New-York tribune., 1912-04-29
TONK|NS' HARBOR REPORT
Fayors Great Terminals, All Con.
nected by Freight SubWays.
NEWARK BAY IN THE SCHEME
nredging and Canals on Hacken-
sack Meadows Would Make
Great Commercial Centre.

,-,,vin Tomkins. Commissioner Of the
4. n-nartrnent Of Docks and Ferries, has sub
.u,,ted 10 Mayor Gaynor a comprehensive
-,,r for the formation of an enlarged port
Fo- New York that embraces both sides OF
.ha Hudson, including jamaica Bay, Co
,ro,us Bay. Flushing Bay, Newark Bay
"a tbe Hackensack Meadows. Extensive
s.asoins would render the waterways ft
Cor vessels of great draft. and would faciii-
,.+e the unloading and transferring of
frA,eht from the steamers TO railroad
,raIns. or the shipment by water OF inland
freight.
rhs scheme drawn Up by Mr.. Tomkins
o,,dAs for a continuous railroad to sur
.ours the proposed docking and transfer
.oInts This would join New York and
Nv, Jersey by tunnels. one at a point near
=. ornosits 42d street, Manhattan, and an
..ner az the Arthur XIII, between Staten
ysI.rd and New Jersey. Brooklyn and
s,.tan Island would be Joined by freight
,rnrel beneath the Narrows, and Manhat-
40, and Brooklyn by a tunnel under Hell
Gate.
On the completion OF the Panama Canal,
a.. rronkins asserts, New York VIII be at
.nn crossroads Of the worlds trade-a sit
,,a,,on that is bound to increase the city's $
sor,,nercs II is therefore imperative that
.~ro,esroents be made whereby the in
creased shipping may be handled.
The recent action OF the Governors Of the
$40 states which are interested in the
nroiect whereby harbor commissions were
.no,rted 70 inquire into the feasibility OF
,,,cb 8 dual port, Mr.. Tomkins regards as
an important step in the right direction II
aha ARRANGEMENTS as proposed now are
carried into effect, or others of similar
nature projected, he advocates state con-
,ro1 ovar the railroad terminals. BY this
.ynAS,ent excessive transfer charges VIII
\, avoided and competition that would tend
% retar1 rather than develop the growth
~ the port would be eliminated.
A. an example Of what such system
,,.o,,,d 5evelop in the commerce of the port
NJ Tomkins refers to the Bush Terminal
a, sou,b Brooklyn. There shipments can
be made from the elevator doors over every
railroad and steamship line to all parts OF
the world. and at minimum cost. 1t Is
oroposed that terminals similar to these be
n,aced along the New York and New Jer-
sey waterfronts.
Newark Bay Nj. Tomkins declares, is
onlv second IN Importance to the lower
Hndson, and, although 1t is now exceed
inelv shallow, the dredging would be a
conparatively simple task 10 perform the
vast Hackensack Meadows would then De
opened ND as invaluable factory and town
sites and by the aid Of lateral canals
across the meadows vast commercial pos
slbilites would be afforded.
That the state should control the leasing
of the waterfront sites is point empha-
sized by Mr. Tomkins throughout his re-
port. Along the Bayonne shore, In par
ticular. he believes that the state should
conserve this right II the navy yard Is To
he removed from its present site, he Is OF
the opinion that this district of the port
could well be made into general navai
and military Quitting base II the federal
government were to decide upon the Bay
onne shore as a site for its activities the
benefits that would result from dredging
q. and other operations would be OF Immense
value i'm aiding the project of the double
port as now outlined.
Railroads would Doubtless willingly CO.
operate in such proposition. Private ter
mnsIs are certain to be heavily taxed.
whereas state owned shipping points Leased
70 the railroads on a basis which shall an
tlcipate interest and amortization would
benefit the railroads and insure lower ship
ring and freight rates.
The railroad tunnels beneath the Hudson
and East rivers the Narrows and the Ar
thur Kill, leading TO a general classincat'oh
yard in Jersey CITY, and having. con'iec'
tons with all the New Jersey railroads
would complete a system and substitute
order fer the disorder that is now evident
in the handling Of freight in the city. All
railroads agree that such tunnels the prac-
ticability OF which has been demonstrate
BY the passenger tunnels beneath the Hud-
son and East rivers, must ultimately be
built When this is done the proposed eie-
waited freight way along the west side oi
the city win be as available for the New
Jersey roads as for the New York Central