The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-21
UNCLE SAM AND NEW JERSEY
Significance OF the Approval or the Hnrbor
limo Board's Report.

htno bOnfos HepoTts
Willard c. Fisk, President Of the New Jerscv
Riparian Commissioners. snid yesterday TIM.
he had received 10 official Information OF the
approval by tho War Department o! tho lar
Dor Limo Boards rerort. After reading the
despatch from Washington which was shown
TO him by the reporter. lie continues:
Il cannot say now what steps we will take
In the matter. All we have done thus far Ia 10
assert what we believe to DO the rights u tire
state aud Of the grantees. The line es,a1-
lished by tho Harbor Line Board takes away
1000 feet OF possible filing. hut it also per-
miis the extension OF tho pier lines two aud q
half miles further out. Tho decision OF the
War Department sets tho line back to the ono
established In 1866. Neither the state OF
New jersey nor tho Riparian Commissioner
dispute The right OF Congress to regulate navi.
CATION III ISIS Congress authorized the War
Department to appoint lIarbor boards. and
one was appointed for New York. The findings
OF this Board must 10 approved Ivy the Score.
tary OF War TO be Effective. The Hnrbor Board
claimed that tha iiling in o! two miles OF the
jersey flats would influence the tides in such
manner. by decreasing tho water area that
The Sand, Hook channel ana the bars would
-. The state owns now only 800 acres Of the
545 It originally owned. Tho ktaie received
$25 foot for what it sold, an.i now tho nwnsrs
posed 10 The absolute sale o, tho lands, bel cv.
ing thnt long leases would be mere adran-
The. dscision Of tho Wnr department. as
sa s.b SssGf b. ,a ss s%" Eni Ire nEi Inc
Government does not permit shore ownc,s 10
huid pierst to 'he line. They cannot do. this
Stnts The S,nte r"cD.:niy Us tho right OF tho
government TO control tie water, but The
state owns mo land under it, lie shore own
y
established D.. the llarbor Hoard AMI II the.
S % Sronb'y t lie sas To ma ne they
e worS was: will lie shore owners xrt al
b-iie\e that iitd much to 10 WITH the decision
Of o. III. IN, JinGsttn 1 Ar not rr.raral TO say
discussed ut the meeting 81 the l;ira ian
Lwmmis. toner's next Thursday"
The na o o., .'4e Of the Question Is clearly es.
Chy.wlo has invested largely in riparian land.
un.: made fortune estimate! ut from s5U0.Ooo
,hnk the lines fixed by The lInrl or Doari
ore the Lest Tor the "wa-r>. The rights of IN,
Gov Albeit and the riparian Commissioners
70 .onstruot a,tilicia! isinDd- on which TO erect
EXTENSIVE Warehouses were carried out. THIS
would len Violation OF what the grantees lie.
lieye to he their right, under their deeds. and
legal iish; 10 loo Jul lated ~ Tho owners them.
selves. It would be unfair To :oree them into
tnat poSltIoh; II" ahOption OF inc line nxru
by the lihrbor board does, away. with the
possibility OF constructing islands. fixes fair
interior line for solid filling. and gives encii
owns OF property right. under certain re.
stii"tions. TO construct p!ers and improve
propertv tor the best advantages and uses for
Which lie h"nGht it. If the suggestions OF the
Hiparan Board were carried out TO the eNIcnt
o! erecting islands outside. the properly would
p" almost wnrthl 'ss o tho shore owner until
IN. PROMISED canal should be built.
1t was estimated by Government engineers
some years ago that i: would cost from 81 .0O,.-
900 to SS.OoO,WD 20 construct tho canal. No
combination OF shore owners could afford to
bniii 1t. and n" one else would have Sufficient
interest III II to undertake ha work. The sug.
gestions Q; the Hnrhor Board obvinte al this
d fcu ~: and think. therefore that tho me-
tion OF The Government mus. be en- nently
satisfactory to all interested In the lands"