New-York tribune., 1907-01-28
IMPROVING NEW YORK H4RBoR.

AS was pointed out in yesterdays Tribune. a
few Of the transatlantic steamship companies
whose vessels come regularly to New York like
the provision which has been made for their ac-
commodation here. When the first stage Of the
work on the Ambrose Channel affOrding depth
OF thirty-five feet at low tide, is completed next
July, the largest ships now afiOat will be able
TO get in and out of the harbor without difhculty
Even the Inconvenience TO which the Lusltanla
and the Mauretania. Of the Cunard Line, Will
be subjected before the channel is deepened 70
forty feet has evidently been exaggerated. An
other undertaking which is regarded with favor
because of the benefits which it will confer is
the sO-called Chelsea Improvement" The new
piers just below 23d street, which are now nearly
ready for service, are much longer and further
apart than any others built and controlled by
the city, and will prove extremely satisfactory
to the companies which have leased them. If the
federal government Will still further restrict the
area in the lower Hudson in which anchorage
privileges are granted, so that more room will
be available for such steamships the Adriatic
and the Cedric 10 swing into their new berths
third-but a subOrdinate-cauSe of complaint
will be removed.
The big steamship companies. however, are
not alone entitled to consideration. Mr.. Vernon
II. Brown, who represents the Cunard Line in
this city, says that some of the other lines can
not afford to pay the high rentals demanded, and
may possibly be driven away from New York.
There are places on the Atlantic Coast where
no charge is made for the use of piers and these
might be glad TO secure fraction of the traffic
which now comes to the metropolis. 1t would
hardly be advisable to meet such competition by
making the piers here entirely free, but policy
which had the effect anticipated by Mr. Brown
would be unfortunate, 10 say the least. The
municipal authorities are already making some
reductions in rentals. The White Star conf
pany, for instance, Will pay only $4,000 for
each pier in the Chelsea Improvement" which
it uses, whereas it paid SS5,OO0 in the locality
which it is about 10 abandon. Why should not
similar concessions be made elsewhere on the
waterfront Of Manhattan and Brooklyn?
In one important respect New York differs
from a number of other seapOrts on both sides
of the Atlantic 1t is almost entirely without
means for the direct transfer of freight from
the railroads which concentrate at this port.
For this deficiency local topography is largely
responsible. Between the piers Of New York
and the terminals OF the trunk lines which
traverse New Jersey there is broad river
which has never been bridged and across which
ears can be transferred only by means Of barges.
The traffic of the New Haven road is subject
10 the same special inconvenience. 1t is TO be
observed, however. that the one company hav-
ing tracks which are available for an exchange
of freight with steamships gets little encourage
ment from the city government The present
facilities for the transfer Of merchandise from
the cars of the New York Central TO vessels ly-
ing alongside the North River piers are not all
that could be desired. but they might be worse
than they are now if the local authorities should
have their way. In this manner other interests
than those Of the railroad company are menaced,
for any hindrance TO the commerce Of New York
tends to divert business to places which have a
higher appreciation Of its value.