The New York herald., 1922-01-16
Developing New York Port.
Cooperation for Early Relief Of the
Traffic Situation Needed.

To THE NEW York HERALD: One or
the most important problems before the
people Of the city of New York is the
scientific development OF unification or
the port with q view TO the mora eco
handling, storage and delivery
of freight
There are no serious engineering or
financial problems to prevent It's being
promptly done. Most Of the needed
rails and tracks are now laid, and from
the physical side not many connecting
links remain to be built. But we still
have the problem of uniting all the in
terests concerned, and doing this Is the
one remaining difficult thing.
An editorial article published very
recently stated that It was estimated
that there was a trucking loss OF at least
cents a ton on the 100000
tons of freight annually delivered to
and taken from Manhattan: and added
to this the unnecessary items which
the present system entails, the daily
tribute which we pay, due to the present
ancient methods. is appalling. think
an estimate OF from Si0.o0o,ooo to
SIS 900 900 a year would be putting the
cost at q very conservative ngure. A
very large part Of the freight received
daily in Manhattan comes from the rail-
roads terminating In New Jersey. This
the borough Of Manhattan must receive
regularly daily. Without It the IN
habitants of New York would starve.
and IN winter freeze to death. So the
question affects not New Jersey alone.
II IA tust as vital for New York.
Prior TO 1911 there existed IN New
Jersey no central board or authority
having anything to do with the devel-
opmen. of the States waterfront ex-
cent the Riparian Board, whose sole duty
Il was to sell the States riparian lands
I was then a member Of the New Jersey
state Senate. Through my business
this situation was brought to my atten-
tion. and I introduced in the Senate and
had passed by the Legislature a Joint
resolution authorizing the appointment
by the Governor Of the commission
which. in cooperation with similar
commission to be appointed by the
Governor Of New York. was to investi-
gate the conditions OF the port as n
whole. make recommendations for its
unified development and report Its ind
ings 10 the Legislatures. This resoiu-
ton was signed by Governor Wilson.
and the first commission appointed was
the predecessor of the present Port Au-
thority. I recommended to Governor
Wilson the appointment OF J. Spencer
smith as a member OF the commission.
Mr.. Smith was appointed and served in
this and all the succeeding commissions,
and is now one Of the New Jersey MEM
bers of the port Authority, having In all
these years served the State with great
ability.
The gentlemen to whom credit for the
,nceptIon of this matter Is due are
Charles Dickinson OF Chicago. then
manager Of the Hoboken Shore Road :
Palmer Campbell. former member or
the New Jersey Interstate Bridge and
Tunnel Commission: A. j. Shamburs.
then and now a member OF the New
York state Bridge and Tunnel Commits
slon. and Colonel w. J. wilgus, MEM
her of the Board OF Consulting En-
rineers OF the present tunnel commits
s,ons. The actual resolution presented
by me. and which became the law. was
drawn by Colonel wilgus.
In considering the port matter two
facts may be positively stated upon
which all parties concerned agree:
The present method Of handling freight
in the port IL costly and detrimcnt to
the business OF the port. and should be
improved not only TO save the excessive
and unnecessary costs but to save the
business Of the port.
The problem Is q railroad problem pure
and simple. and the succesr OF any plan