New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-01
MAKE THIS PORT A 49TH STATE
Surrounding Districts from Three States
Should Be United with the City
To The Editor OF The Tribune.


Sir: For several years nave watched with
increasing interest the development Of New
York CITY and have followed, as far as
busy life would permit, the remarks ana
criticisms on municipal administration wnlch
have appeared in various forms in the daily
papers.
| have wondered at the unreasonableness OF
some Of the criticisms Of your wonderful
transportation facilities and have been very
much surprised at the apparent failure to
appreciate the fact that the trouble is not
due so much to the existing facilities as TO
their inadequacy to meet the demands Of the
maximum traffic in the period Of t-me during
which it exists.
/ You have a daily practical illustration OF
attempting 20 pour hogshead OF liquid
through gill funnel, all a. the same time,
and the funnel oyerfows.
/ have also been surprised at the apparent
oversight in failing TO coordinate the com
pletion OF the new subway divisions IN sucn
a manner as to have practically simultaneous
] completion along the entire route, or such a
/ sequence Of completion of divisions as would
permit'of the effective operation Of the com
pleted parts and thus obtain some revenue
from the funds invested in completed work.
| For about year and a half criticism and
advice as to the practical solution OF the
subway hiatus filled the daily papers, until
was inspired with the desire 20 cut the Cor
/ dian knot by offering TO decrease the con-
/ tract time for completing the divisions which
appeared to block the use of the completed
divisions particularly that between Park
Avenue and Lexington Avenue at AID Street,
I,,slf Oh rad 20 h. he lnU IN 10
of trains over a long distance of finished
subway on the basis of percentage Of the
interest on the funds invested from which no
revenue was being or could be obtained until
passengers were carried.
! The speed of completing this work could
have been, and can be, greatly increased. but
| the gross cost of the work will of course be
correspondingly increased. However. large
net decrease in the cost OF the system would
result because the completed divisions OF the
subway would be placed in service earlier and
| thus eliminate the loss of the interest on the
Il large amount OF dormant capital invested in
/ them.
! From the point of view Of the side lines"
| it appears TO me that all Of the criticisms Of
| your municipal problems-whether Of trans
portation of unreasonable taxation from
Albany, or Of railroad rates 20 the New Jer
| sey waterfront as compared with those 10
| the New York City waterfront, or of the
development of these waterfronts and Of the
harbor, or of tunnels under the rivers or of
bridges over them, etc-may be likened
to the peckings of a sparrow at cherry, so
far as they effect the solution of the real
problem. which is the most interesting, the
most magnificent and the most stupendous
civic problem az present in these United
States and perhaps in the world
Let the states of New Jersey. New York
and Connecticut give TO the United States a
new state, bounded approximately by the
boundary line between Warren and Sussex
counties and form its intersection with that
OF Morris COUNTY TO Q point on the boundary
between MiddleseX and Monmouth counties,
which will include Psnfeld and the Amboys
to the coast at Highland Beach or at Elberon,
If Navesink and Shrewsbury should be in
Guided; following the Delaware River 10
Orange County, \. Y, thence by line from
Port Jervis TO the junction OF Rockland and
Westchester counties; then follow the north
boundary Of Westchester County and it's east
boundary to the right angle northeast of
Vista; continue the boundary OF Westchcster
County which runs northwest and southeast
at this right angle to the coast.
The boundary line for this new state should
| iect Of placing the entire waterfront OF New
York Harbor, and as much of the adjacent,
coast line as should he developed in connec.
/ tion with New York Harbor, under one jurs-
diction and for the development Of a greater
New York City. which would be not merely
the largest city in the world. but the greatest
city and the greatest port in the world, as
becomes a country Of the agricultural and
manufacturing greatness of this country.
/ The final boundary lines of this new state
should include an area that might eventually
be one large city and, in the meantime. Jer-
sey City, Hoboken, Newark, etc. should
be included in the present greater New York
| City.
| The only objection which can conceive OF
! being raised to the above proposition for the
creation of new state. and that do not
consider 10 be a valid objection is the loss Of
the taxes nov paid to the present state gov
ernmcnts by the area to be coded; but this
OBJ iection could be readily removed By the
coded areas issuing per cent or per cent
bonds TO the amount which would give to
their present states an income equal 10 the
average amount of taxes which they are now
and have been contributing to their state
governments.
/ The creation Of sinking fund for the pur-
pose by this greater New York City would
retire these bonds in comparatively short
time, and the present states would have per-
petual revenue equal to that now furnished
| by the area contributed TO form the new
state.
! Now, every one who knows all the reasons
why a result cannot be accomplished get oul
his hammer, but those few who know that
there is always way of accomplishing a de
sired result should get out their saws and
saw out the greatest state, and the greatest
city, and the greatest port in the United
States Of America J. b. BELLINGER
/ Governors Island, \. Y. jaa. 81, 1917.