New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-12
StimsOn, Asserting EnCroach-
ments Must Stop, Urges a
System of Permanent
Harbor Terminals.
CALLS FOR UNITED ACTION
Secretary Says City Should Co.
operate with New Jersey and
War Department in Broad
Plan for Development
of the Port.
LFrom The TrIbune Bureau.l

Washington, Nov. 11.-ln refusing
permission for further temporary eN-
tensions Of the present piers at Ho-
boken, n. j., the Secretary OF war
recommends in a decision announced
to-day that the authorities OF New
York City and the state of New Jer-
sey. in cooperation with the War De-
partment, undertake project 10 eS-
tablish a system Of permanent harbor
terminals.
Secretary Stimson believes the time
has arrived for concerted action on the
problem of adequate harbor facilltles'
and emphatically declares that no
recommendations for temporary en-
croachments beyond the established
pierhead line will be entertained by
him. He asserts that "the limit of such
encroachments has been reached"
The decision Of Mr.. Stimson was made
in regard to the application of the
Hamburg American Line and others
for the extension OF the Hoboken piers.
The New York Harbor Line Board
recommended TO the Secretary that a
permit be granted for the extension
of one Of the piers for period not ex-
ceeding two years. 1t is pointed out by
Secretary Stimson that four Of his
predecessors have denied similar appli-
cations on the unanimous report OF the
Harbor Line Board, because further
encroachments would be detrimental to
navigation.
Definite Action Is Needed.
Mr.. Stimson has made an exhaustive
study Of the New York Harbor prob
lem, and declares that there is need Of
definite action to conserve the interests
Of shippers and steamship companies.
He thinks that practical system can
he devised If all interests unite to that
end
The opinion of Secretary Stfnson
issued in connection with the announce
ment of his decision on the application
Of the Hamburg American Line fol-
lows:
The proposed pier extension is asked at
the narroweSt section of the Hudson ItiV-
en-, where the fairway has already been
reduced by successive encrOachments TO a
little over one half of the original width
OF the river. The record discloses that
since the present pierhead line was estab-
lished applications have been made sue
Cessively with a view TO further mar
rowing the fairway at this section and
have been consistently denied.
Such applications were denied by my
predecessors, Secretary Root. in 1903; by
Secretary Taft, in 1904s by Secretary
Wright, in 1908. and by Secretary Dickin-
son. in 1910, each such decision being
made upon the unanimous report of the
New York HARDER Line Board, to the eff
feet that any further encroachments in
this part of the river would be detrimental
TO the interests Of navigation, both pres
ent and future.
In the present case the New York Har-
Dor Line Board has retained for further
consideration the application to change
permanently the pierhead line at this point
50 as to narrow further the fairway, but
has recommended, in order to meet the
temporary exgencies of the Hamburg
American Line, that revocable license
should be granted, temporarily, permitting
the extension Of one Of its piers for a
period not exceeding two years.
In making this recommendation the
board is apparently following the prece-