The sun., 1919-07-26
DOCKS AT MONTAUK
FOR BIGGEST LINERS
Inspection Of Point Being
Made With View of Build
ing Breakwater.
RAIL TRIP A DRAWBACK
Pennsylvania, However, Has
Agreed to Provide In
creased Facilities.

Announcement that heads OF the In
ternational Mercantile Marine are con-
sidering docking their largest and fast
est vessels at Montauk Point in the near
future was made yesterday by an Of
ficial at the companys offices In this
city.
The decision Of the United States Ship
ping Board to bring its proposed 1000
foot boats into the extreme eastern end
of Long Island was said at the shipping
offices to have aroused widespread in
terest among all of the persons in the
business here.
Reports of the project, 1t was learned.
leaked to the big lines here before 1t
was announced to the public with the
result that already. representatives OF
the various companies have been look
ing over the harbor facilities at the point
proposed.
While no definite statement is made
by any of these parties regarding their
plans, the official who was interviewed
at the offices of the International Mer-
camille Marine said that 1t was prac-
tically certain that the Olympic, Aqui-
tania, Mauretania and other big Cunard
and White Star liners will make Mon
tauk Point their port OF call
DON'T be surprised IL a definite Of
ficial announcement along these lines Is
soon made" he said.
It was stated that President P. A. 8.
Franklin Of the International Mercantile
Marine Is enthusiastic over the plan to
establish a port at Montauk Point for
the fastest of the ocean liners. After
returning recently from visit to the
place he told the officials of the COM
pany that all It needed in his opinion
was a breakwater to keep out the seas
A careful inspection of the waters ut
the point Is being made by Ashley
| Sparks, managing director OF the Cunard
Line, who is also said to favor having
that companys largest vessels stop there.
The only objections raised to the
scheme are said to emanate from Man
ager Kosminski Of the French Line. He
has expressed the opinion to shipping
men that passengers would object to the
rail trip from the point to New York
city. He bases his theory upon obJec-
lions raised to the rail trip from Liver
| pool to London.
This rail transportation question is re-
ported to have been already carefully
worked out by the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, which owns all of the Long Island
lines. That company has long favored
| the establishment OF port at the eastern
end of Long Island. and has guaranteed
| increased rail facilities.
/ It is thought here that the result of
the Shipping Boards action in favor Of
Montauk Point may be the drawing of
all of the fastest ships to that port The
vessels would in such event save 200
mile trip and shorten their voyages many
hours.
Shipping men believe slower steam
i ships would continue to make New York
their port
1t was stated yesterday that the keels
of the Shipping Boards big 1000 foot
liners will be laid in the yards Of the
New York Shipbuildlng Company at
Camden, N. j.. within the next two
weeks and that work upon them will be
rushed. At the same time 1t is expected
the work OF preparing the proposed new
terhsinal at Fort Pond Bay, Montauk
Point, will also be hurried.
R--lph Peters, Federal manager Of the
Long Island Railroad. and former presi-
dent Of the company. declared yesterday
that in his opinion Montauk Point would
never beceme a popular port for freight
| cargo vessels. He said, however. that
| the modern facilities of transportation
| and tunnel connections between Long
| Island and Manhattan make this an OPP
perfume time to establish 1t as a port for
| first class passenger ships.
THE ships designed and proposed by
| the United States Shipping Board" he
| said. will cost great deal of money
| II can only prove economical by making
| a quick turn at its terminal. SO that II
| will be possible to get from thirty-five to
| forty-flve trips a year out Of the ships
as against twenty to twenty-five trips q
year with the old type, coal burning
slow speed ships that come under re-
stricted hours to the piers in New York
| city,
Mr.. Peters suggested that the Balti-
| more and Ohio and Lehigh Valley rail-
| roads, which now use the Pennsylvania
tunnels and station, may participate
with that line In handling the service
from the proposed new port. The New
York Central and New England lines, he
| said, might have access to this traffic
over the He'll Gate Bridge.
He said that the scheme should cause
| wild speculation in Long Island lands
| which have already been greatly over
| worked as a result of various new port
| rumors.
Mr.. Peters expressed the opinion that
with the new port opened the Govern
ment might keep Camp. Upton as a per-
] manent military base from which large
forces of troops might be speedily de-
spatched at any time should 1t become
| necessary.
The idea of developing Montauk Point
| into a great port dates back many years
1t was one of the favorite projects OF
Austin Corbln. who took over the Long
Island Railroad when 1t was small and
! insolvent and sought to make It a great
system. He died in 1896.
/