New-York tribune., 1911-03-12
Fxner Offer Varied Opinions the Pier Problem of New York City

the solution Of the problem is excavation az
the inner ends OF the slips. Il think, Win
tho great commerce Of the port" said he.
we never can afford TO narrow the stream
think we should excavate back. west
street has not yet been buiIt up by great
buildings. The city ought TO acquire this
property and make Washington street the
marginal way removing all OF tho build
ings This would eliminate West street
and give space for Commissioner Tom
kins's scheme for a freight railroad. Ii ~
not necessary for the big steamships 20
take up the whole river when they back
ont into the stream. If they would employ
enough tugs 10 assist them. Instead OF de-
pending upon their own starboard engines
to get the stern upstream. they would not
need to 80 out into the stream more than
one hundred feet from the pier line. NOW
they back nearly across the river.
1T has been suggested that longer piers
might be obtained within the present pier
, head line by running them out AZ an acute
instead OF "A right angle with the shore.
! What do you think OF that
Il DO not think they would he good all
the year round. There is always A north
I
River. and that pushes the ice over on the
! Manhattan shore. The slanting piers would
/ serve a. pockets to collect the ice as IT
/ shifted to and fro on the tide. There would
he times when tho pressure OF ice and
water against the side of "A ship would DO
so great that il couldn't be moved
/ Welding Ring. who represented the Prod
uce Exchange at the Washington hearing.
evidently believes that the trend OF events
will ultimately lead TO the permanent re-
moyal of the great steamships 10 a point
north OF I'D street.
/ 1T is realized" said he, that the pres.
ent extension is only temporary measure
and that another solution must be found
/ for the problem. The consensus OF opinion
appears TO be that ultimately the big steam
ers will have TO go above i2d street. Brook
lyn is too FAR away from the centre OF
population The tendency Of the times Is
10 get right into the marrow OF thingS.
That is why railroads are spending millions
in providing facilities for landing their pas
sengers in the heart OF New York AS re-
CARDS Montauk Point, there are several
reasons why it is not a feasible docking
point In the first place. no one wants 10
split his Journey up II he can avoid H. As
the distance is only about a hundred miles
and fast steamers make twenty-five
knots. the saving in time by land. at
tended by a degree OF discomfort as TINS
method Of reaching New York would be, is
not a sufficient. compensation for the COM
forts of the ocean steamer. The facilities
az Montauk Point, / understand, are very
much limited, and there would be space
for only four 10 six long piers. Therefore,
the possibility Of extending the traffic AT
that point is small. As TO where the lines
will go eventually is question which cam
no, be settled before the commission wnich
is 10 study the subject has investigated
and made its report. There are some indl'
cations that the big steamers will have 10
90 above 10th street, but consideranie
time will elapse before this Will take place.
as the proper consents will have 10 be oo-
tanned. the piers built and the necessary
dredging done