Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1888-03-15
The New Jersey Marshes

The River and Harbor Committee
of the House is considering the re.
clamation Of some of the tide marshes
of the United States, and has received
from the acting Land Commissioner
an interesting report concerning the
marshes in some portions of New Jer.
sey. Middlesex county has 1856 acres
of tide marsh on Raritan river and bay
and the small streams emptying into
them. Most OF the marshes are at
sufficient elevation above low water to
allow of good drainage, and are not
subject to the most destructive storm
tides; but some ,on the Raritan river
are flooded by freshets to such depth
that diking would be very costly.
Notwithstanding the advantages of
location these marshes all remain un.
improved. The natural grasses are
pastured or moved for Winter feed or
packing. The tide marshes of Mon
mouth county amount to 5,95S acres.
They are found mainly on the shores
of the bays South of Staten Island and
on the ocean coast. Except COM
paratively small areas, they are unim-
proved salt marshes, and range in
value from So per acre upward.
The vegetation of the marshes is
black grass and sedge, which are used
for pasture and moved for hay. The
nearest approch to reclamation of
these marshes is in the form ditch,
bank or dixie, which have been thrown
up to protect the uplands. There are
no insuperable difficulties in the way of
reclamation, and at times there is much
talk in Monmouth county of attempt
ing it. The marshes of Ocean county
are sheltered by sandy beach extend
ing the whole length of the county
outside of Barnegat Bay. In a dis
tance of 40 miles there is but a single
inlet, and consequently the range of
ordinary tides in the bay does not
much exceed two feet at any place,
the average being much less. The
marshes of this country aggregate 81,
155 acres, and in there unimproved
condition are valued at 81 to $40 per
acre. Very little has been attempted
toward reclaiming these marshes.
Muskrats have eounteracted the un-
scientific efforts made9 1and then aban.
donment of the banks is the invariable
result. The reclamation of New Jer-
sey's salt marches would bring into
cultivation the best lands in the State.
Some of these marshes above the flow
of salt tides are the best and most pro-
ductive natural cranberry bogs, worth
from 800 to $4,000 per acre
Most of 10000 acres Of marsh land in
Atlantic county belongs to the State,
not taken up, and in all probability
never will be. In some portions ol
these marshes the West Jersey anG
Atlantic City Railroad drave piles
thirty feet long, three in length, with
out finding anything solid.
The tide marshes of Cape Nav
county, along the ocean and bay
shores and inland along the creeks
amounts to 5S,S24 acres. On some O.
the tide marshes of Cum berland count,
a good yield of corn is produced
Salem county has 2S. 609 acres of marsf
land on the Delaware river. The bes,
of these marshes are diked, and have
been for many years the most remun
erative lands in the county. They are
valued in some cases as high as $20(
per acre. Gloucester coun1 has 9,95s
acres of tide marsh, all fresh. Nu
merous petitions asking Congress tc
assist in the reclamation of these
marshes have been received.