an extension of the pierhead line along
the BROOKLYN shore of the East River whereby
the channel was reduced to about twelve hun
dred feet at that point. Moreover, the condi-
tions in the East River are far less favorable
as that stream is more crowded, and the ude
sometimes flows at the rate OF six miles an
hour.
That it IS desirable. even essential. to have
these piers one thousand feet long Is indicated
by letter written by Vernon H. Brown to the
declared that adequate piers are as essential
ito commerce as adequate channels and water
ways" and added: "All the expense which the
government has entered upon in deepening the
channels IN response to strong aud popular de-
'.mand NAV be nullified If the steamships for
(which such channels are constructed cannot be
''docked after entering port" Mr.. Brown also
said that he had advised his home office that
the present piers used for the ships OF the
Cunard Line were not suitable for the new
ships which the company desired to build, and
remarked that the expense Of cutting Into the
land would add so much to the cost that the
rental which the city would have TO charge
would be prohibitive.
It may be added that If the slips were deep
ened two hundred feet they would intersect the
lines of railroad running north and south be-
tween West Thirtieth-st. and st. Johns PARK
the distributing point for freight IN the lower
section Of the city. The cost OF such a cut
would amount to about S6,OOO0o0 which it is
evident the city ought not to be called upon to
sDend in addition to the S14,0O0oOO which VIII
be required for the improvement IL constructed
as planned It would appear that there Is no
good reason for denying the amended applica-
tion which has Just been forwarded to the war
Department, and which has the approval OF
several of the commercial bodies Of the city