Year: 1879

ing of the danger. lean remember the time when
the inner bay entirely different from what it s
Of water known as Buttermilk Channel lying be-
tween Governors Island and Brooklyn At that
time the whole Brooklyn shore from where Fulton
ferry now il to Gowanus Bay was one long sweep OF
sandy marsh The shore was covered with fisher
mems huts. and there was . great deal of fishing
boat traffic. Ahc currents of the East and
North rivers were far more rapid and effec-
tive than they are at present. But notwith-
standing the shoaled shore at Brooklyn the main
body OF the upper bay splendid sheet OF
water. The water deep and the current, in run
ming tide was swift and smooth. Look at the bay
to-day and point out spot where the currents
even again say that the harbor has been spoiled.


DANGEROUS TO LIFE.


"What do you think about the danger to the Rock
away boats and those which go to the Coney Island
pier in view OF the recent developmentsw


"Just this. This water is almost too scant even
if high tide for entire safety One of these days
immense steamboat will strike the bottom With
crash or run into bank Then there Will be some
body hurt and no one to blame: These great steam-
boats just clear the bottom of the channel by
trhe; At low water it is risky thing to attempt to
the channel for a steamboat


''What are your ideas of u renedy?'


"well. the offenders include the foreign and par
ticularly the British steamships. have been told.
and fully believe that they only drop their ashes
and refuse in the bay but also throw overheard their
stone and sand ballast secretly. Now there is only
one way to do. Let the Legislature make it penal
servitude the result of doing so. and
word the law clearly. Let heavy fine also
special harbor police required Let them be
strong. well organized force. who fully understand
their rights ana are prepared to enforce the law.
Give them steam cutters such used in the
revenue service. Then when any ship vessel is
caught dumping in the bay the police can board the
offending vessel and arrest the captain. 1t is the
only safe plan by which the work OF destruction can
be ended


ALARMING STATEMENTS OF THE PILOTS.


At tho pilots office, i'll Coenties slip. number
of Sandy Hook pilots were interviewed the
changes that have taken place in the harbor
in few years. These men, on whom the guidance
OF all the harbor shipping depends. invariably
declared that the condition OF the harbor present
fhnn tq mutt afaI 10th
short of rcsurvy of the whole river and outer bay
could give adequate impression OF the extent of
shoalng which has taken place. One pilot OF four
teen years experience recommended by the
pilots one of the best informed men on the river.
the reporter he spoke very carefully. "rhe old
steamship chnanel. he remarked, "has long ago
changed to the east side of the inner
bay. l remember when some of the smaller
vessels used cut in between Bedoes Island and the
Jersey shore occasionally. The mud dumpings
filled up the whole course. though. and now give
the island wide birth. At present we have to
OF toward Governors Island and after passing Red
Hook Point we curve out to the Staten Island shore
until the Narrows are reached. The other day took
ship drawing twenty-five aud half feet OF water
near the Long Island shore. The place is set down
two ieet depth. but We grounded. lou can't
depend on the charts, rs everything has changed by
of the dumping and IL IL amt stopped navi-
CATION must soon become impossible. As it is now
it is hard work to pilot some OF the large steamers.
the channel IL narrow aud shallow


The map which accompanies the present article
shows where tho danger lies. After looking at It
ana viewing the results OF their negligence the Po
lice and Dock Commissioners should stand
abashed and silent instead of planning
denials. The facts presented are
such that the indifference of Governor
Robinson cannot alter them. The map, with its
accompanying figures and explanations. proves be-
yond ali doubt that more than three rths OF tho
inner bay is unnavigable to steamships or large
vessels. The history of the improvements which
have been made on the shores of the bay are. per-
haps. familiar than the history of the bay IT.
self. Millions OF dollars have been spent builing
piers and wharves, while the means Tor reaching
them from tho sea were entirely neglected.


NATURAL ADVANTAGES THE BAY.


The outer bay is sheltered by Sandy Hook in such
q manner AS to make il almost perfect were ii not
hlied up. The inner bay, however. is still better
situated. Possessed of tho currents of two large
rivers, which swept either OF its shores and kept
its channels open, it was subject OF little i'm
portauce to the shipping community what was cast
IN the waters soon shoalings began to appear ON
tho Jersey shore. and steps were takcn to the
refuse taken To sea- Laws were passed, but openly
dehed. lmpunty was given the offenders by the in
ability of the authorities to detect them in
the act. Then IL was claimed that the bay
shoaled much that resurvey of the
harbor was necessary, In order to guido the
pilots who found the channels changing rapidly,
a general rcsurvey was taken by the government in
1871. Up to this time 1t was popularity supposed
that the shoalings and channel distractions were
due to natural causes, such the drifting sand
in from the ocean. The resurNcy developed some
startling facts. The shoangs were not sand out smy
mud. ashes and cnders. ihe shosling had reached


dangerous point of progress In three years IN nd
found to have accumulated was alarming. These
facts were known to the government service amt to
some few Interested persons. but no means
adopted to bring the subject before the general
pubic. On January q, 1877, the National limo
steamer Greece ran into u mud bank situated In
what was but short time before the middle OF the
main steamship channel. This called forth consider
able attention to the fact that shoalings were fast
making the bay unsafe. The matter dropped for