New-York tribune., 1921-10-30
Miller Urges
Steps to Speed
Port Freight
s.vs Congestion and Delay
Are Such That Nations .
Commerce Is Affected and
&c. C. May Take Action
New York Behind Times
a.ks Two States to Back Up
Interstate Port Authority
and Improve Conditions

cnvernor Nathan L. Miller, speaking
..s,.rdav noon to the Brooklyn Cham
:, Of Commerce, said that the Port of
ysw York is fifty years behind the
,res in port and terminal facilities,
"A that this placed such a burden on
.,mmeree entering and clearing from
y.w York that it was engaging the at
,.rt;er of the Interstate Commerce
eomuission, which authority already is
Hsinelined to heed the claim of New
yors that It's affairs be considered
strictly local.
The Governor said that the Federal
pr.isct, backed by sixteen states. for
sh;n canal through the Lakes and down
.ss 81. Lawrence. was born of the fact
.hat ccnln. cree bound East and West
became choked in the Port of New
FORK.
re urged that both New York and
ypw Jersey should cooperate with the
,sx Interstate Port Authority Commits
son solely in the interest of the people.
Hendrick Hudson Pier Still in Use
To emphasize his point that New York
|. sadly behind the times in its hand
srr Of commerce coming to this port
Ia said that one day last week he saw
= Brooklyn q pier from which the
Hsudrik Hudson had sailed still being
used.
The Governor said that nothing he
xss going to say had the slightest con-
section with the nun .cipal campaign.
sad ne added that the development of
New York commerce was subject that
aght to be discussed with politics left
ont. Referring to the pressing i'm
portance Of the development Of the port
the Governor said
apeople do not realize the burden
vhica is now cast upon them, upon
every consumer in this great district,
in The additional cost of everything
which enters into their daily lives.
"You are more than fifty years behind
improvements in port and terminal
facilities here. and that fact, as / say.
uuts burden upon the commerce of
the country which other sections of
The country are trying TO get away
IRON.
sThe Interstate Commerce Commits
zion refused the plea of the State of
New Jersey for 4 rate diFerential in
limitations, and those intimations have
been made with increasing vigor, that
unless the State of New York under
took to improve the terminal facilities
in such fashion as TO do away with un-
necessary cost the time might
come when the plea of the State of
New York that this was single dis
trict would fall upon deaf ears in the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
Denies Politics in Port Board
The Governor said the creation of
tie Port Authority was opposed by
some as being an interference with
home rule u want to say" said the
Govcrnor, "that when it came to the
selection of the members of the Port
Authority that, as many members of
your own chamber have reason to
Easw, no politics and no political con-
sderations whatever had the slightest
weight in the selection of the mem
bers Of that commission.
There has just been made report
sf engineers selected to study that
pfVjecl, report 10 the MdyCI dAo l
want to refer to It not in any way of
criticism. because I shall not discuss it
upon its merits, but for the purpose of
pointing. out some conclusions which
the engineers have reached.
"They discovered that this problem
couldn't be solved merely by the coA-
struction of a tunnel; they discovered
that it couldn't be solved merely by re-
port that the problem involves the CO.
ordination of all OF the rail facilities
which terminate anywhere in this port
district I do not think it required
very much wisdom to reach that con-
clusion, but think we have made great
progress; that we have now the authorl-
tatiye statement of-tae engineers of the
city itself that the problem involves
The Comprehensive coordination of all
rall and terminal facilities, both in the
states of New Y ork and New Jersey.
1t Is vital if we are to save time
that some plan shall have advanced
sufficiently SO that it may be adopted
at the next session. Otherwise an
other year will have been lost. Now
hat does not mean that the plan must
cover every detail. 1t will be quite
enough and all that can possibly be
hoped for if essentials are agreed upon.
"one Of the ways to relieve conges-
ton is to distribute the freight and
the freight handling facilities all
about these islands and about this
borough"