Q

UEENS Borough, according to Borough President Maurice E. Connolly in the New York Times, is the brightest jewel in the city's crown of boroughs, and is destined to become the greatest in population, the most desirable home section, and the most important commercially of them all. In discussing the past, present and future of the borough, he displayed lively enthusiasm. He said that the people of the city were at last beginning to realize the great advantages of Queens, its rapid growth, its well-drained and well-paved thoroughfares, its wooded sections, waterways, beautiful ocean beaches, harbor and shore fronts. Mr. Connolly's activity as a member of the Board of Estimate has won for the borough many appropriations for its improvement and his personal popularity has gained the support of the borough people.

"The local boards," he said, "have approved plans for the paving of nearly one hundred additional miles of street at a cost of nearly $3,000,000. Six thousand homes have been constructed in the borough during the past year throughout the entire area and, taken altogether, the advances made in improvements have outstripped the dreams of the most opti

mistic of its residents."

He said the extension of the rapid transit route to Flushing was drawing nearer each day, that the Board of Estimate was ready to appropriate the funds to pay for the work as soon as the Transit Commission had completed the contract drawings, and that so far as he knew all obstacles to the work have been removed.

Proceedings are going on to widen Merrick Road from Jamaica to the Nassau County line, a distance of about seven miles, to a width of not less than 100 feet. The property to be condemned for the purpose will cost in the neighborhood of $500,000. Work of constructing the Cross-Bay Boulevard across Jamaica Bay is progressing rapidly. This thoroughfare will connect Queensboro Bridge by way of Queens Boulevard and Woodhaven Avenue directly with the Rockaways. The cost will aggregate $4,000,000.

Similar progress is being made, said Mr. Connolly, in widening Broadway, the main thoroughfare on the north side of Long Island, between Flushing and the Nassau County line at Little Neck, a distance of five miles. This way is only thirty-three feet wide in some places between property lines. When the improvement is finished it will be 100 feet wide throughout its length. The cost will amount to several hundred thousand dollars.

Before the end of the year work will begin on Queens Boulevard. This thoroughfare extends from Queensboro Bridge to Jamaica. The city has already acquired title to enable an increase in width to 200 feet.

Mr. Connolly said that for a long time he has realized the need of an additional highway along the "backbone," or ridge of hills of Long Island. Some years ago a petition was prepared and circulated to acquire title to the Grand Central Parkway, which connects with the Queens Boulevard at Union Turnpike and extends eastward along the ridge of hills to a connection with Nassau County near Success Lake. This street, as laid out, will be 150 feet wide, and, acording to Mr. Connolly, will be one of the most picturesque boulevards in the country. "It will traverse," he expained, "very hilly and wooded territory, affording occasional views of the ocean and Sound."

This bit of work has been delayed, it was explained, by the stagnation in real estate, property owners having counselled that it should wait until they could better stand the cost of a new assessment. Mr. Connolly said that the Interborough Parkway, connecting Eastern Parkway with the drives in Forest Park, would extend northeasterly through Highland Park, which is city property, thence along Cypress

Avenue, which would have to be widened about sixty feet, and thence through Mt. Carmel and Cypress Hills cemeteries to Forest Park.

"Queens now is building some of the largest systems of sewers the world has ever seen," said Mr. Connolly. "For example, there is the great Woodside trunk sewer that will drain 3,500 acres of territory, which is an area equal to onefourth of the area of Manhattan. We are finishing the big Flushing interceptor which will drain an area of 5,000 acres. The Woodhaven, or Eightieth Street trunk sewer is almost completed."

Staten Island Piers and Slips

The Union Transport Company presents a most valuable concrete demonstration of the great space available in the slip to the north of its Pier 15, at Stapleton, Staten Island, where eight great steamships belonging to the United States Shipping Board are moored at one time, and with still space enough for the ninth, which was hourly expected to arrive at the time we observed the eight. There is no other slip in the whole Port of New York, save those of the new municipal piers at Staten Island, where such an abundance of slip space is available. In describing the first steamship (the Robert Dollar) to use the new Staten Island piers, at No. 15 of the two leased by the Union Transport Company, in our last issue, we stated that the Robert Dollar was manoeuvred into her slip by the pilot in charge of her and without the use of a tug, quite an unusual accomplishment, not possible at any other pier in the port, largely because of the great slip space available at these new piers.

