New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-10


represent simplicity, and the end to strive for
is to bring as nearly as may be our multiple
shipping facilities to the simplicity OF a single
shipping point.
I bec5n STUDYING this problem some years ago.
and was at first Interested in establishing a
termtna! for freight steamships. This part Oh
the enterprise is nearing completion. ana con-
ssts Of a series Of PIERS $50 feet wide ana edcn
a quarter Of a mile in length, with lrelgnt
, terminal and a system Of approximately l-U
modern warehouses behind the piers. The export
freight is delivered directly 10 the steamship,
and the import freight IS loaded into the frelght
car directly on the per, and shlppeu over any
trunk line. We have haG recently at our terminal
iWeEJy-seve0 freight steamships at one tllle.
This is an important development for import
ana export freight ana in part oners at lhs
point the advantages which have been pointed
out as beng offered at competing points In this
country. When this pacj OF the development
was wei under way began studying the prop
lem Of supplying the needs Of the wholesaler
and iObbeT in Manhattan, and ! became con
WINGED thai The property values were TOO hlgh
and mo construction cost too great 10 permit
Of any solution in that borough, ana CON
GUIDED that the ultimate solution would be the
establishment Of n series Of terminal centres
either in New Jersey or Brooklyn. where the
Wholesaler and iobber could maintain his stock
room for oit OF town business, and the freight
shipments he received and delivered without
carriage costs. he maintaining in Manhattan only
Office and showroom and IN some cases a
small stoChroom for local supplies.
LOCATION IS VITAL.
The first question which presented itself was
whether such terminal should he located in
New Jersey or in Brooklyn. The location must
necessarily be not upon the line OF one railroad,
but must be served by all the trunk lines It
must be near a satisfactory labor market and
adjacent to ferry communication with Manhat-
tan After careful study ! concluded that
Brooklyn presented many advantages over New
Jersey. It's labor market IS perhaps the best in
the east. with the exception OF Philadelphia. and
a proper location could be obtained for such a
development without encroaChing upon the ter
ninal yards OF the railroads along the New .Jer-
sey waterfront. The cost Of transporting freight
cars on carftoats from Brooklyn terminal to
the terminals of the various trunk lines is
greater than in transporting them from a New
Jersey terminal to the same trunk line termt-
nails. It is frequently thought that the charge
for this service In Brooklyn is represented by the
terminal charge of three four cents hun
dred pounds now paid by the railroads for such
service. This is not true. for this charge in
cludes the providing OF the necessary terminal
yards and freight houses loading and unload
ing Of the cars and the performance OF the nee
essary work OF bookkeeping and superinten-
dence This service must be performed whether
The terminal is located in New Jersey or in
Brooklyn. and the actual Of transporting
expense Of the movement OF the freight cars
across New York Bay on huge carfoats, without
the expense Of maintaining railroad tracks
rights OF way and the interest upon the capital
investment of a terminal railroad.
In considering the advantages OF the Cupplrs
station fl St Louis. some evidently If the
CDralcn that the fact that the railroads enter
that station over a terminal railroad eliminates
all terminal costs. As a matter of fact some
che must pay for the loading and unloading OF
the cars, for the switching OF the cars to the
terminal yards of each road and this charge
in St Louis is probably absorbed b. the rail
ToadS eXactly as the Hoatage and terminal
charge in New York is absorbed by the trunk
lines here. and Is approximately the same
After having decided that a development ~
he gtyrg Ia
undertaken in Brooklyn. began the erection
OF our first so-called model loft and factory
buildings" It was in measure. modelled UPON
the plan Of the Cupples station, with the ad2cd
advantages Of absolutely freproof construction.
and a greater provision for light. and the fact
mat the cost of loading and unloading was
not assessed upon the tenants The first build
ing Of approximately 100000 square feet of
floor space was rented before il was finished
the second building is Just being finished and Il
entirely rented, and the construction OF a third
building has been begun. our present plan con
templates the erection Of twenty buildings Of
this character, having total floor capacity Of
more than six million square feet
II Is difhcult 10 present what I consider the
solution of this problem without describing our
own development for the best ideas we have
been able TO obtain have utilized I'm the
construction Of our plant The fraIeht car
comes directly to a shipping platform extending
six hundred feet in length on one side of each
building. the other side being left free for the
approach OF carts and trucks for local service.
me buildings are or reinforced concrete con-
sructon and are equipped with sprinklers and
every known means Of fire protection. making
the tenants eligible for Insurance in either the
STOCK insurance companies the New England
mutual insurance companies shipper upou
any floor IN the building has merely to load his
merchandise upon the shipping truck attach
10 II a shipping tag, and push II upon one Of
the large three-ton freight elevators Tho
building then takes charge OF the freight ard
loads it into the freight car, and It is shipped
10 the terminal yard OF the trunk line over
which 1t is destined to go
II IS my belief that this problem Of how 10
handle the jobbing and wholesale trade Of our
clty VIII De solved by the establishment OF a
series Of terminals OF this character Experi-
ence VIII suggest improvements. and in order TO
be successful. each terminal community must
be of sufficient size to produce freight enough
to guarantee a prompt movement