Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 97, no. 2519: Articles]: June 24, 1916

Text version:

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 ??,^**'°"' '"■'"§'"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. ■ 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.