New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-27
.FAVORS DEEPER HUDSON
Stimson and Bixby Concur in Re-
port of Engineer Officer.
WOULD EXPEND $1,570,000
improvements Designed to Meet
Requirements of Big Liners
and Freight Steamers.
rProm Tho Tribune Bureau

Washington, April 26.-Recommending
that N,57O,OO be spent during the next nVe
years in deepening the Hudson River 10
accommodate the transatlantic steamer
which ply up to 23d street and the rreisht
steamers plying above that point secre-
tary Stimson transmitted to the House To-
day the report Of Colonel w. IL. Black
engineer officer in charge of New YORK
Harbor.
Colonel Blacks findings are approved
both by the Secretary and by General Blk
by, chief of engineers 1t is proposed that
Congress appropriate 100000 III cash ior
carrying on the Improvement with con-
tract authorization of $4,000 additiohai
and with subsequent appropriations 10
complete tho project within five years
General Bixby says:
The improvement desired is an increased
depth in parts of the Hudson River 70
atlantic steamers which ply as rar UP az
ed street and the large freight steamers
which ply above that point.
The district officer presents plan i0r OF
dredging d channel so feet wide ana ~
feet deep, at mean low water, on Ellis ISL
and to Newark street, HobokeD; deepening
an irregular shaped shoal OF Hamburg
avenue, to depth Of 10 feet; dredging ga a
along Weehawken- Edgewater water front
removing irregular shaped shoal on the
east side Of the river between West lStil
street and West SD street to a depth OF
10 feet: removing a rock near the Battery
and an obstruction near Spuyten. Duyvll
Creek, at a total cost Of S,5I0,00. No esti-
mate Of maintenance is given, as the
amount required can be ascertained only
from experience. The district officer, who
is also a division engineer, considers the
locality worthy OF Improvement and
recommends the adoption OF the plan pro-
posed. The Board OF Engineers for Rivers
and Harbors concurS and | concur.
Colonel Black calls attention TO the large
increase in commerce on the water front
where the shoals are situated. The draft
Of vessels carrying this commerce, he
says. has increased beyond the draft per-
mitted by the shoals.
The freight handled in the section OBJ
Structed by the shoal at Jersey city he
says, rs estimated at 100000 tons annu-
ally anc ir the section at and above Gut
tenburg at 10000 tons"
Colonel Black expresses the opinion that
this increase in commerce and the conges-
ton I'm traffic make II necessary that I'm
mediate relief should be afforded by an in
creased depth in the water front on the
Jersey shore OF the Hudson. by tho re-
moval of the shoal on the New York side
opposite Weehawken and Of the ledge
southwest Of Pier At the Battery.
For the safety of navigation" says the
report, the obstruction above Spuyten
DuyvIl Creek should also he removed. The
obstruction above the mouth of Spuyten
Duyvil Creek. situated In sixteen to eighteen
feet of water and with but three feet Of
water over IT'S highest point ~ a serious
menace TO navigation. especially at night
and i'm foggy weather. and has been the
subject of numerous complaints. When the
State Barge Canal traffic through Harlem
River is esta oshed the obstruction viii
be yet more serious"
The report says that the inbound and
outbound deep draft vessels are now
forced TO use the deep water channel on
the New York side of the river and that
tile crowding Of these vessels results in
constant danger OF serious damage by col
lisiOn. Within q few years the commerce
viii be such as to render II imperative TO
remove the obstruction shoals continues
Colonel Black.