davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
FINE ACCOMMODATIONS.

Its piers In the Chelsea improvements which
will be s25 feet long. or about 75 feet longer
than It's present accommodations will cost Il
$4,000 each. Besides letting these piers the
finest built by tho city. at this reduced rate the
municipality will also erect the sheds and sllp-
ply them with modern appliances for handling
freight without cost 10 the steamship companies
Heretofore lessees OF piers have been Obliged 10
provide the sheds. the structures 20 meet the
approval OF the city authorities. and turn them
over TO the city free OF cost when the leases ex
pired 1t is said that this concession to the big
transatlantic lines which are 10 occupy the
piers-the White Star. Cunard. American. Red
Star. Atlantic Transport and French-vas
made because some OF these lines hinted tha.
they might be driven elsewhere if they eoula
not be accommodated here at a more ran soma sla
rate than was az first proposed.
Ihe release or the piers now OCcupied nv
THESE lines Will remove some Of the nrass,ira
from the Manhattan waterfront IN fs nossfhis
that the Morse combination OF coast limos nav
secure some of the vacated pier space in the
SIansevoort Improvement and move the NTalIor-v
Line around from the East River Thus raIisf
VIII De given on both the North and East sriv,r
sides of Manhattan
In The last few years there has been a de-
veiopment or the South Brooklyn shorefront for
the accommodation OF freight lines and rrsn9n
steamers with eargoes Of heavy freight and raw
On tne cheaper land warehouses have
oeen constructed and railroad terminal has been
provided, Many stearnships-it has been estmat-
ea by some at 20 Ger cent OF the tonnage OF me
Roft--now go there 70 discharge cargoes az the
Bush Terminal The Dock Department. mas ura-
pared plans for further developm.nt OF this
part or the harbor front on either side OF the
5usn tna y tertnlnai number Of the piers will be
aVp feet longer than the Chelsea piers and some
what wider. As the municipality Is rehahilitat-
ins The recently acquired South BroSklyn ferry
oy constructing new boats. this section OF the
waterfront WILL I'm course of time serve ss =
great relief to Manhattan.
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
SUGGESTIONS FOR RELIEF.

Various suggestions have been made for re-
heving some OF the difficulties arising from the
congestion OF the Manhattan waterfront. but
most OF them have found opponents among the
practical minded men who have charge OF the
operation or the various transportation lines and
therefore no attempts have been made 20 put
them into effect.
striking thing about the Port OF New York
is the fact that what is it's chiefest glory is also
In the eyes OF tho steamship men, one of it's
ohiefest disadvantages compared with other
ports A large proportion OF the great ports OF
the world are either rivers without harbors
or on harbors into which enter no navigable
waterways for bringing tho commerce down
from the interior 10 the coast. New York has
combination of both. Yet the magnificent
waterways which have given her pre-eminenca
now hamper the movement Of her commerce.
for, with one exception. no railroad has direct
access by rail TO her waterfront This railroad
me New York Central, finds itself Obliged 10
hanole much of its freight by water.
four-track elevated railroad skirtins the
waterfront from the Battery 10 Christopher
street and provided with bridges for trans
Ierring the cars from the floats and switches
lot Joining The tracks with the piers was pro-
posed In 1897 TO solve this problem by George
p Ssr.sap,I n4riSon. william II. Burr and William p
Sralghil. wei known engineers. acting as a
BOARD OF consulting engineers for the Dock
department The centre tracks were TO be used
Tor moving the cars. and the outside tracks for
discharging their loads into trucks This nron
osiuon was literally trampled out OF sight by
the Criticisms Of engineers connected with the
ERIE and New York Central roads 1t was
SHOWN by them that the average daily move
nent or cars on floats to and from New York
was about $50 cars in each direction. string
or $50 cars would stretch more than fiye miles
and extend from the Battery TO Both street
Besides the freight handled In cars, thew de-
clared also that nearly Ave thousand tons OF
freight were transferred each day by the rail-
ROADS In barges, tonnage which would rsnuira
I.5IS cars In addition 70 the l.s6o moved across
on floats II was evident from these statistics
that rour-track road extending only 10 Chris
topher street could be nothing except storage
yard. Tor there would be no opportunity FOR
switching cars. AT thar time there was moth
ING IKE the amount OF freight nlovin. as
thefe is to-day. when practically every steamer
comes IN loaded 10 her capacity and goes out
in the same condition. The project OF q rail-
road Fas received little consideration since
Pier rentals on Manhattan have almost. he
come pIohibttive," said official of the city
recently. TWO things are illustrated by recant
leases OF piers along Manhattan Apparently
coastwise steamers and railroads owing 10 the
local character Of their business are willing m
pay more for piers on Manhattan than foreign
steamship lines, whose business is national
Apparently also. ths oits. II showins q disposi
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