"The view is logical, and the situation here is one that offers opportunities for such a study as that proposed. Presumably, the army engineers, who are to report to Washington on the Jersey Central bridge proposal after the hearings already held, will base their findings somewhat on the lines suggested by the News-Record, but they may not make it broad enough to furnish a basic method of deciding future cases. It is hardly fair to hold that water traffic on Newark Bay is largely speculative, as is intimated in the editorial quoted, for there is enough of it at present, and there have been enough applications for terminal facilities for shipping that would use a bridgeless bay, to make certain assurance of its character, quantity and stability.

"Newark has no desire to injure the Jersey Central Railroad by opposing its bridge, but is merely working for the future good of the greatest number in advocating keeping the entrance of Port Newark free for navigation."

Newark's Growing Importance Officially Recognized Chief Engineer Benjamin F. Cresson, Jr., of the Port of New York Authority, was asked recently what he thought of the present position of Port Newark in the plans of the Port of New York Authority, and in an authorized interview he expressed his views as follows:

"You ask about the place that Newark Bay occupies in the plans of the Port Authority. The place is certainly an important one.

"Newark Bay is at present in direct contact with the great railroad systems leading to the South, the West and to the Northwest, and when the belt lines that are included in the comprehensive plan adopted by the two States are in operation, Newark Bay will in addition be in direct contact with the railroad systems leading to the East and North.

"Newark Bay made an excellent start in the work done by the City of Newark, and that work being largely taken over by the Government in connection with the war activities is giving an impetus to the further development of the Bay; the faith that Newark has in the Bay, by the spending of the money it has spent, has induced the Federal Government to take a hand in the dredging of the channels, so that in addition to the recognition of the importance of Newark Bay by the two States, it has recognition by the National Government.

"In such a great port terminal area as that which exists within the Port District, lying in both States, it is scarcely conceivable that Newark Bay or Jamaica Bay or the Raritan Bay or Flushing Bay can reach their maximum usefulness as separate unrelated units, in the operation of the great commerce through the Port.

Superior Advantages for Freight Traffic "Newark Bay can never expect to rival the Manhattan Hudson waterfront in its desirability for the passenger liner steamship business; on the other hand, can Manhattan rival the possibilities of Newark Bay as a location for the handling of freight between ships and railroad cars?

"Each part of the port has an important use, and with the carrying out of the comprehensive plan and the putting together of the railroads under some form of more unified operation, Newark Bay and the tributary rivers, and indeed all parts of the Port District, will come into greater use and demand.”

In 1919, out of total trade of $10,327,000,000 for the whole country, 44.8 per cent, or $4,635,000,000, passed through the Port of New York; in 1920 total trade was $13,346,000,000, and 47.1 per cent, or $6,286,000,000, passed through New York; in 1921 total trade was $10,170,000,000, of which 43 per cent, or $4,465,000,000, passed through the Port of New York.

A Bigger Cape Cod Canal

Col. Edward P. Burr, Corps of Engineer U. S. Army, in discussing a 35-foot depth and 200-foot width in the Cape Cod Canal, said the canal could be reconstructed in two years, if closed to navigation during that time. To deepen and widen it will cost 10,000,000, if closed while work is in progress, but if the canal remains open, said Col. Burr, the cost will be $13,000,000. In speaking of a double lock. for the canal, the witness stated that building one lock 110 feet wide and a smaller lock 50 feet wide would add another $4,000,000 to the cost.

It would be necessary to excavate to the extent of 13,300,000 cubic yards, of which 8,900,000 cubic yards would have to be removed from the eastern entrance, the balance to be taken from the Buzzards Bay Channel. Rip ray protection

to the extent of 350,000 tons of stone and if a lock canal is built, there would be required an additional 140,000 cubic yards of stone.

The depth for the Cape Cod Canal, so as to accommodate larger merchant ships, was advocated by H. L. Colbeth, general manager of the property before the House Commerce Committee, at hearings on the Winslow bill for Government purchase of the Massachusetts waterway.

Secretary Denby in urging recently a forty-foot depth which would permit passage of battleships, declared the loss of one vessel of that type would be greater than the cost of the improvement suggested by him.

Economical Diesel Engined Tug

The first Diesel engine tug equipped with Nelseco Diesel engines of 240 b. h. p., made by the New London Ship & Engine Company, of Groton, Conn., manufacturers of Diesel engines for submarines, yachts, ferries and fishing craft, was put into service of the Transmarine Line, canal division, on May 15. The new tug took a fleet of five loaded barges from Albany, bound for Buffalo.

