New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
CITY OWNS WHARFAGE
S2O0,0O0,000 Estimated Value
of Its Waterfront Holdings.
315 MILES OF DEEP WATER
Municipal Development Began
with States Grant of Land
Under Water, 1870-'71.

The island OF Manhattan has grown.
THAT is a statement OF fact which may sur
prise the typical New Yorker who may be
assumed 10 believe that its contour. de-
fined by the huge masses Of igneous rock
which he sometimes sees in all its naked
ness cropping up in Central Park, forming
"a cliff al Mornngside Park or requiring eX-
oavation by means Of the steam drill and
dynamite, were the same yesterday to-day
and will be the same tomorrow. The
island has. i'm fact, almost grown up, Tor
a paternal central government, which con-
trolls the waterways, has said TO those hop
ing for further development, Thus far
shalt thou go, and no farther and the ut
most limit will be reached should the city
carry into effect the projected Improvement
along the bank Of the Hudson, taking up
by means of piling and filing in some addi-
tional acres of land under water adjoining
Riverside Park. That would merely round
off the shore line. and, If anything, by
throwing the current further toward the
New Jersey side aid in flushing the chan
mel Of the river Even New York mustn't
obstruct navigation, however says Uncle
sam.
The matter Of certain islands in the East
River. whose area may be increased by
processes similar to those now 20 be OBJ
served in their final stages at Governors
Island. where a parade ground has been
built up in the bay; |but Manhattan has
very nearly reached her greatest growth
in every direction except the perpendicular.
When Horace Greeley wrote his first page
Of copy" for The Tribune, Manhattan ISL
and was smaller. Not so small as when
Water street was an actual waterfront,
when a pobby beach lay to the west OF
Trinity churchyard, but Castle Garden stood
mounting guard In those days on an island
AT the approach 10 the Battery, and II was
reached by a causeway instead Of by dry
land.
The port Of New York, the most splendid
natural harbor on the Atlantic Coast rlch
beyond compare in its commercial advan-
tages invited the shipping OF the world 10
the comfort and security OF its land-lOcheu
waters: but the enormous freight and pas
senger vessels to-day would have found no
accommodation seventy years ago. Steam
navigation was In its infancy. The i'm
provements about the waterfront. then as
now merely kept tardy pace with the'de-
mands Of the transatlantic trade for more
for longer. for safer piers.
The evolution Of Manhattan's waterfront
in response 10 the growing requirements ol
the liners may excuse a brief DEPRESSION
here. since America. and especially New
York. gave the first impetus TO shipOuilders
TO increase the tonnage of their vessels and
TO seek for greater speed and higher power.
The proportions Of the first ship built IN
New York the Onrust, show the influence
of that naval architecture made familiar
here in these days by the Half Moon, in
which Henry Hudson journcyed up the
noble river which now bears his name.
Carved in stone. a medallion above the
great mantel shelf IN the conference room
of the new Custom House, the Onrusts
picturesque lines arouse the curiosity OF
visitors. New Amsterdam was prophetic OF
the spirit which should rule New York, for
in English the name means unrest. In
tontinued on eleventh page.