disclosed that the chemists Of these tiny root
laboratories We're bacteria, which, il planted IN
the right sort OF culture would multiply tre-
mendOusly.
In 1896 Noble and Hiltner produced this MI
crObe in commercial form. which they called
'nitrigin." but which did not accomplish the
results hoped for.
But TO know the cause OF failure" says Pro-
fessOr Duncan, was TO succeed. They now
supply this necessary nOurishment in the form
Of grape sugar and peptOnes added TO the water
I'm which they distributed for spreading
upon the soil Their measure Of success has
been so great that we find to-day several manu-
facturers perfecting the method and establishing
their processes for the wholesale production OF
nitrifying microbes.
Another method has been ascribed TO Pro-
fessOr Moore. OF the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture He has sent out To the
farmers OF the country the dried germs packed
in cotton. With them go two packages contain
Ing the food upon which they to multiply
when placed in water-one containing granu-
lated sugar. potassium phosphate and mag
nesium sulphate. and the other ammonium
phosphate.
The microbes when placed i'm the solution
OF these substances, multiply with prodigiouF
rapidity and serve to inOculate either the seed
or the soil"
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
CHILrs DEPOSITS DWINDLE.

II is from the saltpetne fields OF Chill that the
bulk OF the worlds life food is obtained at
the present time, and great is the demand
that these great deposits are being rapidly dug
up and carried away 10 all parts OF the globe
In the year 1860 the drain on the Chilian nitre
beds amounted TO 100000 tons. most OF which
crossed the Atlantic to invigorate the wornout
soils OF Europe. Three-fourths Of this entire
product WAS transformed into food through. the
agency OF plant life. The rest was consumed in
the manufacture OF the manifold and varied
compounds in which nitrogen plays such a.
potent part in modern life-in the making Of ex-
euisite perfumes. of sniiine dyes of thousand
hBes OF powders that do the washing and
cleansing OF the housewife while she waits" Of
medicines 20 stimulate the appetite quicken the
action OF the kidneys aIIev Intermittent fs,,.re
auench the thirst Of diabetes. and for the treat
Inent Of diphfheria, Group. whoopine cough mem
rsleis, ergsipslss and many more ailments. %
pnotosraphs' where By mysterious union with
slNtr' u enables man TO catch and hold the
heetlng visions OF the forgerul eve: OF the
l.ughins sss of dentistry and OF powerful ex-
posives. without which many OF the most stU-
pendous engineering feats OF the present age
rculc have been impossible. The saItpetre eY-
ported from Chill costs the outside world s27.-
100000 a year
But what VIII happen, ask the scientists
when The nitre fields are exhausted as thew are
expected 70 oe within the next quarter century?
~ answer the majority have agreed with sI-
Williams gloomy forecast OF ten years ago.
European and American agriculture and a
hundred varied kinds Of industry" saws Robert
,nehnscy duncan professor OF chemistry az
Washington and Jefferson College 40 the snrI
1St, issue OF harpers Magazine" ''are wholly
eno lfrplicity dependent upon q tiny little strIn
OF land in South American republic and Tnopp
the grace OF the nitre kings who own II: and
were The little republic 70 close her gates o. ex-
pofs hungry mouths ana fnsurrecti0n would fol.
ioN &c tnfalibly as the night the day THIS Is
cl nohlse, embarrassing and highly signiacaa al
., the interdepeneins conditions OF our civilsza-
u "a
of Ilire taken out and the amount still remain
ING IN tAe bees and compare this amount Win
tae clescenco ratio OF The worlds demand w.
e'e more tnsn philosophically interested: we are
practically frightened We see thai what has
happened 70 guanO VIII inevitably happen to
salprtfe IL is n matter OF plain hard cold
frewn TACT, as everybody knows Rii3 know- a-y-
thlng about ire Chill saltpeire beds ard IN.
needs of agriculture. shat these salfpeire beds
WI I.ot lsst longer than twenty years II present
eonoalons contilte. About tie year 1925, then.
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
THE BIGGEST CAN COME IN.

