New-York tribune., 1919-12-24
Hubert in AnnouncingProi-
ect Says Entire Harbor
Ultimately Will Rival
the Best Europe Affords
Cost $4,000, 900 Each
Buildings, 1000 Fl. Long
and 5 Stories High, to
Have Ample StorageSpace

New York City, under the direction
OF Murray Hubert, Commissioner of
DOCKS, is planning the erection of four
teen piers of the so-called skvscraner
variety in Jamaica Bay, it was an
nounced yesterday.
These piers, which will be- abont
1000 feet long and at least five stories
hlgh-all in the city now are but one
story--will not only outrival the niers
OF Hamburg and Copenhagen and other
European ports but will stand as q
model Tor all future enterprise of tho
sort.
Ihey Will be equipped with elevators
electric cranes for lifting cargoes d.
rectly to waiting vehicles from the
hoids OF the ships and provided with
storage space for the accommodation
OF raw stutfs from other lands as we'll
as domestic manufactures destined for
abroad
Other Piers Planned
commissioner Hubert not onlv in
tends to erect these skyscraping piers
IN Jamaica Bay, but to lay out for
ward looking plan for the development
or the entire harbor, which will include
the erection of similar structures on
the North and East rivers, in BROOKLYN
and on Staten Island.
Experts under Commissioner Hull
oerts direction are at work on this
plan, and he expects to make public
very shortly figures showing that mill
hons of dollars will be saved annually
Dy IN the contemplated improvements.
Ihese fourteen piers,' said Commits
sioner Hubert, will be self-sustainina
and will yield fair return to the citS
on Its investment. 1t will cost the city
TO build them-if the present prices Of
laoor and materials do not soar and
60 not expect them to-betwecn $4,000
300 and S4,000.0OO each.
All piers which | have leased since
becoming Dock Commissioner have
yielded the city at least ~ per cent. as
against 2i2 per cent on some Of the
leases under other Dock Commits
sioners"
The Commissioner pointed to a sec
ton OF the city charter-an adapta-
tlon OF law enacted forty years ego
which he Will ask the next Legislature
to repeal SO that he can 90 ahead with
his proposed development of not onlv
Jamaica Bay but the entire harbor.
Law a Big Draw back
"Ihls law, sample of the obstacles
which previous generations Of law
makers threw in the path of making
New York Harbor a port in keeping
with the rest of the world" continued
Commissioner Hubert, "forbds the
building of storage space on city
owned piers.
"In these modern times pier
equipped with storage space is ne
cessity. We are now drafting legisla-
tlon looking for the repeal of this law
and other legislation to make the work
of the Dock Department and others in
i'll port development less ham
pered by rcd tape"
Commissioner Hubert drew attention
to- the combination piers and storage
warehouses which line the harbors Of
European ports, and whose commerce,
as consequence, has prospered
New York City" he added, should
be second to none in its harbor facil-
ties. 1t has a natural harbor, | believe
unequalled, and we should take ad-
of it."
Commissioner Hubert said he did
not believe Congress would reach the
proposal for the dredging the forty-foot
channel IN Jamaica Bay until July
rms IS essential to the completion of
the Jamaica Bay development.
Il have no doubt Of the passage of
the BILL said Commissioner Hubert,
and am making my plans accord
ingly. And before they are finally ap-
proved | shall have visited the Euro
pean ports whose pier facilities are
now SO superior to ours, and make d
study of them"
Commissioner Hubert expects to
start on an inspection of the European
ports early this summer.