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Dock Management Progress Section How Successful Dock Operators Have Met Problems of Giving Best Service to Ships Better Pier Sheds Are Now Needed By C. E. Hicks Chief Engineer, New York Dock Co. HEN Hendrick Hudson \ \ brought the Hatr Moon into the wind and dropped his mud- hook off the Battery, his small boats were sent to shore for water and food. These supplies his men carried to the boats afloat in shallow water, the presence of a few redskins in the background ex- pediting their movements, no doubt. The redskins disappeared, tonnage increased and wharves were, built to facilitate han- dling of cargoes. These were leisurely times and open wharves sufficed. Probably the advent of steam changed this condition along with many others. Wharves became piers and piers grew steadily longer to keep pace with the repidly growing steamships. These ships were costly and carrying charges were a constant burden even when they lay in port. Our forefathers built sheds on their piers to afford opportunity for quicker discharge of inbound cargoes and for the convenient assembly of outbound shipments ready for loading. These sheds were born of necessity but surely sired by economy. Because PIER 200° -O" SS eS ee ee aa Sao WELD UUMMULMMALB MA lal SETanananeemalle: cleats SeEcia nape eel Fig. 1—Plan of proposed pier ZL LLL Ce idiliidgliditid¢dilbdlhld sds the piers, like gangling youths, had grown long before they grew wide, the sheds were narrow and extended to the stringpiece on both sides. They were constructed of timber throughout—econ- omy of space and material no doubt, but neither a happy operating condition nor a choice fire risk. Ships continued to grow and the sheds stood still. Thus came maintenance problems and dam- age claims, congestion in the narrow driveways and excessive costs for pil- ing cargo up to the roof trusses, a crim- inal waste in a transit shed. SEA 7 ai ATT SSS u0 LEAF mint aoe le to permit quicker handling of 86 cargo. Fig. 2—Cross-section of proposed pier