, 1872-12-17
THE LATE S. N. PIKE.
RecIatmtng * the Jersey Marshes-A
Eour Yeaxs' Successful Struggle

xE&aK8' 5uCCGSH1uI
From tbs Neto York Hozd.
The career of Samuel N. Pike, the builder Of
opera houses, is associated with 80 many events
OF public interest that hia death deserves more
than ordinary notice. Mr. Pike WAS eminently
what is called in cant ,parlance typical Ameri-
can. His life WAS spent in succession OF busi-
ness enterprises, some OF which involved issues Of
immense Importance, .and>while they had SELF
interest for their motive power, contributed new
ertheless in their results to the public good.
Such, certainly, was his reclaiming from the sea
the marshes between jersey City and Newark,
known as the jersey Flats. There are probably
few travellers who do not remember, when
crossing this tract Of country before Mr. Pike
had begun his undertaking, how at high tide the
entire expanse seemed like large lake, and aa
far as the eye could reach hardly anything could
have been seen but water, through which the EN-
bankmenta Of the various railroads twined their
way. At low tide the water 1eceded, exposing
mass Of mud 1000 acres in extent, which e1-
hailed no1ious vapors to the air and was produc-
tive OF all manner Of disease. Numerous were
the endeavors to put an end to this state Of
his dominions from Neptune. but none we're
successful till Mr. Pike fresh from rebuilding
his Cincinnati Opera House after it's destruction
by FIRE, with characteristics energy took hold Of
pecuniary point Of view, even at the start.
The owners OF the vast tract OF mud,
conscious Of its immense value
should it ever be reclaimed, we're not disposed
to part with it on easy terms, and Mr. Pike did
not become ita purchaser ut small outlay. This
WAS in the fall Of 1865. At that time the entire
tract, extending from Bergen Heights to the
suburbs Of Newark, five miles in length and
three in width, was nearly completely covered
With water at every high tide.
. Before twelve months had elapsed, by gybtem
OF dyking which has seldom had it's parallel,
considerable portion Of the land was reclaimed,
and stoodhigh and dry out Of reach Of the waves.
The rivers which intersected this region, and
euavHcr rnr14aA all thn frr11h1A wa fho
Passaic and Hackensack, and all along the banks
Of each strong embankments we're reared at
every necessary point. 4 species Of iron plate
Was used in the Construction Of the -dkyes, to
holes in the embankment through which the
iron plates prevented, and in the Pas
sale, where the current WAS stronger, large
the earth from being washed away at the
top. All this time the land was being intersect-
cd in every direction by drains which carried
off the water from the surface. Where the
posed Of in this way, it was dyked of from the
rest Of the land, channels being left through
which it could find it's way to either OF the two
rivers, till with the aid Of other appliances its
his own engineer, and superintended the entire
work himself. Notwithstanding the slow
nature OF the undertaking, and the thorough
ness with which it was performed, it WAS CON-
pleteQ IN aometHng leea tQan TOUT years. AS
proof Of its thotoughnesa may be taken the fact
that during the spring Of last year, when the
tide rose unusually high, and the cellars on
Front and other streets near the water, IN this
city, were flooded, the Jersey Flats, which for
centuries before had been under water, we're not
affected in the least. The cost Of the
work was commensurate with the grandeur
Of tho undertaking. An enormous num-
ber Of men had to be employed, earth and stones
to form the embanEnnents had to be brought
from great distance, the appliances for driving
piles and other tools employed we're ell Of an
expensive character, and before twas completed
more than 81 ,ooo, 900 had been expended The
property acquired, it is needless to say, is Of
immense value. There are 1000 acres, estimated
at an exceedingly. moderate computa-
tion to be worth on an average
over $4,000 an -acre. Indeed, sixty acres
on the side nearer Jersey City hsye already been
disposed Of to the Pennsylvania Railroad as =
site for repair shops and factories at the rate
of a. 900. and this is said to be By far the least
valuable Of the whole. The Passaic River is
navigab1e for long distance BY vessels Of con-
siderable size, md the land possessing wharfage
its banks must at no distant day be Of Immense
Fana.