The run of 58 miles, from Kingston Light to Albany, was made in four hours and forty-one minutes, at an average speed of 11 3/10 miles per hour. During this run the fuel oil consumption averaged 102 gallons per hour, making an hourly fuel cost of approximately 50 cents.

This saving is effected during the running time, but an additional saving is effected during lay-time, when the engine is not in operation. On a steamboat it is necessary to carry sufficient fire to maintain a pressure on the boilers, which accounts for a considerable use of fuel, while on the Diesel engine tug during lay-time the engine is shut down. and no fuel whatever is consumed. The Diesel engine is equipped with a compressed air starting device and is ready for service at full load within a minute after the signal to start up is given.

HAT there is no bridge across the Hudson River for highway traffic below Albany seems incredible in this year 1922. Of course, the great expense of such a bridge before the automobile came into use would have prevented its construction as it would then have only served a local need. Now, however, things are different. According to the Department of Highways of the State of New York a million foreign cars visit this state annually which number is increasing by leaps and bounds.

Location Proposed

The completion of the suspension bridge at Kingston across Rondout Creek called attention to the need of a bridge across the Hudson and a careful examination of the shores of the river made it plain to those interested that the best location was between Fort Clinton at the foot of Bear Mountain on the west side and Anthony's Nose on the east side. There is no more beautiful spot on this beautiful river than the site chosen.

How Farmers Lose

Inquiries showed that the farm produce grown in the counties on the west side was so hampered by the lack of proper facilities for crossing the river that the farmers are unable to take full advantage of the markets of New York City. The trucking business between the two sides of the river is of such magnitude that the ferries at all points are unable to give proper accommodations, and the direct loss of time, which is money to truck owners and shippers due to these delays, would soon amount to enough to pay for a good big bridge. Getting in line, waiting for ferry, makes it a hardship instead of a pleasure to those who would cross from one side to the other under present conditions. Just imagine, on the other hand, what a delightful automobile trip a person could take from any point within a hundred miles of Bear Mountain for a day's run to drive around the road which will be built along the side of Anthony's Nose, across the bridge, up the west side to West Point, then over

the new state road around Storm King Mountain. Nothing in this country could surpass it. Within 100 miles of this bridge site it is estimated that there are two and a half million automobiles and the question arises how many of these would not cross the bridge the first year it is opened.

Auto Travel Across the Hudson

The great playground of the state is located at the western end of this bridge. The Palisades Interstate Park Commissioners have done wonders in transforming the thousands of acres of wild mountainous lands into a most attractive park, but at present it is only available to the few comparatively speaking. Notwithstanding the difficulties encountered in getting to and from the park, counts of autos which have visited it show an increase of 50 per cent this year over last. The ferry traffic over the Hudson this year shows an increase of 20% over last year. A new system of parks in Westchester County starting with Mohansic Park, a few miles from the easterly end of Bear Mountain Bridge, will by it be connected with the Interstate Park on the west. At present no ferries operate between Dyckman Street and Newburgh after sundown, and none after midnight excepting in New York City. During severe weather in the winter no ferries run above New York City with the possible exception of Newburgh. Consider how necessary a bridge is under these circumstances for the accommodation of the state or federal troops or the state police in case of strikes or other disturbances. These same conditions apply with equal force to the need of a bridge to insure the food supply of the eight or ten millions of people in the Metropolitan district.

We don't know when some labor tzar may hold up his hand and stop the railroads of the country. Under such circumstances, trucks could travel between the source of supply and demand and prevent the great suffering which would otherwise occur.

Bear Mountain Superior Site to Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie has recently been employing a press agent to call attention to the advantages she has to offer as a site for a Hudson River bridge, but everything he says speaks with double force in favor of the Bear Mountain bridge. Besides the foundations for a bridge at Poughkeepsie would have to be very deep and expensive, and besides the State would hardly spend money for a bridge at Poughkeepsie when it will receive the Bear Mountain bridge at the end of thirty years without a cent of cost.

The Bear Mountain bridge will be a toll bridge built by private funds, but who would not prefer paying toll to cross the river on a bridge to paying toll to cross on a ferry and waste time and money in waiting.

The bridge will be the longest suspension bridge in the United States, it is believed. The roadway will be about 200 feet above the surface of the river and rest directly on solid rock. The towers upon which the cables will rest will be over four hundred feet high. The roadway will be thirty-eight feet wide, or eight feet wider than the cross streets of New York. A sidewalk five feet wide will be located on each side of the roadway. The load capacity will be the same as the Philadelphia-Camden bridge now under construction.

