DOCK FACILITIES IN NEW YORK CITY. 55 
its scope is so wide and far-reaching, that I believe this subject should be given more 
than ordinary attention. ‘That part of it which refers to the outlying districts, 
while comprehensive, will not have a serious effect upon those localities, which 
being comparatively new, will readily adjust themselves to the conditions; while 
that along the North River will affect a long established section, and to make the 
changes suggested will upset not only those directly interested, but trade in general. 
New York City has regulated itself so that communities of interests have 
adjusted themselves naturally to the environments and ends. A readjustment of 
this situation, I am of the impression, would be very serious in itseffect. Freight 
and business interests assemble themselves largely in the lower part of New York 
City; the large hotels and commercial houses are traveling uptown, to which center 
it would seem that the steamships would be naturally attracted. 
The Chelsea improvement was no doubt a wise move in this direction, and it 
would seem to me to be the logical thing to continue those steamships already estab- 
lished above 23rd street, and that the development of Piers to meet the demands of 
not only vessels of to-day, but possibly those of the 1000-foot class, should be carried 
on to the north, as would seem to be the natural trend. 
It is true that the narrowest point of the river is about opposite the Chelsea 
improvements, and that one of the arguments for moving the steamships to the 
downtown section would be to take advantage of the increasing breadth of the river, 
this having considerable bearing upon the subject. It is my belief that it will be 
found that the river widens above the Chelsea improvements, and therefore there is 
greater opportunity for the establishment of long piers above 23d Street than there 
would be below, for. the reason that the Jersey shore in its present state is prac- 
tically unimproved in that section which would admit of changes in the harbor lines. 
There is a very serious objection to moving the freight transfer stations to a 
point above the Chelsea improvements for the reason that many of the Trunk Lines 
entering New York have their terminals below the Chelsea improvements on the 
Jersey shore, and it would mean to invite difficulties in navigation due to the diag- 
onal crossing of the river which would be consequently necessary, and the concen- 
tration of a larger number of float movement above the Chelsea improvements 
would increase the hazard of shipping, including the movements to and from the 
23d Street Ferry terminal. It is also believed that the concentrating of. the steam- 
ships below the Chelsea improvements would be less desirable, not only to the 
steamboat interests, but to the patrons of these interests who would find the lines 
less accessible below 23d Street, than they would if they were placed above 23d Street. 
It is therefore believed that the best policy to be pursued would be to continue 
the freight transfer in that section of the boundary beginning at, or near Pier 1, 
North River, making such readjustment as might be necessary to concentrate them 
between Pier 1, and Christopher street. And it is believed that the steamships 
could best serve the future needs, and could best accommodate the demands of the 
public by being continued in a line above the Chelsea improvements, 
