New-York tribune., 1911-03-04
GOVERNOR WOULD KEEP
BIG STEAMSHIPS HERE
Appoints Bensel. TomkinS and
R. A. C. Smith as Pier
Commissioners.
TO URGE FEDERAL ACTION
Dix Says Proper Development OF
Port of New York Has Been
Retarded by Division
of Authority.
[nr r,lerrar., 10 T7lo Tribune ]

TBy Telegraph 20 Tho Tribune.l
Albany. MARCH, sS-To urge the federal
government to permit an extension OF
piers I'm New York Harbor Governor
Dix TO-DAY appointed commission COM
nosed of John 4. Bsmsel. state Engineer;
Calvin Tomkias. Dock Commissioner Oh
New York. and r. y. c. Smith. OF Ne"
York. TO co-ope vate with similar COM
mission from N,sw Jersey In state
ment which he gave out in connection
with the appointment Governor DIX
said that althout.h IN New York Haroor
,vas one Of the l,est in the world the
.proper development of its shipping IA
Cilities had been retarded by DIVISION
of authority. which had made consistent
unity of action difficult. He added that
Tho harbor was subject To four separate
.iurisdictions-shc federal government
,be Governments Of the state and city or
-l.w York and of the State of New Jer-
.cv. TO the natura. advantages of the
borbor only. the Governor said. was que
The fact that it had maintained It's COM
,rercial supremacy. But these natural
advantages. hc declared, were not sum
cicnt 10 make lis accommodations lo'
shipping equal TO the requirements OF
steadily expanding international com
,,,,erce The Governor said that although
nat this time New York Haroor was III
,be number of net registered tons ol
.shipping the biggest port i'll the "orlu'
3t would soon lose its supremacy Il II
loyere not that it was the port or entry
5or the principal lines of passenger ana
l.vnress freight steamers in the North
y,,lantic trade. He declared that the
,,,roeperitv Of the whole State OF New
York depended on this splendid auN""-
aagc.
The Governors Statement
Continuing Governor Dix says in his
statement:
In order TO accommodate the lldIp9I ~, -
l,bc size of the largest steamers dnO"' =
I1be Ambrose Channel 10 the sed Ids, "s
i,,, cvnense 10 the federal government Oh
@ nonon1 been deepened to forty feet
-, tho inner half, the work now pelIs
t,.cr seven-eiChths completed, anu llo
}citv of New York has. at an eNpeAullui
tof S14OO0OpO constructed lhe $50
tChelsea piers. The Ambrose CIidIIiiel -
lrrobably deep and wide enough lot IN,
1nercial requirements tor some liin0 ~
a,,c but so rapid is the growth III tle
80 nf ocean steamers that ALREADY the
rloIeoa nie~s are inadequate. Inc Nllltc
Star Line is now building TWO lldll'l.Cs, 80,
steamers. having a length over an OF - -
,eet d inches so that II docked AT @ @emc
rhelsea piers of this line thelr SIeIlls S.
Nyould project out into the NorlH NV.
CONC sixtV-four feet beyond the lohsesO
.f these Diers. Other lines are prepdrlilS
80 build steamers of corresponding Si%v'
Tho Harbor Line Board of the war De
rartment of the federal government mas
reported adversely 10 the aPphCa'loI VI Vi
Tho White star Line TO lensthen lts piers
ho,,t ono hundred feet so as TO accom-
,nodatc its new vessels. holding that such
nvtensiou would he detrimental 10 the
navigation Of the North River.
obviously however. ample 'coiiiIil@oud Qua
tion must he made for these great W
sis and for the still greater NesseiS
which may he built in the future. II"
confess our incapacity for receiving thehl
.,ynllld ho 'ulmiliating to the state OF New
YORK. 70 turn them AVA To seek olileI
1orts would bc suicidal
IN, situation demands prompt ana m
t,llieont action 10y all the authorlueS
,.uccru,d the federal government anu
the Governments Of the state and city ol
-Iev York. and the government OF New
Jersey Tho port of New ofN must oe
wisely. extensively and Thoroughly oe-
VeIopcd To provide for the reqtnrelh',Iits9
n International commerce. ana TO thdI
c,d il is nccdful. that while the inter
,ete nf each uf it's several ports-ot Man
I,attar and New Jersey. OF Brooklyn ana
.gtateu island should he careiuIN con
,,dered 3ud safocuaTdcd. the plans
i:dortcd should take into account me
i1,,css.tv C q comprehonsivo orderly o'-
t,ft no a.
Wis., Action Hoped For
That this might rc accomplished. the
i,-,a,,,bor ,r .'ommerCr Of the state OF
~ Nor'. ha- recommended tnat Sta'e
commission s'ould b" created. Othtr
,reat ports hive appointed such com
;,ni sIons with results most beneilclal 10
! thcir interests: .nd II IA lHlVoI IdHt l'la' =
,u,b a copmiSs ~ should IN tins cmer-
rrcv he appoi1 .od for New York in
,,rder H. secure an ited. wise and compre-
lCrsivC action. 49,. ,,.i,1,o
'rhjs con,mi sion viii study the whole
rrnblcm Of The adoption OF port laclh'ieS
ia Tho Droer esS we development OF hldIine
construction Il should be the ann oi lHe
, commission To- 'eCure the co-VPeIS Su'.i "a
,bo Secretary - War. by reCueStinS thdt
| ,bo BOARD OF I.,rbor Line iOin the state
| o,,,,,ission in the study or these queS-
! enc II - bel eyed that II the Haroor
mo Roard of tive War Department ana
the advisory go. omissions 10 represent
7 Tho states OF New York ard Ne" Jersey
,,>cn "A satisfactory solution ana dsIte
upon plan the Secretary "l W%r VII NC
J ,-,,rc likely 10 grant the desired rehei.
tC bo,oycr. no agreement can be
,,,cbod fhc Nov York state comnlls-
: 60, ,,ilI rpport to the Governor ana
mako such recommendations as IN ts
7 i,.Gcmcut may sem best. 10 the end that