Vehicular Tunnel Plaza

Sixty-one parcels of real estate will be taken over by the State in order to provide entrance and exit plazas in Manhattan for the new vehicular tunnel under the Hudson River. The total cost of the property, it is estimated, will be $1,700,000. The parcels needed are:

Hudson street-Nos. 202, 224, 226, 228, 230, 292-4, 296 and 298.

Dominick street-Nos. 40, 42, 44, 41, 43, 45 and 47. Broome street-Nos. 578, 580, 582, 567, 569, 571, 573, 575, 577, 579, 581, 583, 585, 587 and 589.

Varick street-Nos. 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 105, 107 and 109. Canal street-Nos. 428-30, 432, 434, 436, 438, 440-4, 446, 448, 450, 452, 454, 456, 458, 460, 462, 464, 466 and 468.

Vestry street-Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Shipping Board Invades Interior

If the reason some papers saw fit to assign for the appointment by the United States Shipping Board of representatives at interior points of the United States is to capture the interior for our merchant marine, it is a good move. But these appointments have a much more definite purpose in view, and that is to secure larger quantities of freight for shipment in American vessels. Shippers, especially exporters, have to be shown that American seagoing vessels are the

equal of foreign in every respect, and undoubtedly this move will result in a very appreciable increase in the amount of freight carried in American ships, in and out.

The matter was handled for the Shipping Board by Louis F. Klein, of New York, an expert traffic man, who has been appointed Manager of the Inland Office Division of the Traffic Department of the Emergency Fleet Corporation. Managers of inland bureaus are to be located at: Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Memphis, for the time being. Mr. Klein outlined the objectives of these new appointees about as follows:

To establish a more comprehensive understanding among those interested in export and import traffic, particularly among those located in the interior.

To impress upon all, whether or not primarily interested in shipping, the absolute necessity of an American merchant marine.

To act as intermediaries between agents of American flag ships and exporters and importers, bringing them together with the ultimate aim of securing such traffic for these vessels.

To investigate all complaints as to service, both passenger and freight; to convey to the American public the fact that the Shipping Board is working along sound business lines in its endeavor to create an efficient merchant marine.

To maintain close relations with all railroad companies by keeping in close touch with their agents throughout their respective territories.

To create close relationship with all chambers of commerce, boards of trade, traffic clubs, and other commercial and trade bodies.

To convey to all shippers the fact that the operators of

Labor Federation Called "Unfair" Thomas B. Healy, Chairman of the Consolidated Marine Workers' Union of the Port of New York and Vicinity, and affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, had the following to say regarding the resolutions against the ship subsidy bill recently passed by that body at its annual convention at Cincinnati :

"If the Ship Subsidy bill had been a Wilson measure it would have gone through the American Federation of Labor convention with a rush the first thing in the morning on the first day of the convention. But the Ship Subsidy bill is a Harding measure and the old Wilson influences are still strong with the Gompers element in the American Federation of Labor.

"The American Federation of Labor should have endorsed the Ship Subsidy bill, whether it is a Harding measure or not. The politicians who are behind the Ship Subsidy bill should not influence the attitude of the American Federation of Labor.

"Reports received from all over the country show that not only the 100,000 marine werkers of this port and vicinity, but 200.000 marine workers throughout the nation already have endorsed the bill and there will be more endorsements to come."

good service as any foreign lines, and at equal rates.

To stimulate an interest on the part of exporters located in the interior, in the handling of their export business, furnishing them with information as to rates and sailing dates, thereby placing them on a parity with exporters located on the seaboard.

To convey to them the importance of favoring American vessels, thus insuring the maintenance of regular and dependable service on the various trade routes of the world. The full co-operation of all shippers is most essential.

Poor Immigration Business

It is many years since the number of third class passengers sailing from the United States exceeded those coming in, the proportion, just now, being nearly two out for every one that comes in. During the first four months of this year only 28,122 immigrants came in, while the third class passengers departing in the same months numbered 48,870. In the corresponding period last year (first four months), 166.088 came in and 82,238 sailed hence, a falling off of 137,966 westbound and 33,368 eastbound.

The falling off in westbound third class passengers is directly due to the restrictions our laws place upon them, the eastbound traffic being of exceptional proportions, very gratifying, of course, to the steamships.