1.-THE first half Of the new Ambrose Channel"
ne said "nill be open TO commerce next July.
II will then be thirty-sve feet deep for width
OF one thousand feet. This will admit new
steamers contrary 10 the report that they would
not be able 10 get into the harbor for several
years because Of the incomplete condition OF the
channel Ultimately the channel is 70 be forty
feet deep at mean low water for width of two
thousand feet. The completion of the channel
ought to be pushed, and the government ought
work OF those now in use. The new piers of the
Chelsea Improvement. with their very wide slips
for the completion OF which have been look
ing for a long time. are about finished. All we
are waiting for now is the erection OF the pier
sheds. The accommodations OF the port have
been increased by revision Of the anchorage
rules. There are now special regulations re-
gardtng the anchOrages in the North River
which good far they go. AS 1 under
stand 81, the recent report OF the committee an
pointed by Secretary Metcaif to revise the
anchorage regulations recommends 40 per cent
eurtailment OF the so-called south anchorage in
be further reduced. On the hood tide the big
steamers cannot make directly for their pIers
They are not sufficiently under control 10 Insure
saAets Ihey might crash into the pier and
damage both IL and themselves They are
oDIged 10 go up the river a short distance turn
around and come down against the tide While
the setting back OF the easterlv line az this
anchorage one hundred yards amounts IN ONLY n
littie, yet the setting north of the southe,i,,
boundary is more important
With the completion OF the plery aud no
channel ard the change OF the anchorage lines
we snail De IN good condition TO accommotl;,f 10
the largest vessels Of the transatlantic trade
-he othsr steamers Will have 10 90 elseYhers a.
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

tion TO change its policy OF obtaining as much
revenue as possible from it's piers to one of
concession. Among the lines which are TO go
70 the new piers OF the Chelsea Improvement
are the American and Red Star. which now
occupy the wide pier and tho narrow pier near
he foot OF Barclay street. These lines paw
Sen612 "a year for these accommodations The
piers now occupied by this company have been
leased TO the Brunswick Steamship Company at
Sl2uoo year, the lease 70 begin as soon az
the american Line vacates them. This Is n
new steamship company which will run steam
ers 20 Brunswick. Ga. where 1t will have rail-
road connections. The White Star Company has
oeen paving approximately SS5.O00 a year for
each or its two piers In the Ganseyoort quarter
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
NITROGEN BADLY NEEDED.

Should Sir William CTookes's invention make
available the atmospheres store Of life food"
as some scientists call this element. his discov-
cry is most timely. Nitrogen was never more
needed by mankind than at the present time
Indeed. many conservative authorities have been
saying recently that unless some new source OF
supply could be obtained within the next quar-
ter OF century there would be dire starvation
in many parts OF the world. Sir William HIM
self ten years ago. when he was president OF
The British Association for the Advancement OF
Science. compiled a series OF disheartening sta
tistics. the purpose Of which was 20 show that
The world would go hungry before long for lack
OF sufficiently nourishing food. At that time
n. said there we're l63.o0OOo0 acres OF wheat,
yielding annually about 2.0700e00o0 bushels.
n estimate based on the assumption that the
average acre Yields 127 bushels In thirty
years, he said. 3.260,eo0,00O bushels would be
needed II the population OF the world kept on
increasing at the same rate That would mean
that either the worlds acreage OF wheat would
have 10 be increased more than One-half, or that
enough nitrogenous fertilizer must be obtained
10 stimulate the 163gpOpeO acres TO produce
twenty bushels OF wheat an acre. Sir William
estimated that about 100 pounds OF sodium
nitrate. or Chilisn saltpetre. would be needed
for each acre 10 produce the necessary crop. As
such supply could not be procured from all
The saltpetre deposits OF The world, Sir William
said that chemistry would have 20 come 10
mans asd and make the vast stores OF atmo-
spheric nitrogen available for use. the human
race would be confronted with famine.
At the present time there are three principal
sources OF nitrogen-guanO or other manures
the ammonium sulphate which is produced in
The nlanufac cture Of coke. and the nitre beds OF
South America. The first. which once played
Important part IN the production Of food,
has now become an incOnsiderable factor. The
guanO OF commerce, which fifty years ago was
sold at the rate Of fifty thousand tons annually,
IS now practically all used up. Other manuTes
stin utilized for enriching fsgged-Out lands
but 20 such comparatively small degree that
they hardly increase the worlds supply OF food
a thousandth part.
From coke furnaces about 100000 tons OF am
monium suiphate are obtained annually-a vast
amount. Il would indeed seem, but only enough
20 satisfy the hunger OF about one-twentieth OF
the arabic lands OF the earth. Furthermore. this
amount is not likely 90 increase year after year.
as the agricultural acreage of the earth Is
hound 10 do. For these 100000 tons OF fertilizer
q was estimated that the consumers OF the
world pay each year, as a certain part Of their
hoard bill the sum Of S20000NeO
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
NITROGEN from the Air tor
Fertilizer Seems To BE
Available Now at
Little Cost,

