The New York herald., 1922-01-29
Tipping NEWS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD
SALE OF HOBOKEN
ROAD Is OPPOSED
Shipboard Ownership of Piers
Also Condemned in
Hearing.

Bitter opposition TO the sale OF the
Hoboken Manufacturers Railroad by the
War Department to the United States
Shipping Board, as proided for in a
resolution now before Congress, devel-
oped yesterday at an open hearing In
the Shipping Board offices. Meyer Liss-
ner and 7. V. O'Connor. Shipping Board
Commissioners, presided at the hearing.
which was attended by representatives
OF the War Department, Hobolsen city
officials and business men. and Eugenius
II. Outerbridge, chairman of the Port
OF New York Authority
Continuance of Shipping Board own
ership of the Hoboken piers taken over
by the Government during the war was
also opposed. The best interests or
Hoboken could be served, 1t was as
serted by several speakers, by the sale
OF those piers 10 private interests and
by allowing the shore railroad to re-
main in the hands of the War Depart
rnent until the Port Authority should
be given power 10 assume control.
Among those who presented the city's
case were John ]. Fallon, Corporation
Counsel, and J. Raymond Tiffany. at
torney for the Hobokon Chamber OF
Commerce.
The railroad in question Is ono mile
long. with eleven miles of track scrv-
ing to connect the Hoboken piers with
the trunk line railroads. Seven or the
piers are held by the Shipping Board.
two by Lamport & Holt, two by the
Ellernan's Wilson Line and two by the
Holland-Amelica Line. Shipping Board
control of the railroad would be looked
rlpon with disfavor by the private lines
operating steamship companies. and this
In turn would react TO the disadvantage
of Hoboken. already severely injured py
Government management ana controi Oh
waterfront facilities. said Mr. TIFFANY. j..
"We have been informed that several
of the steamship lines. in the event OF
the Shipping Board taking over the rail-
road. would load as much as possible OF
their cargoes from lighters, so that IN
formation regarding consignees ana
conslgnors might be withheld from an
organization operating competing ser
vice." Mr.. Tiffany said.
Brig.-Gen. Groth Hutchlson, repre-
eenting the War Department. declared
the emergency under which the railroad
was taken over no longer existed ana
that the department regarded 1t as sur
plus property. TO be disposed of 10 the
Shipping Board, as the owner of the
any other interests if the board did not
wish to assume control Mr.. Outerbridge
told of the plans of the Port Authority
for linking up the railroads with otner
waterfront facilities as soon as given
power TO begin negotiations by the leg
islatures Of the two States.
After hearing the statements Of the
various speakers Mr.. Lissner said that
subject to correction by the other Com
rnissioners he would favor the board
not taking any action until the Port Au-
thority's plan should be given q chance
to develop.
Corporation Counsel Falion made a
vigorous plea for the sale of the Ship
ping Boards piers. He said:
"The city of Hoboken is being i'm
poverished by Government control OF
some of its most valuable properties.
Since the piers were taken out Of private
hands we have lost $1.200,00o in taxes
and LOO feet of the shoicest waterfront
70 be found anywhere is placed beyond
any benefit to us. Meanwhile the Ship
ping Board takes in s1.000.000 yearly
in rentals. OF its seven piers two lie
in a shameful state of desuetude as a
result of the fire. and nothing Is being
done TO rebuild them and place them
in commercial operation. IL they were
in private hands they would quickly be
repaired"
Commissioner O'Connor declared HIM
self opposed to sale OF the piers TO pri-
vate interests. and indicated they would
probably be retained by the board until
Il finally retires from operation.