Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-09
MAKING New York To Order.


Thomas A. Edison suggests that the
East river, which separates Manhattan
island from Long island. be filed in
with earth and that a canal be cut
across the western end of Long island
to perform the principal function of the
East river-that stafford a means OF
ingress and egress to the eastward for
New York harbor. The suggestion in
wolves such gigantic problems of labor.
organization, capital and engineering.
that the plan was at first dismissed
with a laugh Like most Of Mr.. Edi-
sons plans, it had such broad
base of common sense that it declined
to be laid aside so easily.
The plan is feasible and involves
nothing so complicated, from an engi-
neering standpoint, as the digging Of
the Panama canal. New York is a
small nation in itself and financial
problems of as great magnitude have
been met on several occasions. A
greater force of labor and more elab-
crate organization has been assembled
in Panama, thousands of miles from
our centers of population and in a
tropical country.
What would be the effect of such a
giant fill? New York would be joined
to Brooklyn by dry land. Hell Gate
would be memory. The new
waterway would give many miles
of new dockage facilities, compensat-
ing many fold for the docks wiped
out by the change. A new terri
tory, worth millions would be created
in that part of the worlds greatest in
dustrial center where land is worth
fabulous prices. An honest sale of the
land created would pay for the work.
leaving aside all consideration of bet
ter facilities for reaching Brooklyn
and the rest of Long Island. 1t is the
suggestion of a master mind-not a
silly dream.
The Washington Post, in discussing
the matter, said:
cat present Manhattan cannot ex-
pand except upward, and the limit of
upward expansion will soon be reached.
A very good slice of San Francisco
has been made by filling in the bay,
and now Seattle is also spreading itself
in the same way. Today New York is
the greatest city in the world in COM
merce and finance, if not in popula-
ton. 1t must find some way to relieve
the congestion. that will grow to the
danger point unless relief be found.
To fill in East river would be an under
taking almost equal to that of building
the Panama Canal, yet it is not too
great for such city as New York to
carry through. Engineers, backed by
capita, are undertaking vast things in
these modern days, and nothing ap-
pears to be beyond their ability to ac-
compliSh. Fifty years ago the present
New York subway system would have
been looked upon as the disOrdered
dream of an enthusiast, yet it is now a
reality.
"Tunneling the Alps was dream of
centuries until the engineers of the
century accomplished it.
We may smile at the enthusiasm of
Edison today, but the next generation
may walk from New York to Brooklyn
on dry land. A year or so ago every
body but wild dreamers laughed at the
idea of men flying in the air like birds,
yet we talk of great battles to come
between airships as if such battles
were imminent. All great inventions,
all great engineering feats are the work
of dreamers. Who now laughs at the
idea of navigating the air, or even of
fighting battles with airships" Who
now laughs at the idea of sending mes
sages through the air across seas and
land? Why, then, should we laugh at
the suggestion Of filling up East river"