The world win become much more wealthy
ana populous, according TO scientists, IL the re-
Gently announced invention by Sir Wilhelm
Crookes and two other scientists proves equal
20 their hopes. II. indeed, they have discoVereu
a way OF obtaining nitrogen from the ar IN
such form that ID can be utilized an little COST
tho discovery viii add much 20 the food sup
ply Of mankind. Il Is said. as II they had opened
nm the fertile fields OF new continent. IL the
practically inexhsustihle supply OF nitrogen IN
IN. skies csn be readily drawn upon. the very
rir VIII then be made 20 fertilize the ground.
snd thus fstten mankind. for nitrogen is tns
food OF sil life The wheat must find nitrogen
in the soil IN order 20 thrive. The OK is hungry
FOR nitrogen when he chews hay. and man
yesrne for nitrogen when his mouth waters az
the smell Of roasting beef.
~ as Sir william Crookes expects, his process
win produce q fertilizer which VIII feed veg
etable life as abundsntly as, but more cheapiy
than, the nature formed nitrates OF guano or
ChiIIsn saltpetre. the farmer may then be en-
sbled 20 grow richer crops OF wheat. the breeder
20 raise larger and sleeker herds OF cattle, the
dairymxn 90 increase the supply OF milk, cheese
snd butter. thus permitting the consumer. who
now must scrimp himself because OF the high
prices OF meat and groceries, 20 load his table
with the good things OF earth. And with more
10 cat tceAAL oA C&AcoF sA%saeSo
families VIII become larger. say the scientists:
cities VIII grow 20 be still larger centres OF pop
UlstiOn. and vast wiidernesses which now re-
spond feebly 20 cultivation will become peOpled
with new and prosperous communities
Yet this vision OF the chemist is not an alto
sether optimistic one. An increased supply OF
those combinations of nitrogen which play suen
vitsl part in modern mans existence may
tri;:g rs much misery as blessing. Cheap nitric
cid VII only add 20 the horrors Of assassina-
ton ard Of war. It is nitrogen In powder which
drives the cannon shot. nitrogen in guncotton
that explodes the torpedo. nitrogen in dynamite
nitroglyoerine which blows up the victim OF
the anarchists bomb. and nitrogen which COM
mits murder when by stealth il enters the hu-
man body IN the form OF prussic acid.
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
WHAT MANUFACTURERS ARE DOING.

Sir William Crookes. however, must show es-
pecIa,y good results TO outrivaI what Birkeland
and Eyde are now doing In Norway. and Frank
and Erlwein have accomplished in Germany
The Norwegians have succeeded 10 such a de-
gree that at the present time they are erecting a
second plant. which will employ 10000 horse
power from the falls at Svaelgfos. At their old
factory they are manufacturing nitrogenous
fertilizer out OF the air at cost OF SO ton.
it is said. and selling it for $40 ton. The
product OF the Birkeland-Eyde process is nitrate
Of calcium, which makes an excellent FERTILIZER
1t is formed by passing the air through great
disk OF electric flame. and theh Htter ItPlu
cooling through water towers and the milk OF
lime The present plant for manufacturing the
BlrkeIand- Eyde product Is at Notodaen. where
electrical power is obtained from waterfalls
on the continent OF Europe another atmo'
spheric fertilizer is being manufactured as the
result of the researches by Professor Adolph
Frank OF CharIottenburg, "a suburb or Berlin.
and ia scientifically known as calcium cyana-
nide According to Professor Duncan, 1t is
better fertilizer than the sulphate OF ammonia
obtained from gas works. and practically equal
10 the saltpetre from the mines. Another proc
Pss discovered by DR.. ErlWetn, or Berlin has
resulted in a fertilizer which Is also being sold
In large quantities. DR.. Erlwein Drought the
nitrogen OF the air into n combination with
mixture OF powdered charcoal and lime I'm an
electric furnace. which resulted In producing
nitrogen. According to Mr. Mason the United
States Consul General az Berlin. this fertilizer
"acts on plants as effectively as Chlhan salt
petre."
while chemists have been I'm search OF a way
Of making direct drains of nitrogen from the
air TO facilitate life, aSrlculturiSts have discoV-
cred an indirect means through the planting OF
various kinds OF lesumes They have found
that clover beans yetch broom gorse and lu-
cerne. II planted in a held for a season. will in
crease the soils stock OF nitrogen These
plants were discovered to form their roots
the free nitrogen OF the air mystsriously
turned into a fxed nitrate. Still closer study
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
STEAMSHIPS CROWDED FROM MANHATTAN
A Measure of Relief in Sight.
but More Accommoda-
tons Badly Needed.

