Year: 1879

STATEN lSLANUo NEW DEPARIUKE.
A GRAND sHIPYARD AND MARINE RAILWAY TO


BE CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE WATER FRONT


BETWEEN CLIFTON AND THE QUARANTINE


STATION.


The property owners and business men Of what is
generally known the South Shore of Staten Island
are in exceedingly high gee. owing to the de-
parture upon which the town of southAeld.
rather that portion of 1t better known as Clifton
the third landing after leaving New York. is about to
enter. largo shipyard and marine railway is to be
constructed there about midway between the Clifton
landing and the Quarantine Station, the contract
for the transfer of the property. all located on the
water front, having been signed. and by Monday
next no less than 100 will be actively engaged
in Transforming what is now most desolate spot
into busy shipbuilding district


To fully understand the importance Of this change
to Staten Island the langud state of property there
in the past especially on the South Shore. must be
taken into consideration. 1t required yesterday
only brief interviews with real estate men
owners as we'll cs agents-to obtain q pretty clear
idea of the solid enthusiasm which pervades that
section of the island and of the delight with which
the advent of o new for this beautiful spot is
hailed by almost every inhabitant Of Richmond
county. "The very fact that this industry is
coming among us here" said Mr.. ID. T.
Cornell. the principal real estate agent in
Clifton. 'has already increased the demand for
property here True we have not had great many
sales this year yet, but the outlook is Frightening
The inquiries for select parcels of property
than they have been for seven years. Only
q day two ago had sale of property at Staple
tom and simply owing to this new departure. all
that was offered. Notwithstanding the fact that it
was forced sale, went off remarkably WE'LL WI


Though quite elated at the prospect Of having
grand shipyard In this immediate vicinity, there
were but few persons willing to convey the facts in
ever ascertaied that about eight hundred feet from
Clifton landing tract OF land. having $50 feet Of
water 'front.' had been leased for thirty years pri
vate terms to the Messrs. Lawler, shipbuiders OF
Jersey City, and that they intended to make the very
most of their newly appointed long lease.


SELECTED LOCALITY.


The property y located along what is generally
known rs the Townsend Docks. Adjoining this
shipping point are the remains of what were
extensive smelling works. which were abandoned
shortly after 1868. when the Colorado mine fever
immediate front and to the right of this property that
the survey has been made for the shipyard.
Any number of men on boats and sloops were en-
gagged Yesterday in desig the line to be occu-
pied by the Messrs Lawler while a member Of the
firm watched from his sloop the operations of his
men, and gave them the requisite directions where
to draw the lines It was during brief interval of
these operations that the HERALD reporter succeeded
in having interview with Mr.. Lawler. He said
that the Arm OF Thomas John J. Lawler had for
the past years carried the business Of ship
building ip Jersey City Owing 10 the natural M IN,
more extended water front and could not find
single suitable spot anywhere along the Jersey
coast.


DESCRIPTION THE NEW sHIPYARp.


.For four months" continued Mr.. Lawler, II
have been looking day after day for good spot to
locate business. and singular to say not single
water front suited us as well as this. conferred
with Mr.. Thomas H. White, who controls the White
estate around here, told him what wanted, and he
readily made the terms acceptable We needed more
room for our work. hence we came here. The ship
building business has been better the past twelve
months than it has been since the
Iron has gone up hveeighths OF q cent per
pound and so mas dsand ari.,i Inns ai1ne ,ne
all the material requisite for shipbuilding We feel
encouraged to the future We intend to establish
docking vessel of at least $500 tons. The ground
ways will be 725 feet long aud the cradle 297 feet On
ford we'll known dock builders. will commence the
construction Of DOCKS and ut once begin to drive
piles for the groundways: We are quite pleased with
heselection We have made as there is nothing like
it the whole OF Staten Island, and this water
front Is just what we want"


NEGLECTED IN THE PAST.


In conversation with other citizens OF that section
of the island. all OF whom hailed with delight the
advent of the shipyard loud complaints were heard
was charged. was the principal drawback to the
islands prosperity. Said Mr. Charles smith. another
no Communication. charges just as much, II not more,
fare now than before the war; At that time
used to have the Columbus, the Hunchback and
the Sylph, and they carried passengers between
New York and the island for cents and they charge
ten cents now, while everything Is cheaper. 1t Is
hurting Staten Island tearfully. Then again hue
and cry about having chils and fever here,
while the truth is that Southfed. Westfed and Md
dletown have been properly drained at expense to
the county of fully half million of dollars. This
new industry, however, will open the eyes OF many
enterprsing people to our magnificent water front,
and the time will not be long before the work of
these Jerscymen will be followed by others equally
unprejudiced. To us II will be new life. aud for
Staten Island 1t will be indeed the beginning Of
II people not disposed to build their resi-
dences here We can at least have extensive
establishments. which alone will be sufficient to
raise Staten Island real estate from its slough OF
despond"


IMPROVEMENTS.


In conversation with Mr.. Edwin A. Hayes, the
learned that the thirty lease to Messrs Lawler
had been granted at the rate of 900 per annum.
the Lawlers to mako ali the improvements above
enumerated. 1t was further ascertained that the
firm OF White Hayes who are the actual lessees of
the above property, contemplate humorous other
improvements, which will tend to revive from leth-
argy that section OF Staten Island immediately
fronting the dock is large homestead, used in
part u factory and covering several acres 1t IN
intended to lay these grounds out into n park or
the Lawler dock Three first class boats have already
been secured for this extra service, and they are
TO run at the half hour, thus cutting in
between the hours now fixed for Staten Island fer
be I'VE cents, thus making an nroad upon what has
heretofore been standing complaint against the
Staten Island Ferry Company-their steady charge
OF ten cents This innovation will be greatly appre-
ciated by the denizens of the island. now compelled
to pay ten cents at all hours OF the day, ana will
enable them to reach their destination by rail
horse ut one-haf Of the previous rate. Aside of
this. large iron chair factory is to be erected
the White property, thus insuring additional life
Nnd traffic to OF the most beautiful spots on
atr,, T.lu nj 10 fn.a lpuu