New-York tribune., 1908-10-05
OPPOSES FREIGHT TUBE
TOO COSTLY, SAYS BUSH.
Doesn't Think WHgus Plan Would
Succeed IN City.

The chief weakness OF the plan for a freight sub
way. as proposed BY William J. Tilgus. OF the
Amsterdam Corporation a weakness that would
Illustrate the usefulness Of such an underground
route. is in the opinion OF Irving T. Bush. presi-
dent Of the Bush Terminal Company its failure 70
provide for an efficient and prompt handling OK
freight operating less than that INCURRED
IN the present method
In a letter to The Tribune Mr.. Bush says that
any Improvement on the present method OF moving
freight between the railroad terminals and the
piers should be welcomed. but that New York IN
its keen competition for commerce with other ports.
cannot afford 20 experiment with a substitute
which viii Increase IN the operating cost
Of moving freight Such an increase. he fears.
would certainly accompany the adoption OF Nr-
Wilgus's plan and result materially TO the disad-
vantage Of the commerce OF this port
Remembering" says 3Ir Bush. that we must not
exceed present charges. let look at the present
service and its cost Take hrst the freight 20 and
from ehe piers This is transported in car lots
or more on barges average cost of three
cents for each hundred pounds In less rhan car
lots the movement is usually made oy carts az al
average cost OF five cents a hundred pounds In
this by far the greater portion IS in the
larger lots ard is moved by barge The small ship
ments largely originate in New York and those
which are transferred from the railroad terminals
TO the pier while large in the aggregate, are buE
a small percentage Of the whole
The movement Of small lots involves greater
cost whatever method is employed 50 for presenE
purposes we viu consider the cost 70 be threS
cents for each one hundred pounds The avsrzgs
cost OF loading unloading the barges Is three
quarters OF a cent hundred. or a total OF one
and one-half cents for the two movements Tnis
leaves one and one-haIf cents. or 30 cents a ton.
to cover all other costs except the actual manual
labor Of loading and unloading the barge or sub
way car which Will be about the same IN other
cases.
From the balance. Mr.. Bush points out would
have 10 come the interest charges taxes. matnte-
nance besides the transportation and the salaries
Of clerks and officials
Mr.. Bush believes that another obstacle 70 ths
success OF the plan IN operation would be the di1-
Guilty in supplying freight TO steamers promptly
enough so as not 10 interfere with the process oe
loading and unloading. particularly II small cars
as planned are to be used IN the proposed freight
subway. The limitations OF the tunnel he believes,
would compel the continuance OF the system ot
delivering the piers BY barges. at least OF the
coarser and less perishable freight
As for transferring freight between business cen
tres and the railroad terminals. Mr. Bush thinks
the necessary establishment OF transfer potnE
would overcome the added revenue to BE- obtained
from shipments in small lots Even in the matter
Of Carting the refuse ard ashes. any profit that
might be obtained. he believes would have to
come from an increase in the land values Of ths
fill them IN.
freight subway has yet 10 prove that the enter
prise IS a financial success A better solution Oc
the problem than that proposed by Mr. Wilgus he
thinks is 70 be obtained by following out the pres
ent system OF establishing large terminals IN
Brooklyn. New Jersey and Staten Island. where
the freight might be sent in bulk The Manhattan
waterfront is too costly for such purpose