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Comment by brk | Hacker News Reader

Where did the excavated rock go? If it's still on island, just someplace else, then the ESB is additive weight.

As a longtime NYC resident, the conventional wisdom is that much of the landfill for the buildings of the city went to expand shoreline of Lower Manhattan.

This was well reported for major digs like WTC/WFC, which created Northwest Battery Park City.

It's also seen in local landmarks like the Ear Inn on West Spring (one of the oldest bars in the city) which has an old painting inside showing the shoreline being not far outside the building, whereas it is currently a full block or two

For more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Manhattan_expansion

Another NYC trivia fact is that the FDR drive around Bellevue and NYU (20th-34th st iirc) is built on the rubble of Bristol, England. There may be another section up around MSK/Cornell as well but I don't recall.

The ships returning from England would load up with rubble to use as ballast.

> may be another section up around MSK/Cornell

Yup, all along the East Side. This is why you’ll find English weeds growing on Manhattan.

What cargo were they delivering to England?

Raw materials. Wool, tobacco, furs etc. The economy of the British Empire was based on extracting raw materials from the colonies and manufacturing finished goods in England.

I'm not sure of a legitimate record, but searching for "Bristol Basin" suggests that it was supplies/weapons to assist with the German attacks on Bristol, England.

Edit to include text from the plaque commemorating the basin: BENEATH THIS EAST RIVER DRIVE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK LIE STONES, BRICKS AND RUBBLE FROM THE BOMBED CITY OF BRISTOL IN ENGLAND... BROUGHT HERE IN BALLAST FROM OVERSEAS, THESE FRAGMENTS THAT WERE ONCE HOMES SHALL TESTIFY WHILE MEN LOVE FREEDOM TO THE RESOLUTION AND FORTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN. THE SAW THEIR HOME STRUCK DOWN WITHOUT WARNING.... IT WAS NOT THEIR WALLS BUT THEIR VALOR THAT KEPT THEM FREE ......

And broad-based under all Is planted England's oaken-hearted mood, As rich in fortitude As e'er went worldward from the island-wall.

ERECTED BY THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION OF THE UNITED STATES * 1942 *

Given that they had an excess of rubble, I'd guess that they sufferred bombings and had to be rebuilt, so, bricks steel and oil I suspect.

Weapons, tanks, cars, materials.

Ha, fair point. I don't know where it went.

Into the river, so next to the island.

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