New-York tribune., 1919-07-26
NIontauk Point
Dock Proposal
Views Differ
Shipping Boards Plan to
Develop New Harbor for
Giant Four Day Boats
Favored by Ralph Peters
London-N. Yokohama
Merchants Bureau Manager
Asserts State Island
Plan Is More Feasible

The United States Shipping Boards
plan to construct docking facilities for
transatlantic liners at Montauk Point,
Long Island, was discussed with in
terest in shipping circles yesterday.
Shipowners agree that the Shipping
Boards programme is feasible, and. if
carried out would provide the means
for transatlantic and transpacihc
ocean line service which, in conjunc-
ton with special transcontinental rail-
road service from Montauk to San
Francisco, would rival the Europe
America-Asia service of the Canadian
Pacific lines.
The Shipping Boards plans call for
the construction of two 55,OO0-ton OIL
burning liners of I 1,000-foot length, ca
pable of making the voyage from Mon
tauk to Plymouth in four days. Sew
eral 1,200foot docks are to be con-
structed under the plan at Fort Pond
Bay
Plan 1wenty-fOur Years Old
The Shipping Boards programme is
similar to that advocated by the late
Austin Corbin, former president Of
the Long Island Railroad Company,
twenty-four years ago. Ralph Peters,
now Federal Manager of the Long
Island Railroad, attempted to revive
the project several years ago. Mr..
Peters said yesterday that as he was
not now connected with the Long
Island Corporation he could not Of
ticially discuss the Shipping Boards
proposals. AS a private citizen and
resident Of Long Island, however, he
weighed the plan in the light of his
experience and knowledge of the .itua-
tion.
"Montauk has always presented a
wonderful opportunity for improving
transatlantic travel by the use of Fort
Pond Bay and the Long Island Rail
road" he said "Mr. Corbin was right
in proposing the development, but was
very much ahead Of his time. When he
was agitating the development there
were no tunnels and bridges connecting
Long Island through Manhattan with
the main land.
Later on, s-fter the tunnels had been
constructed under the East River and
it was possible to give through train
ei'lee iioii Moi!tauk, lne railroads
were not in position to build steam
ships and the steamship companies
were not willing to send their boats
to Montauk SO long as they could get
into the heart of New York through the
piers on the North River.
Combination Necessary
Therefore, to make the use Of Fort
Pond Bay possible it required COM
binaton Of the pier at Montauk and
the railroad, the tunnels through Man
haitian and a very large high-speed
passenger boat.
The ship designed ard proposed by
the United States Shipping Board will
cost great deal of money; it can only
prove economical by making a quick
turn at its terminal SO that it will be
possible to get from thirty-fve to
torty-tive trips year out Of the ships,
as against twenty to twenty two trips
year with the old type coal-burning,
slow speed ships that came under re-
stricted hours to the piers in New
York City.
"Iherefore it appears to be perfectly
logical and reasonable to carry out this
plan of using the expensive fast shin
between Montauk and Plymouth, with
inc rai!road 5 from Plymouth to london
and from Montauk TO New York Citv.
and this is made possible under the
American flag by the proposed action
OF the United States Shipping Board
Such ships will carry passengers.
mails and high class express matter
with some perishablc freight. They
will not be cargo vessels, and it is
very. doubtful if Montauk would ever
become shipping place for ordinary
freight cargo. New York need not fear
that competition, and the DEVELOPMENT
OF the last passenger vessels means a
reinforcement of New York's position
by the use of this auxiliary port
"Furthermore, it need have no fear
OF giving monopoly of all this traffic
to the Pennsylvania Railroad interests
as the Baltimore G. Ohio and I.ehieh
Valley railroads, now using the Penn
syivania tunnels and stations, would be
able to participate.
Extend to Pacific
Furthermore, if these two ships
prove successful on the Atlantic Ocean.
other fast ships could be built for the
Pacific trade, SO that fast Internation-
al Line, under the American flag. would
be opened up from London, Via Plv-
mouth and Montauk, through New York
TO San francisco, and from San Fran.
CISCO across the Pacific to Yokohama :"
A. L: Smith, manager Of the In
dustrial Bureau of the Merchants As
soclatlon, said yesterday that the or
ganlzation had not come to CON
cluslon concerning the benefits to be
gained by the construction Of shin
ping port at Moniauk
Personally have given the matte~
a, good deal Of consideration" said
Mr.. Smith, "and do not see how such
a port could pay for itself. | see no
aacvantage IN hauling freight from
! icrb
brought direct to New York and mt
upon cars direct for it's destination
The new piers which are being con-
structed on Staten Island, it seems TO
me, would be q better place for the
new steamers to dock than Montauk