52 DOCK FACILITIES IN NEW YORK CITY. 
Mr. Barney:—I will take only a moment. I can see the application of 
that turkey story, because to attempt to present the problems connected with 
New York Harbor in a single paper is a pretty large subject. 
Speaking of the river-gate at 116th Street, for example, that is contemplated in 
the plans of the Dock Department in connection with the Riverside Drive develop- 
ment; and the proposed ultimate commercial development, shown on the slide, is 
simply a suggestion of what could be done at some future time when commerce 
invaded that section. As a case in point, the old Washington Square residents 
rebel at the idea of the development of Washington Square as a business center, 
but that is coming to pass. The present idea of the Dock Department is that the 
Riverside Drive shall be what it is—a park for the people—but the development of 
it is contemplated in such a way that the future commerce can come in there with 
the least injury to the artistic surroundings. 
In the same connection is planned a yacht basin at about 158th Street. At 
present, along Riverside Drive, there are innumerable yachts scattered all along 
the river front which must have proper consideration. But such details cannot 
be covered in a general paper. 
One of the gentlemen spoke about leases. I think I am in a position to state 
that he is misinformed both as to the past and present policy of the city in the matter 
of leases. The past policy of the city has been to make leases for from ten to twenty 
years, not only to steamship companies, but to the railroad companies. Prac- 
tically forty per cent. of the piers I spoke of are now tied up in leases of ten to twenty 
years. These will make it difficult to go ahead with the improvements which are 
contemplated. 
That is the past policy of the City, both as to steamship lines and railroad com- 
panies. The present policy with regard to leases is, as the present leases expire, to 
make the leases from year to year, not only for the railroads, but also for the steam- 
ship companies. The Maine Steamship Company, the Bermuda Steamship Com- 
pany, and other steamship companies now occupy their piers under one year leases. 
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has only a one year lease forits pier. The 
idea is to loosen up the situation as fast as possible to get it in control of the City, 
and to retain control so acquired at least until a definite port plan is adopted. 
The point which you must bear in mind in connection with the traffic in Man- 
hattan is this—that if the railroads to-day installed on their piers freight handling 
devices to increase the capacity of the piers fifty per cent., and still occupy the water 
front with floats, in five years the conditions would be the same relatively as they 
are to-day, since the railroad traffic is increasing atthe rate of roper cent. per year. 
Some critics of Commissioner Tomkins say that he is trying to disturb the 
railroad and city freight, and is in a way favoring the maritime commerce. Com- 
missioner Tomkins is the best friend all the railroads have to-day in that respect. 
The New York Central Railroad Company knows that its tracks must come up 
sooner or later from Eleventh Avenue. There is only one practical way to dispose 
of them, and that is to put them on an elevated structure and give them connections 
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