40 DOCK FACILITIES IN NEW YORK CITY. 
steamer into freight lighters moored alongside. These lighters are then 
towed to the Jersey terminals of the trunk railroads. On the other hand, 
goods temporarily stored in the adjacent warehouses, wpon being selected for 
shipment to the West, are placed in freight cars which are run on the belt- 
line railroads or switches to transfer bridges, an essential part of these island 
terminals. ‘There they are placed on car-floats and in the same manner as 
the direct shipments are transferred to the Jersey railroad terminals. 
Aside from these terminals, little has been done in an organized manner 
for “’Trans-shipments.”’ Individual piers require the most direct interchange 
of freight between steamers and railroads, since they afford practically no 
facilities for storage. Often steamship lines carry various classes of cargo, 
both “’Trans-shipments”’ and “City-Imports,” or again freight is secondary 
to passengers, hence at piers in Manhattan are found steamers handling 
“Trans-shipments.”’ 
The port authorities have in view the installation by the municipality 
of terminals for “’Trans-shipments”’ and “City-Imports”’ in addition to those 
now provided by private enterprise. 
Such an extension is proposed for South Brooklyn, from 36th Street 
north around Gowanus Bay and over the site of the present so-called 
Brooklyn Basin. This development will provide long piers from 1,775 
feet in length down to smaller piers from 200 to 300 feet in length for 
small craft and barges at the head of Gowanus Bay. Back of these piers 
are to be erected warehouses. Railroad spurs are provided on the piers with 
adequate switches to the warehouses and with connections to proper switch- 
ing yards, this track system to be connected up by belt-line tracks to a 
classification yard sufficiently large for the proper assembling and quick 
handling of through freight to the West. ‘This yard is to be located to the 
rear of the present Brooklyn Basin section. From this yard cars will be sent 
to transfer bridges in the neighborhood of Conover Street for transference on 
car floats to the mainland. 
A similar municipal improvement is planned in the section of the water 
front immediately south of the Bush Terminals. Thus the municipality 
and private enterprise will make this section of the water front, from the 
neighborhood of 6oth Street north to Conover Street, one great freight 
terminal as distinguished from mere pier accommodations for ships. Access 
will be had through a channel 1,200 feet in width dredged to a depth of 40 
feet at low water. 
A development is proposed for the east shore of Staten Island between 
the American Dock Company and approximately Clifton Avenue. In this 
section will be built piers about 1,000 to 1,350 feet in length, 200 feet in 
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