The sun., 1919-09-08
PORT HAMPERED BY
NEW PIERS, CHARGE
Equipment Makers Say Old
Methods Are Dictated
by Greed.
VESSELS WILL LOSE TIME
Efforts to Install Modern
Machines Blocked by In
terested Concerns.

The city administration is embracing
upon a system OF Improvement" for the
port facilities of New York which con-
tinues the docking methods adopted here
in the days of clipper ships and pro-
vide only the same old handling facil-
tiles that we're available to the Phoni-
cians-literally handling by man
power.
Nowhere in the plans for the expendi-
ture of from s25.ooo.ooo to 500, 100000
IL there any provision that will permit
Of the installation of modern machinery
statement of the Mayors plan issued
by the Material Handling Machinery
Manufacturing Association yesterday.
The associate charges that the new
piers are being built in conformity with
the desires of railroads, lighterage'
wharfage, docking and stevedoring con-
Germs who make a fat profit irrespective
of the high costs imposed. 1t praises
the administration for requiring these
interests to pay the city an ample share
of this profit to repay the city for its
investment. But II insists that the out
rageous costs imposed not only blight
the future Of the port but impose as well
q heavy and direct burden upon every
one who buys foodstuffs or any other
commodity handled by the archaic sys-
TEN.
TIE association admits its interest In
the sale of modern machinery. but pre-
sents an argument for its case. 1t costs
$85 a car, or more than It costs to bring
the car from Chicago. to handle 1t within
the New York terminal limits. At Chi
70 through
that elaborate terminal. At San Fran
cisco, with ferryage and other water
problems similar to those OF New York.
the cost, municipality controlled, Is only
$3.50.
Consumers Bear Cost.
This enormous extra charge on every
car in New York Is borne not by the
city but by the myriads of consumers
throughout the world who must pay the
tribute. The profit. says the association.
goes to the dockage and lighterage COM
rsn!es and organizations who ply their
business irrespective of the facilities and
make fat incomes.
But the world will not continue to pay
such a tribute, says the manufacturers
association. In addition to being expen-
sive, the archaic methods which the adj
ministration proposes to continue create
delay and congestion, crowded terminal
tracks and above all the most destruc-
tive of items in the problem of sea
transport, where America Is pretending
| to take her place-the detention of ships
| IDLE in port while they await berthage
| and discharging and loading facilities.
The Shipping Board. through its for
mer chairman, Edward N. Hurley, cited
| these delays as the chief reasons why
American tonnage had been unable to
compete with that of foreign nations.
| Mr.. Hurley asserted that with the eff
| c!ent operation of American ships the
| higher labor costs on board would be
| more than discounted. r
The statement OF the association 10
| called forth by the return OF Commits
sioner Grover A. Whalen to the United
States and his praise Of the port facil-
| tiles OF Manchester. Amsterdam and
| elsewhere in Europe. Even other Amer
| lean ports like Philadelphia and Boston
| are outstriding the metropolis. Yet in
spite of this the manufacturers say the
city, through the Sinking Fund Commits
| sion, Board of Estimate and Dock De-
partment. within the last few weeks
signed contracts for the lease of piers
to be improved with city money and
approved of a plan which differs no whit
from that which has caused all the
trouble and delay in this port.
The plans for all of the new piers.
with two exceptions, provide only for the
old 1900 foot slips. piers only 215 feet
in width. and equipped only with the
one story shed OF fiimsy construction
designed when men unloaded abe clip
per ships by hand and bore their car
goes on their backs to prairie schooners
The association compares this state
of affairs with that existent in every
other phase OF American industry where
the automatic handling machine has
alone made possible the more recent
developments Of factory efficiency and
low cost.
70 Years out of Date.
with the exception of two, all the
new piers the city will build at Staten
Island would not be acceptable anywhere
In the world" says Zenas w. Carter,
| manager OF the association. They are
outclassed by all the other new pier
construction in the United States Can
ada, South America and Europe and
have been for the last twenty-five years
Any responsible terminal engineer will
verify this fact"
Full credit Is given to the city for
the admirable financial arrangements It
has made to secure a return of tn per
cent. on It's leases This is pointed to
| as perhaps the most profitable transac-
ton Of the sort to which the city has
ever been committed 30 far as the fiscal
details of its own treasury are con-
! cerned II Is admitted also that the
persons who pay these rentals will make
an ample profit. But. says Mr.. Carter,
It is not an affair of profit for the
moment. II is a matter of the con-
tinued existence of the port of New
York And that, he says. cannot be as
sured as long as patrons of the port are
| obliged 10 pay the excessive costs for
the inferior facilities of tho archaic
project planned.
Nor did New York lack good example
In Its face. At the Pennsylvania, New
| York Central, Bush Terminal and
! Brooklyn army base piers, the latter
equipped under the stress of war condl-