The sun., 1918-11-21
PORT BOARD TAKES
UP HULBERT'S PLAN
Harbor Development Commits.
sion Sees Great Benefits
to Be Derived.
U. s. ATTITUDE ATTACKED
No Just Cause for Divertinr
Traffic From This City,
Wilcox Says.

Advisory relations were established
yesterday between the New York-Nev
Jersey Port and 1arbor Development
Commission and Dock Commissioner
Murray Hubert which, in the opinion
of the two authorities concerned, ran
| scarcely fail to expedite port improve
ments necessary to save New YorNs
commercial supremacy and to provide
for the vast needs of tho future.
The commission, including William
r. Wilcox, chairman; +. II. Outer
bridge, 3. r. Cresson, Jr.. consulting
engineer; ]. Spencer Smith. Dewitt
Van Buskirk. Julius Henry Cohen ard
William Leary. secretary, conferred
with Commissioner Hubert In the joint
commissions office at us broadway, the
first time the board, which has taken
upon itself the task OF evolving a poll
icy for the future. and the commits
sioner, who desires to do something I'M
mediately with existing facilities for
port benefit, have had opportunity to get
together. That they had not done 80
was due, 1t was disclosed yesterday, to
mere accident.
Chairman Wilcox had heard nothing
officially about Commissioner Hulbert's
plan to intensity the use of existing
piers, to move the Sound steamships
from the North to the East River, to
build new piers and otherwise to cor
Lrect weaknesses that have discouraged
shipping interests and merchants, al
though he read in THE Sun about tho
plan, and he wondered why the COM
missioner had not gone to the joint
board for cooperation. On the other
hand, Commissioner Hubert rather
wondered II he was not being ignored
by the joint commission.
The fault lay in the fact that n letter
from Commissioner Hubert to Chair
man Wilcox. dated October 20. 1915,
and containing an explanation Of the
Hubert plan, was not delivered 10 Tho
commission until yesterday. AZ soon as
Chairman Wilcox received the letter
he asked Commissioner Hubert 10 meet
the commission yesterday Afternoon.
and all misunderstanding were
promptly removed.
Features of Plan Bared.
The conference covered features of the
broad plan to improve the whole har-
bor which is being formed by the joint
commission, and features of the HUI
bert plan designed to benefit commerce
along the New York city waterfront
Suggestions mutually beneficial were
obtained with the result that hcreafte-
Commissioner Hubert will be asked 70
cooperate closely with the New York
New Jersey board and expects TO re-.
ceive the cooperation of the board in
working out his own plan.
No time was had to agree on pro-
test and appeal to be made 10 tNe
United States Railroad Administrator
as regards the anticipated ruling which
would make Philadelphia instead Of New
York the port for steamships in the
Southern trade and Gulf steamships.
Chairman Wilcox and Commissioner
Hubert said after the meeting, however,
that n protest Of the strongest character
would be made against the unnecessary
diversion from this port OF great ma
rine business. Chairman Wilcox hopes
that when the United States Railroad
Administration comprehends conditions
actually existing in this port the orie-
never will be issued, OF. II issued, vii
be rescinded.
Like CommissiSner Hubert, CHairm'n
Wilcox denies that there is Just cau''
for the impression which seems To oNis
in Washington that there is a hop",'s1
state congestion here and thai r. !.
necessary, therefore, to divert lag
traffic to other ports. Mr.. Willcoy 7,ds
that this impression was based upon TIE
abnormal conditions OF last winter, ahuor-
NAL both as regards weather severity ava
inept methods of handling shipme0'' fn-
overseas. AS regards the latter fault,
may be stated that the railroads scrs
this port were permitted to dump va.
quantities OF supplies in yards and p"
warehouses when there was an utter
insufficient number OF ships to carry
supplies away. The result was conc's
ton at the time. but Mr.. Wilcox pointed
out that 1t could have been avoided ,"
tempering the quantity OF goods receive
to the number Of ships available {" 's
cargoed That was the plan that Ing
land followed successfully in hardli-c
similar problem at her big ports
No Reason for Change.
Now that the war is over and ..e
great rush OF munitions through t''s
port is done with, there is no reason
whatever. Chairman Wilcox holds, %
divert traffic from New York I'll" Nca
Tork-New Jersey Commission Is speed F
sisting OF belt line railways, new p'ar'
and terminals. methods OF freight ha~-
ding, SC. all based upon n dollars o..
cents view OF commercial needs. win
Is expected to solve every problem 'lri
has vOXed railroads, merchants. steam
ship interests and the public general"
Some OF the big features Of thir '.y
will he announced by Chairman Wll..N
In the near future
In the meantime, CommiSsiouCr il..-
bert hopes TO get authority from no
Board OF Estimate and the SinhinS iNnd
Commission to start work on his '"n
plan. which is n quick action 0.N.
largely for present necessities aud based
upon the immediate needs OF tie A'v
York water front. II is the eNUvs'It.o"
OF the men who conferred yesterday yii
the main features of the Hulbo"t il30
can be made to harmonize WITH go
larger, more expansive plan bcilE dl'''-
ooed by the joint commission, Villa, =
necessary In the opinion of all concerned
is more interest on the part OF The pIh.''
and more sympathy and cooperation RI.
the part OF the Federal Goverruclt a't
the governments OF munCipalt.Cs '.'.
cerned, that OF New York city a.l i.'
numerous smaller ports interested 10 '.'