New-York tribune., 1913-11-09
ADVANTAGES OF QUEENS
Its Industrial Assets Arouse the
Admiration of Experts.
VALUABLE REPORT MADE
Merchants Association Com.
mittee Favorably Impressed
with Transit Project Work.

The Industrial committee OF the Mer-
chants Association, which made an In 4
spection OF the industrial development
and advantages Of the Borough Of Queens
as the guest Of the Chamber Of Com
merce Of the borough on October Is. has
submitted to the association a most val
liable report regarding the tour.
The things which most impressed the
members of the committee were the fol-
lowing:
'First-The progress which is being
made in the construction Of the new
rapid transit lines which will connect
every section Of Queens with every sec
ton Of greater New York for a five-cent
fare.
"Second-The tremendous amount OF
waterfront which Queens has available
for shipping. The most important OF
these water facilities are the following:
"Newtown Creek. which carries a great
er tonnage than any other waterway OF
the same size in the world. This tonnage
is greater than that carried on all the
canals of the State OF New York COM
bined. In 1911 the value OF the products
which were transported on Newtown
Creek amounted 10 s2jO,OO0C00.
The East River. which is already lined
with factories from Newtown Creek 10
Astoria and Bowery Bay. This is already
a manufacturing district of importance,
and there is not a great deal of room
left FOR new concerns.
Flushing Bay and Flushing Creek, for
the Improvement OF which the city. state
and federal governments are co-operat-
ing. The United States government IS
engaged in re-dredglng the channel. The
state has appropriated the money neces-
sary for survey. and the city Dock De
partment has been planning for the prop
er development of the bay and creek.
"Third-The industrial development
actually present in Queens to-day. With
In a radius of half a mile from the
Greensboro Bridge Plaza there are al
ready under construction or contemplated
factory buildings which are estimated to
cost over 100000 and to employ more
than 10000 new employees. These factories
are all modern, sanitary. we'll lighted
buildings, OF which any city could be
proud. The new building of the Loose
Wiles Company. for example, is the larg-
est factory building under one roof in
the United States. Even now, Queens
ranks third among the horoughs OF the
city In the actual amount OF manufact-
uring. being exceeded by Manhattan and
Brooklyn only: and. as a matter OF fact,
in the value OF products per capita Queens
is surpassed by Manhattan only.
"Fourth--The chief industrial asset
which any community can have to-day is
combined rail and water terminal facili-
ties. These advantages in the Borough OF
Queens are now embodied in the Degnon
Terminal, at which point development
Of more than l25 acres is under way.
This terminal combines a systematic lay.
out. enabling freight cars to be lishtered
from any railroad entering New York
City by car floats to Newtown Creek and
Dutch Kills River and thence to the Deg
non Terminal. 1t is planned that wher
this development is completed there will
be on the property some sixteen buildings
each as large and commodious as ths
building which is now being erected for
the Loose-Wiles people. Each OF these
factory buildings Is to cost In the neigh
borhood Of 100000, and It is expected
that by the time the terminal is completed
an expenditure Of not less than S70,0oo.-
900 will have been made. In addition TO
the purely industrial features Of the plant.
the promoters expect to build in the i'm
mediate vicinity Of the terminal a mode!
housing district II is anticipated that
s. nd
among the people working in the factory
buildings erected in the terminal property.
"The Long Island Railroad has SINH
lar terminal project adjacent 10 New
town Creek, and expects to derive great
advantages from the New York Connect
ing Railroad. which is under construc-
ton.
"The Brooklyn Eastern District Term
,nal Company is constructing on the ] ast
River a terminal TO be known as the
Greensboro Terminal, for the receipt
and shipment Of freight, and the company
.xnects N build a number Of large ware
houses IN the vicinity Of Vernon avenue
1.th street and the East River, similar 70
those of the Bush Terminal Company. IN
South Brooklyn.
| "Fifth-One OF the developments III
Queens which most impressed the visitors
WAS the progress which has been made
In tho construction OF the New York Con-
nect,ne Railroad. Numerous piers on
Wards and Randalrs islands and out-
tresses for the approaches in Astoria and
in The Bronx. have already been com
pieted. Practically all that is left TO oe
done is to construct the steel superstruct-
ure. Connections have been practically
| completed with the Sunnyside yards 50
! that the railroad will be In operation oy
the end Of 1915. This bridge, when
| known as Wards Island Bridge. Will oe
the greatest span in the world. and II Is
the most expensive bridge Of its kind ever
built. The completion OF this bridge and
the New York Connecting Railroad will
be one of the greatest causes for bringing
new industries into Queens. II gives this