The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-19
JERSEY In CONGRESS
The Outlook for Patronage-Rar-
itan Bay Improvements.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10. 1891.-As some
effort has been made to induce the War
Department to put forth greater exer-
tlons for the improvement Of Raritan Bay
it may be said that the engineers called
on for an opinion in the premises are not
favorable to the project, at least at the
present time. The connection of the
channel on the south shore of Staten
Island as far east as Seguine Poin which
is the ebb channel with the channel on the
southern border OF Round Shoal through
the centre of the bay, which Is the food
channel, is, 1t is said, an unna tural con-
nection, and the channel so projected
requires annual dredging for its main
tenance.
1t would have been better, the engi-
neers say, had sufficient funds been avail
able in the beginning. to- have extended
the flood channel by dredging almost due
west until it intersected the ebb channel
q short distance east of the Great Beds
Light, as there would have been better
prospect of having the common channel
maintained by tidal Scour. This would
cost, however, at least 5000, 900. and It i 8
here the engineers make an adverse re-
port. They say to the Secretary of War
that while it is probable that this will be
the future channel which will connect
the mead OF Raritan Bay with the AM
boys, the present condition of the COM
merce incident to the western end of the
bav does not justify so radical change
in the existing project. Alimieed AMOUNT
OF dredging may be done annually tn the
Segune Port channel to maintain a
twenty-one foot deDth for vessels until
commerce has so largely increased as to
demand a more direct and convenient
route across the shoal now lying at the
western end of the bay.
This settles the matter so far as the War
Department is concerned. II remains to
be seen whether Congress can be induced
to order the more comprehensive and
costly improvement. the opinion of the
engineers to the contrary notwithsJand-
ing.
Although New Jersey, in a political
sense, cuts respectable figure in the new
House of Representatives, there being five
Democrats in the delegation ont of pos
sible seven, there has been little or moth
ing doing in the way of securing slice of
the patronage 10 be awarded. No New
Jersey man thus far has put himself prom
lnently forward for a prominent position,
while from other States they come not
singly, but In droves. The new members,
of course, can not be expected to do much
in the way OF capturing offices. as iegis-
lative precedent Is again it, but the old
er heads are also doing little or nothing.
Mr.. Fowler. of the Fourth district. is
an energetic worker. bnt easv going
witnal, and will If possible. seizs
upon at least one Of the plumes Gsis-
senhainer is little more active. and dur
Ing the last Congress kept clerk whom
he paid out of his own pocket. IL NAV be
possible he will want his salary paid by
the Government during the next two
years. but possibly not. as l do not think
the clerk aforesaid is from New Jersey.
1t may be worth while to note the fact
that under the last Democratic admins
tration of the House New Jersey got next
to nothing; but then the delegation was by
no means as strong as now. One thing
should be borne in mind by The New
Jersey patriots, and this Is, it takes a
hustler" to get Office, and with the tre-
meEdeus preponderation of Democrats
now. all of whom have man or two for
a place, he must. more than that. come
from HuStlarSville