Year: 1867

THE WHARVES AND PIERS BILL.


The commercial prosperity of this city should
be matter of pride to the State, but whether
it be or not, it remains matter OF interest
The forty three members of the Assembly who
defeated the motion TO consider the Wharves
and Piers bill on Thursday need not be told that
they voted against measure which concerns
the people of the State. IL is even more than
State matter-it is national, and even more
than national. Into this port is gathered more
than half the commerce of the United States
moro than half the duties on imports collected
by the Government last year were paid by
New-York merchants. Every nation with
which the American people deal is interested
in the condition Of this port, and If Liverpool,
Bremen, and Havre do not find the proper ac-
cOmmodations here, they will seek them III
Boston or Baltimore.
Yet, with an mrivaled harbor, New-YOrk
has O system of wharfage utterly unworthy of
its natural advantages and commercial needs
Liverpool, with its magnificent docks, On which
S120,000,0O0 have been expended, and Glas-
cow, originally no port, where the islands and
shoals of tho Clyde were removed to make
harbOr wherein the ships Of the world might
ride, put the metropolis of America to
shame. For the improvement of our
Bay little or nothing need he done; but the
water-fr0nts of New York and Brooklyn must be
rebuilt if we desire to retain our commercial
supremacy. For ten years the merchants of
this city have vainly demanded a respectable
system of Wharves and Piers, and their only
chance of getting it is in the bill now before
the Legislature. The utmost ingenuity cannot
"a a, nIu yhat
is declared to be-a bill to provide
for the gradual and economical removal
of tho rotten piers on the North
and East Rivers, and the construction of
permanent and convenient wharves for the ac-
cOmmOdation of our trade. In appointing
Commission to superintend this work, the bill
merely does what every business man knows to
he indispensable; there is no merchant, what
ever his politics, who would not laugh at the
supposition that our local government--incap-
able Of building even a Court -HOuse-could he
trusted with this work. Nor has the bill been
opposed in the Legislature because it consti
tutes Commission, for the general objections
to commissions cannot apply to this matter.


We must look closer to find the reason for the
repeated postponement of the measure, and we
believe that il is to be found in the resolution
of certain members Of the Assembly 70 make
its popularity and necessity the means Of OBJ
tanning the passage of their own schemes.
They refuse to consider the Wharves and Piers
bill unless its advocates yield their objections
to other measures.


We think the bill deserves to pass as it
stands il was thoroughly revised in the Senate,
and amended so rs to make it rs definitive and
restrictive rs n good bill can be- But, if there
are any errors in the bill, let the Assembly
strike them out. To kill il without even con-
sidering it. without giving it fair play, will be
an acknowledgment by every man who votes
adversely that he is ignorant or partisan
enough to oppose the commercial interests OF
New York From this conclusion there will be no
escape. The issue is absolute between the
friends and enemies of Improvement, for there
il no possible Improvement practicable except
by the means this bill provides. We shall not
speak of the wretched condition of our river
front, for if there il any Legislator who does
not know the necessity OF reform, ne is
not fit for his position. We present the
plain fact and ask the Assembly to respect
the interests of this city. the State, and the
country. The bill had sixty three votes on
Thursday. We expect the sixty three to vote
again for il to-day If the Legislature would like
TO do one act that shall deserve the thanks of
commercial New Y ork, let il pass the Wharves
and Piers bill.