New-York tribune., 1919-04-06
Joint State Commissions
Pass Resolutions Indica,-
ing Action While Cover.
or's Hearing Is in Session
Campaign Will Continue
Borough Presidents Oppose
Project, but Most Trade
Bodies Favor the Tunnel

Governor Smith presided yesterday
at the City Hall at q hearing on the
project to connect this city with New
Jersey by vehicular tunnel. While
the advocates and opponents of this
plan were giving their views the New
4ork-New Jersey Port and Harbor De-
velopment Commission announced that
action on the amended treaty which
was to knit the two states closer had
been postponed until the next session
of their respective legislatures.
bill approprating S1,0O0,OO0 for
the start of the vehicular tube has al
ready been passed by one of the
Houses at Albany.
Those in favor Of the tunnel and the
opposition appeared to be evenly di-
vided at the hearing i'm the City Hall.
Chief among the opposition was Bor-
ough President Connolly OF Queens,
who declared that the money to be
spent on the tunnel-it was estimated
yesterday at S12,O00,0O0, each of the
states of New York and New Jersey to
pay half-could be put to better use
In improving 164 miles of undeveloped
waterfront in this city.
Would Favor Railroad Tunnel
"lf it were a project to build a rail
road tunnel" he said, "and the great
railroads which have terminals in New
Jersey were allowed to use it I should
favor it. But until New York City is
put on the same footing as New JERSEY
! shall oppose it."
He pointed out that most of the large
industries once thriving in Queens had
moved to Jersey, among them the Ford
Motor Company, the Singer Sewing
Machine Company the Colgate Com
pany and the Lorillard Tobacco Com
pany. The operation of tunnel to
Jersey, he declared, would cause an
even greater exodus.
Objection to the proposed tunnel was
reconstruction Commission, on the
ground that the men composing the
New York Tunnel Commission had no
experience in the matter of under
river tunnel building He suggested
that this Objectionable feature could
be overcome if the commission were
eliminated and the Governor given
power to appoint competent and ex-
perienced men to handle the job.
bowling Also Opposed
Borough President Frank l.. Dowling
also opposed the project in it's present
form.
McDougall Hawkes., of the New York
Tunnel Commission, explained that he
and his associates were not tied down
to any set plan and were open to sug-
gestions. among those who spoke in
favor of the project we're:
Howard tlnneV. OF the Chamber of
Commerce; Hobart Porter, Of the Mer-
chants Association; Stewart Brown. of
the United Realty Owners Association;
George ". Olvany, of the Central
Mercantile Association; Charles Fran
els. of the commercial printing indus
try, and Samuel w. Taylor, who ap-
peared for Deputy Police Commissioners
John A. Harriss and the National
Highway Traffic Association. The Broad
way Association and the Greater New
York Taxpayers Association were
registered in favor Of the tunnel.
Postponement of action on the port
treaty was announced at a conference
held in the Chamber of Commerce of
New York by the New York-New Jer-
sey Port and Harbor Development
Commission, of which William r. Will
cox is chairman. The action took the
form of a formal resolution, adopted
without dissenting vote, which com
mended the various bodies of the COM
mission to continued effort in behalf
of the project.
Will Consider Amendments
The commission will give considera-
ton to amendments of the treaty, es-
pecially that of the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment Of New York CITY.
which would call for the adoption of
the treaty and the comprehensive
plans" at the same time. It was for
merly suggested that the plans be de-
veioped after the agreement was made:
There was evident disappointment
among the members of the commission
at the failure of ratification during
the present sessions Of the legislatures.
Governor Edge, of New Jersey, ex-
pressed his regret that the New JERSEY
Legislature had received this measure
at such a late day in the sessions, and
he declared that full authority would
be given the members Of the commits
sion from his state to work out adjust
ments and improvements during the
next year. The Governor also prom
lsed to continue the legislative com
mittee which was appointed for the
purpose of conferring with the BIZ
state commission, and stated that the
work of port survey would be carried
on in New Jersey while the treaty is
being considered.
Speaking for New York State, Sena-
tor j. Henry Walters said, "The pres
ent legislative joint commission will
be continued through the recess period
with authority to work with the BIZ
state commission. Sufficient appropri-
atoms viii be made by the Legislature
to carry on the work"
Lieutenant Governor Harry C.. Walker
represented Governor Srnith.
N a IN.
bi~state commission was represented
by j. Spencer Smith, vice chairman:
Arthur G. james, De Witt Van Bus,
kirk, Frank r. Lord, B. F. Cresson, jr..
consulting engineer, and William
leary, secretary.
Representing other civic interests
we're the following: Attorney General
Charles %. Newton, of New York: A.
torney General Thomas f. McCran. Of
New Jersey; Colonel Henry Hodge. for
iner Public Service Commissioned.
Calvin Tomkins, former Dock Com,
missioner; George w. Wickersbam
representing the Chamber of Corn,
merce; Frederick Deverard, represent
ing the Merchants Association; Rich
ard Harrison, representing the civ
Iiub, and Leonard III. Walistcin. of thc
Citizens Union. VI"