Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-10-24
PLAN 1,OOO-FOOT
PIERS AT HOBOKEN
Government Long Opposed
Scheme by Which Big Ships
Would Obstruct Channel.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 24--The
menace that has been hanging over
New York city as a port for the big
transatlantic liners has been lifted.
The Hamburg American. the North
German Lloyd and the Holland
America lines will be permitted to
extend their piers so as TO accommo-
date the giant new steamships now
under construction.
Ever since the Transatlantic CONF
panies applied. two years or more
ago, for permission TO build their
piers further into the North river and
the opposition of the federal gov
ernment became apparent. there has
been talk of shifting the port for
these big liners from New York to
some other harbor.
The possibility most widely dis
cussed has been the creation of
port at Montauk Point on the ex~
treme eastern end OF Long Island.
Another suggestion was the build
ing of system of great piers on the
Jersey shore, where the big steam
ships would not interfere with traffic
in the North river.
Regarded with Grave Concern.
While ell this talk has been vague
and indefinite 1t has been regarded
with grave concern by many inte"-
ested in New York city's commercial
development, and the decision of the
army engineers who make mp the
New York harbor line board of re-
view will bring definite relief. The
boards report has just been filed
with the war department. Secretary
of War Stlmson is yet to pass on 1t,
but 1t is believed that he will ac-
cept it.
The army engineers in their report
recommend granting the applica tion
of the Hamburg American, North
German Lloyd and Holland American
lines to the extent OF allowing them
to make temporary extensions sufIi-
cient to afford berths for vessels up
TO 1000 feet in length. The piers in
question are all on the New Jersey
side of the river at Hoboben.
Permission was given the White
Star line two years ago. when Jacob
MEG. Dickinson was at the head of
the war department, for a temporary
extension sufficient to accommodate
its new boats. The fullest reservation
of authority was made by the war de-
partment in the case of the White
Star. and the company made the ex-
tension with the understanding that
1t was subject at any time to an
order from the Federal government
directing its removal. Similar reser-
yations will be made in the cases of
the German line piers.
Expect stimson to Act Promptly.
The engineers report is being held
for the personal consideration of Sec
retary Stimson, who will return to
his desk on Saturday or Monday. 1t
is expected he will give 1t prompt
attention, as II is of urgent impor-
tance to the steamship interests.
Meantime its precise contents will not
be made public,
The Recommendation of the board
in favor of granting permission for
| temporary extensions OF the piers was
made with the greatest reluctance.
L is putting it mildly to say that the
war department and it's engineers are
alarmed by the encroachments on the
waterway in the North river. At
present the channel open for the
passage of traffic is about half
mile wide. Traffic is increasing all
the time, and there Is no indication
that it is going to stop growing.
The piers 1t is desired to extend are
at the very narrowest part of the
channel. where encroachments on the
free waterway are most serious.
1t was pointed out today that a
1000 foot liner backing out from her
berth would, even under present con-
ditions, block almost the entire chan
mel for some little time before she
could swing around to make her way
out of the harbor