The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-21
Improve mt Of
Hell Gate Chan
mel First Step
Toward Develop
ment of Great
Area in Queens
Where Land VAL
ues Are Low and
HousingF ABILITIES
Available

Aside from the terrible side of war.
which cannot be avoided, Americas en-
trance into the ttantic struggle has not
been without good and constructive re-
suits 1t has awakened America, 50 to
speak, and for the first time in the
history OF the country as n whole II has
clear conception of the weakness OF
its military and commercial systems
Things accomplished. the revolutionary
changes worked through the entire coun-
try since April. 1917, when Congress
declared war against Germany, are
nothing short of gigantic. We are &C.
Quainted with the wonderful military
transformation Of the country from
nation of unframed men. The military
side Of war being the more spectacular.
1t Is followed closer by the public than
the commercial development OF the
country.
or the many great accomplishments
of the war the general public has little
conception of tho wonderful effort made
by the business interests of the country
to help the fighting force win on the
field and on the sea. ones faculty for
comparisons need not be highly trained
to notice that the port OF New York is
a tremendously busy place these days.
Even the streets reflect the business Of
the water edge. Trucks and trucks and
more trucks can be seen streaming
through every borough toward the
waterfront - the East River. North
River New York Bay. Newtown Creek,
Flushing Bay and the many other bodies
of water which indent Greater New
York's shores.
Look down the bay at any time
during the day and one will see forest
of masts and low lying steamships watt
he'll n n hprth
Manhattan, Brooklyn. Staten Island or
Queens to unload or be loaded. The con-
gestion of shipping is 80 enormous at
the port OF New York that the present
wharfage is inadequate for the great
and sudden demand placed upon II. SO
serious has the situation become at
times that the regional director OF rail-
roads has been forced to waylay ship
nents heading for this port and send
them to other ocean front cities because
ships could not get to berths to take
aboard consgnments which IL permitted
to come through to New York would
have glutted the railroads and the ac-
commodations of the city.
For years and years good wishers OF
the port OF New York-shippers, busi-
ness men. politicians and others-have
urged and pleaded for the extension OF
harbor facilities. the opening of chan
nels TO new waters which would permit
private enterprise II not the city gov
eminent to make waterfront improve
ments which would have greatly in
creased the capacity OF the port New
York might be a much buster city to-
day had some provision been made for
taking care of the natural increase In
its commercial development. But ma
tional lawmakers could not see New
York's great needs. The idea that the
port OF New York Is the port OF the
nation never entered their minds, or II
II did they did not permit in to infiu-
ence them to vote favorably on appro-
priations for the improvement Of local
waterways.
The greatness OF the port and the
fact that nature had endowed 1t az
few other large seaports did not help
them to grasp the fact that nature
must be aided at times or its value
Is wasted. Exponents of the liberal ex-
penditure of money in the development
OF the port were suspected of having
selfish motives in urging the improve
ment Shipping men and business men
from first hand information knew that
the port would be unable in a few
years to accommodate the business
pressure placed upon it's shipping facli- |
ties. 1t was thought that the port |
would be able to struggle along with |
Its present dockage accommodations for
another ten years before congestion !
would force Congress to move for the |
relief OF the maritime and business well |
fare not only of New York but the |
country by cutting channels down deep |
that large ships might enter the vast !
waste water areas of the city
But the war which has upset calcu-
lations galore has brought New York |
face 10 face with its weakness and at |