New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-01
Treaty Creating
New York Port
District Signed
Representatives of Two
States Take Part In the
Ceremonies; Gov. Miller
and Senator Edge Speak
Harbor Development Here
and in New Jersey To Be
Under Control of Board

While Governor Miller, former. Gov
errors Smith and Whitman, United
Sta.es Senator's Edge and Calder and
prominent figures in the civic and COM
snercial life of New York and New
Jersey looked on, the members OF the
Joint Port and Development Commits
sion yesterday in the great hall of the
Chamber of Commerce of the State of
New York signed the treaty compact
creating the Port of New York District
and the Port of New York Authority.
The compact was signed on behalf of
New York by William r. Wilcox and
e. n. Outerbridge and on behalf of
New Jersey by J. Spencer Smith. De
Witt Van Buskirk. Frank R. Ford and
Thomas c. McCran, Attorney General
Of New Jersey. Murray Hubert, one
Of the New York commissioners, was
In Washington ard Attorney General
Charles d. Newton Of New York was
unable to attend, but it is understood
they will sign the compact.
Six Commissioners to Have Control
The six commissioners of the Port
Authority created by the compact who
will be in control of all port develop
nent in conjunction with the United
States War Department are f. H.
Outerbridge. former Governor Alfred
e. Smith and Lewis H. Pounds, repre-
senting New York, and j. Spencer
Smith, De Witt Van Buskirk and Frank
3. Ford, representing New Jersey. The
old port commission headed by Mr..
Wilcox, will function until it secures
the approval of Congress for the new
treaty
The territory comprising the Port of
New York District, over which the
Port Authority will have control, in
Guides, according to the compact, all
the harbor points in New York and
New Jersey enumerated in two closely
printed pages of the treaty.
Addressing the gathering shortly
before the compact was signed Gov
ernor Miller declared that by the ex-
ecution of this treaty I'VE agree to
establish with respect to the develop
ment of this great port cooperation
between the two states, to substitute
cooperation for local jealousies and
givalries which have SO much hindered
the proper development of this port
IN the past.
ut is impossible" he continued, ssto
calculate the effect upon industry gem
orally throughout the country and the
tax upon those who dwell within this
district, which is now erected into a
port district, of the archaic methods,
inadequate terminal facilities which
for SO many years have been growing
exceedingly worse as the commerce of
this port has increased. We must not
forget that we are only beginning for,
by the execution of this document we
are creating a port district and port
authority, and we are establishing, as
/ said, the principle that cooperation
shall hereafter exist between the two
states. This work of the commission,
which will now be succeeded by the
port authority. has laid the foundation,
and that is all.
legislatures Must Approve Treaty
"A comprehensive plan has been pro-
posed. Of course, that plan is tenta-
tive-necessarily so, as it must be ap-
proved by the Legislatures of the two
states before it is put into execution
The great thing that has been done, in
my judgment, has been the accumula-
ton for the first time of the facts
which must be considered in the solu-
tion of the problem. Now, it will be
the function of the port authority that
Is created to proceed upon the basis of
these facts, and l hope that before the
legislatures of the two states again
convene a matured plan--and by that
am not suggesting that the proposed
plan is not matured-will be in shape
to be presented to the two Legislatures
and be acted upon
Governor Miller was followed by
Senator Edge, who told of the long
tight that had been necessary before
the treaty could be signed, and who
pledged his aid in getting the Senate
70 approve the compact. Others who
signed as witnesses to the document
were former Governors Whitman and
smith, Senator William M. Calder,
Irving T. Bush, Darwin P. Kingsley,
president of the Chamber of Com
merce, and others