The sun., 1909-02-28
Big FREIGHT TERMINAL
PLANNED BY THE HAVEMEYERS
~ THE EASTERN DISTRICT.
The Brooklyn Eastern District TermI-
nal Company Has Benefited by the
Stoppage OF the Ferries and Applies
for q Franchise To Use Public streets.


Stoppage OF the Ferries and Applies
for . Franchise to Use Public streets.
The stopping OF the East River ferries,
though involving loss TO the community,
has proved a source OF prosperity 10 the
Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal Com
pany, freight handling corporation con-
trolled by the Havemeyer interests In the
Eastern District Of Brooklyn. The cor
poration was originally intended to handle
the freight of the big sugar refineries,
paint and oil works storage warehouses
and other industries that border the
waterfront Of Brooklyn between the navy
yard and the Williamsburg Bridge. Within
the last few years it has been reaching
out for other business in addition to its
local traffic.
A greater part Of the freight consigned
to other parts of Brooklyn has in the past
been consigned TO the Manhattan termi-
nails of trunk line railroads, where it Is
sorted and then distributed to its desti-
nation in Brooklyn. Much Of the dis
tribution IL done by trucks which in the
past made Use Of the East River ferries.
Now that the ferries have stopped run
ming the trucks are forced to use the East
River bridges. This means discomfort
to men and teams, serious delay, due To
congestion Of traffic at bridge terminals,
and greatly added expense. Therefore
shippers are now showing an inclination
to send their freight TO the depot Of the
Eastern District Terminal Company
which has the advantage of being on the
Brooklyn side of tho river and Of being in
close touch with the big industries 10
which most Of the traffic is consigned
A. a result the Terminal company &
business has increased rapidly until al
/ the present time it has outgrown the
/ facilities offered by the existing terminal
The logical thing TO do here would be to
| increase the storage yards by laying new
tracks and building new waterfront APP
prosches. This has boen done. The
Arm of Havcmeyer & Elder. consisting Of
Henry O. Havemcyer. Jr. Frederick G..
Haveineyer. Theodore A. Hdvomeyer,
Horace HaveInoycr and Louise +. Have
meyer has Incorporated the East River
Terminal Railroad, which has made appli-
cation to thc Public Service Commission
and 10 the Board Of Estimate for fran
chise to Jay additional tracks across Kent
avenue. North Fourth street and Nythe
avenue. ne COMMISSION mas gwen It's
consent and the Board of Estimate has
voted favorably upon the application.
The approval of the Corporation Counsel
Ia expected shortly
The IIrooklyn Eastern District Terminal
Company, controlled by the Havemeyers
and Ivy several nig Industrial corporations
that are financially interested in the ter
ninal scheme. owns practically all the
land between North Third and North
Tenth streets, extending inland for a dis
tance of three blocks from the waterfront
of the Fast River. The blocks between
North Fifth and North Tenth streets at
present are covered, some partially,
Others entirely. with storage tracks or
wit spurs of track running to big indus
trial plants and warehouses. These
tracks are unable TO handle all the traffic
that IL attracted To the terminal.
The present application calls for eight
additional tracks running eastward for
three blocks between North Third and
North Fourth streets. with a connecting
loop running to North Fifth street. where
junction would I've made with the exist
ing system At the foot Of North Fourth
street would I've a long rack and pier and
a big float bridge for unloading freight
cars from barRes The company has the
right to lay tracks on the land it owns,
but must apply for franchise covering
the sections that extend across the city
streets This permission has practically
been granted
At tho present time the Brooklyn Fast
ern District Terminal Company has in
use four tugboats, twelve car floats and
nine dummy engines. that handle daily
on tho average about 200 carloads OF gem
eral freight and sixty carloads Of coal
In 1907 the company took care OF over
900. 100 tons Of merchandise In 1908
it's traffic was even greater. Since the
ferries have stopped running the present
shipping facilities have been unable to
meet the demands placed upon them.
The term Of the proposed grant OF the
privilege Of crossing the city streets is
fixed AT fifteen years, with privilege Of
renewal for ten years more. The tracks
now in Use ara covered by a perpetual
franchise granted by the old Common
Council Of Brooklyn thirty or forty years