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NEW YORK, JUNE 24, 1916
THE HARBOR AND PORT OF NEW YORK
Urgent Need that Physical Improvements Be
Made in Order to Hold Present Commerce
By HERMAN DE SELDING
"T'HERE are few problems before the
country and city at this time of more
vital importance than the development
and reconstruction of the harbor of New
York. If we needed an object lesson to
enforce this condition, tlie war in Europe
has provided such.
Either from the standpoint of commer¬
cial deinands. or of defensive prepara¬
tion, we confess to a condition that is
lamentable. Partly owing to trade ri¬
valry and petty jealousies between the
States of New York and New Jersey,
not includin.a: that of the eight or nine
railroads having terminals on the New
Jersey side of the Hudson river and the
New York Central Railroad, on the Man¬
liattan side, we have seen neglect and de¬
lay and this condition has e.xisted for
years.
Railroad Congestion.
Suddenly a European war breaks out
and as 'a neutral nation we are called
upon to produce and ship foodstliffs, mu¬
nitions of war and the like, and we awake
to the realization that we lack dock
room and terminal facilities in the finest
harbor in the world, having a dock front¬
age of more than 450 miles. The resuK
is, railroad trains with loaded cars are
held up in the back country for mile's
awaiting orders to advance and discharge
their loads into the holds of vessels ready
to sail with their cargoes. -A.nd here is
one object lesson: The farmer or manu¬
facturer in the West produce their goods,
load on trains bouncj Eastward and await
advice as to shipment. When made the
banker makes advances on bill of lading
and the incident is closed.
.So much for the method. -\11 goes
well until near the seaboard is reached,
and here an obstructed channel of outgo
is encountered. Ships arrive and lay out
in the harbor awaiting berth room, but
alas! they must take their turn, and the
slow assignment of the Harbor Master,
whose duty it is to note the departing
vessel and dock the new arrival. Thus days
intervene, wnth consequent loss. Bear
in mind it is this same Western farmer
who, through his representative in Con¬
gress, has been asking, "Why should the
country at large pay for the improve¬
ment to New York Harbor? Where do
we come in?" I have indicated one of
many reasons.
-Another thing, navigable water in our
harbors and rivers is under the absolute
control of the National Government and.
as such, should be cared for and expand¬
ed where commerce demands it.
Topographical Conditions.
Not all of the conditions complained
of is due to the war. though accelerated
bv that upheaval. The fact that New
York Harbor happens to be located at
and is the eastern or Atlantic Ocean
mouth of this continent, where appro.xi¬
mately one-half of the water-borne com¬
merce of the country is carried on, in
and out, is apparently lost sight of.
Where on all the -Atlantic seaboard is
there a harbor where vessels of 25-foot
to 30-foot draft can enter or leave at any
stage of the tide daj^ or night? This
being admitted, why is not New York
Harbor the prize ward of the whole
country and as such entitled to receive
generous treatment in the shape of ap-
HERMAN DE SELDING.
propriations that will assist and develop
a now mucli obstructed navigation?
Why should annoying and even dan¬
gerous shoals be permited to e.xist in the
East river, thus hindering navigation,
one even at the very entrance of the
Navy Yard, preventing free access to
vessels except at the top of the tide
and in consequence handicapping one of
our principle means of defense? What
other nation would condone such a con¬
dition at its chief navy yard. It is un¬
believable. For many years we have
been crying for relief, and capable engi¬
neers like Colonel Black, U. S. A., have
made reports forming and suggesting
remedial measures. But Congress, at the
cry of "Pork Barrel," throws the matter
out. or appropriates so small a sum as to
be inadequate.
Is it not possible for an honest, rea¬
sonable appeal to receive necessary re¬
lief from a rich Government, particu¬
larly where the benefit sought is for the
entire country?
New York Now a Leader.
In the event of war New York would
have to bear the brunt of attack. In
times of peace wdiat the countrv pro¬
duces for foreign consumption largely
departs through this channel, and what is
purchased abroad generally seeks en¬
trance through this favored port. The
remark is sometimes made. "When the
war is over commerce will resume its
normal condition." This is a gross error,
in my opinion. New York has at last
come into its own and has taken first
place among the world's capitals—her
eyes are open and she sees that her des¬
tiny lies with those in the front rank.
She has emerged from the state of being
a follower to become a leader.
-Already we have been made aware the
Panama Canal is doing its share in the
upbuilding of the commerce of the Ori¬
ent, as well as of our own west coast.
This is beginning to be realized here.
What about the new State Barge Canal
which a few months will show to be in
??,^**'°"' '"â– '"§'"8 without break of bulk
1,000-ton cargoes from the very interior
of the far Northwest and at rates that
are but a fraction of those prevailing be¬
fore the entrance of this great benefac¬
tor? Where are we to find dock room
outside the barge terminals? What are
some of the remedies for these ills?
_ 1. -An educational campaign extend¬
ing beyond the borders of the City of
New York in order that Congress may
realize the folly of longer delay in a
work of actual necessity, and have the
endorsement of army engineers whereby
the East River may come into its natu¬
ral use and thus be able to give berth
room to innumerable ships that there
would seek dockage.
2. Some plan should be devised by
w;hich the several railroads entering the
district might be brought to see the desir¬
ability of concerted action, and as a result
witness a plan worked out and adopted
which will make possible the building of
trackage directly on to the piers, and so
avoid double handling. On the Brooklyn
water front the connecting railroad, if
ever completed, will provide such fa¬
cilities.
Some Progress Made.
Some great progress has been made
.in the past few years. The .Ambrose
Channel daily demonstrates the necessity
of much of what I have suggested: great
ships and small ones enter the harbor,
but too many are required to anchor in
the Upper Bay and there at heavy cost
await a dock at which to discharge their
cargoes. The year 1915 witnessed a for¬
ward impetus in harbor improvements,
under Dock Commissioner Smith's ener¬
getic direction, and something is ex¬
pected in the way of aid from Congress
through the reneated efforts of Congress¬
man Murray Hulbert, who seeing the
necessity has again and again called on
the authorities for action.
^ In some way the port and city authori¬
ties should be urged to united action and
at once. The time for planning is past.
We have had the practical suggestions
of two_ Dock Commissioners, Messrs. â–
Tompkins and Smith, and while these
do not agree in all particulars, there is
ample fround work to provide a meet¬
ing place, reach a conclusion and then to
work.
The marvelous growth as a manufac¬
turing center of the several boroughs and
the further realization that New York
City today is the greatest manufacturing
city in the United States, suggests that
here raw material is received and manu¬
factured and then sent out. a finished
article, ready for sale. All this is found
within an area less than twenty miles
from our own City Hall.
Metropolitan Population.
Do people generally realize that within
this Metropolitan zone dwell one-six¬
teenth of the population of the United
States? One alone of our representatives
in Congress, instead of a united delega¬
tion, appears to have a horizon broad
enough to take in and develop our natu¬
ral inheritance.
-Awake New York! Get busy and ex¬
pand along modern lines. Preparedness
is in the air and, in all departments of
national life. New York should insist on
its share.