The Sunday morning news., 1891-12-06
NEW JERSEY RIVERS.
What the Government Will Do to
Improve Them.

WAsHINGT ON, Dec, s, 1891. AT the COM
ing session of Congress subject of un
usual Importance. commercially and
otherwise, will be broached. The War
Department. official who has charge of
the New Jersey River district says the
Hackensack river is worthy of improve
ment by the general government. Navi-
gaJion on the river, he says. is limited to
such craft rs can cross Newark bay, the
outlet, where depth of ten feet mean
low water has been made and is to be
maintained. The Hackensack possesses
depths superior to those of tho bay. and
also an ample width for more than twelve
miles above the bay, the only obstruction
to free navigation being the numerous
bridges. The Improvement asked for is a
channel ten feet deep at mean low water,
through the shoal just below the lower
bridge-the Central Railroad of New Jer-
sey.
IMPROVING NEWARK BAY.
This shoal proves on examination not
to be bar across the channel. but mid
die ground dividing the channel below
the bridge into two branches; through
the west branch the flood maintains a
good channel, 600 feet wide, from Newark
Bap upward; the eastern branch is
useless for navigation. The least
depth where vessels cross the shoal Is
seven feet. By moving the draw of the
bridge about 400 feet TO the westward it
would be near the centre of continuous
channel more than 600 wide. and all cause
for complaint would be removed. The
draw in itself is satisfactory, having two
openings fifty feet in the clear and work.
ing by steam. To dredge off the head of
the shoal would cost $1,000. 1t is doubt
made, lying obliquely to the currents.
The water front along the east bank of
the Hackensack being situated just ack
of Jersey City, which is rapidly extend
ing to the banks. and certain to require
and utilize all available water front, is
already held at nigh valuations and entl-
tied to the protection and maintenance
Of the full capacity of the Hackensack
channel.
The Chief of Engineers in making his
annual recommendations to Congress for
the improvement of rivers and harbors
thus briefly refers to some Of the i'm
prOvements desired in New Jersey
.'If it is the intention of Congress to
complete the improvement of Keyport
Harbor. $4,000 can be eprofitably ex>
pended as regards the efficient prosecu-
tion of the work, and would be applied
to dredging the channel, which would
add materially to existing facilities.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
1.-THE condition of Railway River mas
deteriorated since the work was sus-
pended, and its commerce has decreased.
the shoaljng of the river having obliged
the principal shippers to transfer busi-
ness to the railroad. Any future appro-
piled to deepening and widening the
channel by dredging To complete this
project there is required $29.250"
To complete the Improvement Of South
River appropriations to the amount of
$123, ,695 must be made, but the engineer
only asks for $4,000 for the next fiscal
year. While the expense is large. he says.
the physical changes which takes place iD
this river appear to be very slow, and the
dredging Is therefore of more or less per-
manent value.
In the completion of the improvement
of Mattawan creek there is needed &c. 620.
The expenditures have already amounted
to $23. 500. 1t might be mentioned here,
as the creeks of New Jersey usually pro-
woke good deal of comment when the
River and Harbor bill is under consdera-
tion in the House, that the engineer re-
ports this particular one as having a
commerce Of $2,500,000 year, or much
more than many of the pretentious rivers
in other sections of the country.
An even $4,000 can be spent in advanc-
ing the work on Shoal harbor and Comp
ton Creek. the total amount still required
being $50, 600.
No appropriation is asked for the Man
asquan river, Indeed. the engineer says
it is hardly necessary to spend the small
appropriation of 81. 900 made by the last
Congress for the removal of distractions
at its mouth. He says the channel is
only used by few pleasure yachts dur
ing the summer months and that the en-
trance is at any time liable to abandon
it's present course.
Taken all in all, it can be seen that
New Jersey rivers are not likely to strike
Uncle Sam very heavy during the coming
Congress.