According to the records Of the government
kept at the Barge Office. last year 6'4l2 steam
ers besides over five thousand sailing vessels
s,ipned into New York Hsrbor. This showed
that IN the course Of the year the NUMBER "f
visitors OF the steamship class to the port OF
New York was greater than in the previous year
hv aAs or one for nearly every day in the year
They came from all corners OF the globe. Among
,ban were the giant liners with their different
colored smokestacks gliding up the stream with
the dignity and undertaking course which nis-
tinguishes all great things
Alongside these great craft, some OF them
over seven hundred feet long moved the noa'-
ing palaces from Long Island Sound the Tul'
steamers from Jamaica and Central America
the brazilian coffee and rubber carriers, All
seeking an outlet for their cargoes in New YORK
Harbor Do all these different classes OF craft
And inst the provision for their accommodation
that they desire? Does the port or New YORK
hack in terminal facilities in any respect from
the point OF view OF the steamship? repre-
sentative OF The Tribune last week discussed
this point with a number OF men representing
different phases Of the steamship business. 1t
was evident from the answers that the commit
tee appointed by the Chamber of Commerce 20
devise a comprehensive scheme for the devel-
onrnent OF the port OF New York will have din
Guilty in providing what every one wants.
in what respect are the terminal facilities
OF New Yoorlx Harbor inferior to those OF ada
cent Atlantic coast pOrts?" asked OF one Of
the executive officers OF the International Mer-
camille Marine Company. which has lines oper-
nting TO other coast ports we'll as 20 this port.
"At other ports it IS possible for the railroads
10 run their tracks directly upon the piers along
side the steamers" he replied. briefly. 'rhis is
New York's only inferiority"
As a representative OF the great transatlantic
lines and OF the Cunsrd Line, which s building
the two largest and fastest steamships in the
world, Vernon II. Brown was asked what from
his point OF view, the need OF the steam
shins On New York Harbor.
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
ee BOUNDLESS SOURCE OF FOOD FOR ALL MANKIND ekS1s

chamber. where they we're suddenly cooled
through coke towers. where water and caustic
soda were used absorbents. About one pound
Of nitric acid in this way was obtained from
seven horsepower hours.
In other parts OF the world this same problem
has been studied with various results In 1892
third element in the air was discovered by
Lord Rayleigh and william Ramsay. although
mention had been made % II by Cavendish
century before. 1t was called argon. because ot
its inability TO enter Into any chemical combina-
ton About one one-hUnGTedth part of the air
ts aFgon.
For many years Sir William Croo.ies has been
making exhaustive studies Of the problem OF OBJ
tanning fixed nitrogen from the air. In lSO2 ne
invented process by which II could be done. yet
Il proved too costly TO he commercially valuable.
His researches however. led two Continental
scientists. Professor MOstctl and Professor Won
KrowalsS OF the University OF Freihourg, 10
make a series Of costly experiments, which hnal-
ly resulted in process which Sir William be
lieves has opened up the heavens to mans ex-
plo'tation. He has already formed n syndicate
back the process. Just what it is he declines
for the present to make public. except TO say
that electricity is employed OF much greater
power than he used In his experiments In l9u2
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
MAKING III POPULAR

very fashionable ' " . s-tuhs
1ess se charges 81 All would b. fashion
tus4 the!s every sunday just lnsY have
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

they cannot afford to pay for wharfage on Man
haitian We ought to reduce the wharfage II we
heretofore has been disposed to get as much In
come as possible from its piers. Some ports
have free srha
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

there will be no nitre and a year two after
thst or before a. famine will stalk on the lands
OF civilized men. This is acknowledged true II
nrnsenf conditions conffnne"
New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

water is cheaper than by rail. There Is no dis
advantage OF landing freight In Brooklyn. Tho
nshterage charges the for Man
haitian