The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-19

/ sion De Ildue IOT IT. Wouiu OO pAo''eN>'
upon Staten Island and upon new made
areas reclaimed from tho sandy bed Of
| New York Bay.
| "Staten Island 10 now assessed al
| $50, 0O0, OOO and as soon as the scheme
already outlined Is carried out the value
| would be increased to at least 100000
OOO," he says Besides this, the value
Of the two and one-quarter square
miles OF new land and docks reaching
| toward Staten Island from the Battery
and Brooklyn would easily reach q fig
are Of quite 1000 000.O00
But I realize that this plan. vast as
II Is, would not be adequate. because
| the new land and docks would be
snapped up Immediately, and again We
should have the cry OF lacking facili-
ties for shipping. My elastic remedy
is. believe. the true one for the
creation OF a really. Greater New York.
II would form new and larger bay
between Staten Island and Sandy Hook.
at the same time retaining some forty
square miles OF valuable waterfront
land. To my surprise 1 find that this
greater plan does not frighten people
as much as the lesser part of the project
We nave dTedQy ulSCuSStu. ln6
ing out OF this plan. which is only q
question OF time, would create the
greatest boom that ever occurred In
this country.
I'VE must remember that the COM
pletion Of the State barge canal will
make it as cheap to deliver coal and iron
ore at New York as 1t is to put them
down at Pittsburg. I believe, then, that
1t is eminently practicable to make
New York the greatest steel nlenufac-
turing centre on the face OF the globe,
and Staten Island. with the new land
i propose to conAect with its southern
shore. would be the logical focus for
this enormous Industrial movement.
Just think OF the addition of hun
dred miles Of shore line which we would
thus obta n for the running out OF docks
or wharves capable of housing the
largest and longest OF ocean going craft.
"Of course 1t would be utterly i'm
practicable to make new land out of
the shallow areas of the bay south and
east of Staten Island and expect to
dock ships there unless the wharves
were protected from the sweep Of the
open sea. To effect the desired security
1 offer a plan for the remodeling of
New York Bay 50 that there will be a
sheltered harbor where none now exists.
Again l would make moro new land.
this time in the shape OF an island
which, together with the arm of Sandy
Hook, would offer an effective bulwark
against the storm seas Of the Atlantic
Ocean and yet leave passageways
which would be easily kept deep and
hA - A.
selves. Inside OF Sandy Hook I would
also reclaim very considerable area,
and here too would be another chance
Tor commercial interests and manufac-
turers to locate. This would be an ad-
mirable shipping point for railroads
and connecting lines OF oversee freight
ers.
"A series or tunnels would facilitate
traffic to every point OF the project. and
one very notable feature lies in the con-
Meeting link which Staten Island would
thus form for railway service between
New York and Philadelphia. Ey means
or the tunnels the proposed short line
would reduce the run to Philadelphia nv
quite ten miles. saving IN time and
travel of much economic value"
Dr' Thomson does away with the
present harlem River and provides a
ne" one IN the form OF n straight cut
between the Hudson River and the be.
ginning or Long Island Sound.
cent fare TO Coney Island nv rant,
transit has been n yexed oues,ior ~.
years but Coney Island will become n
sort of back number should Dr T,ho,,,
sons scheme be carried out. because he
1fnNlIA .l.r
rapid transit Via tunnels and overland
routes right straight from the hoar, 80
manhattan to the seashore OF SANDY
Hook. Indeed. Just such traft,c ,an,,t
TIES would OF necessity have to be nro.
vided In order to profit by Tho r.,,ar,.
able changes which he would ef,ac, T.,
New York Bay. 81
And II you should happen to be the
o"ner Oh an automobile you would haye
ie"sofl Tor rejoicing, az DIR. Thomson
says II would be entirely feasible to con-
Sfuct park boulvard from Sandy
TOOK 10 Long Island Sound. There
Mouiu De no more need OF costly bridges.
'hasihuch as all water gaps would be ne
hotiateu ny means OF tunnels. Indeed.
sucn would be the manner in which this
ensineer would pass the new East River
S-N"e eSschhoi COtIlEuOu9 high
ways.
! me tunnels would be laid IN this o. :
eanuc cut while the excavations were
sun dry, and In this fashion he would
make them immensely cheaper either
than bridges or than tunnels bored he-
meath water. BY adopting this form Of
connecting link between shore and sbora
there would be nothing to interfere viii
tho height OF ships masts. &c, and the
approaches could no built upon an easier
grade and at much less cost than were
bridges employed
! DR.. Thomson declares that "ths nro,-
ect has now assumed such enormous
property values and would be OF such
INFINITE benefit to the city. State and
country at large that II should be car
ried out rs a public enterprise for tbo
penent or the people. and In such n
way as to wipe out the debt of both tbe
city and the State. Indeed, I am readv
TO admit that the most vivid imarina-
ton In the world would have dlfiicuItv
In foreseeing the many gains TO he
reaped by the consummation OF this en-
| tire scheme.
For years to come II would invo,vc
the expenditure OF not less than $40
OOO.OOO year for labor and tho same