The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-03
NEW JERSEY SHIP CANAL.
Proposed Route Across the State
Other Important Projects.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 8, 1S92.-Lewis NJ.
Haupt, professor of civil engineering at
the University Of Pennsylvania, who has
Just returned from Washington, where
he appeared before the Committee Of
Commerce and Rivers and Harbors, in the
interest of numerous deep water schemes.
is enthusiastic over the impression
made upon these committees, and
the profound interest manifested by the
members in the different projects. Pro-
fessor Haupt was only one of many on
similar errands, and listened with great
interest to the statements made by the
delegates from the Detroit Deep Water
Convention.
Speaking upon the subject last night
he said:-"Of course my efforts were
mainly directed to obtaining the appro-
priation of $250,000 for the appointment
upon the proposed canal through New
Jersey to the Raritan.
THE ROUTE SUGGESTED.
1t is proposed to begin on the Delaware,
this side of Bordentown, and strike
through to the present bed of the Della
ware and Raritan Canal. Thence through
New Jersey. by way of Princeton
brook and to the Raritan River.
This route will save about
eleven miles of the present route, and the
greatest elevation will be but seventy-six
feet above tide. There will be two levels.
the summit level being about fifty feet
above tide, and the amount 1t o6d OF o6d cutting
necessary will not exceed 26OOO, 600 cubic
yards. There will be six locks, Two tidal
and four lift, and the estimated cost will
be about Sl2 000,00
"The Importance of such an outlet can
not be estimated, not alone for its com
mercial value, but for the immense value
it will be to our navy. In nv opinion it
and the cost would be about the some as
the building OF three new iron claOS.
How easy 1t would be for an armed force
to entrap our navy at League Island and
leave us no way of escaped But with
this canal an enemy would have to
blockade the Delaware Bay, New York
Bay. and the Eastern end OF Long
Island.
'Then. if, as it is hoped, we can get the
government to enlarge the Delaware
Bay, there would be an additional outlet.
Then, for its commercial value, IL would
save fifteen hours in time for water
borne freight, and vessels could reach the
Raritan in the same time as IS required to
reach the Capes. and at the same time
avoid the harborless and dangerous Jer-
sey coast. :.
'Instead of hurting the railroads, 1t
would, to my mind, be an excellent thing
for them; IL would build up manufactof-
les and stimulate commerce. Each de-
pends upon the other, and the most pros
perous railroads in the country follow
alongside navigable streams, as, for in
stance, the Lake Shore and New York
Central. The present proposition OF the
Canadians to increase the depth OF their
canal to fourteen feet will, if carried out,
be greatly felt in New York, and will take
a great deal of traffic from the Erie.Canal.
TO JOIN THE GREAT LAKES.
zone of the most important deep water
projects Is that of connecting all the lakes
with each other and with the sea. Outside
of all other interests there is quite strate-
gic movement in this. By our present
treaty with England neither country can
build armored vessels on the lake points in
time of peace or war without first giving
the other six months notice. Now, in
case of trouble. England could, within
three or four days, place an armored
feet right on the lake front through her
canals. Our vessels can only reach these
points now through her canals, which
would, of course, in time Of war be closed
to US.
"There are several proposed routes, but
the easiest, l think. would be around
Niagara Falls, on the American side. then
from Oswego to Albany; but. of course.
ever, we have made a deep impression on
the committees, and | think this Chilian
trouble had a wholesome effect. We
struck in the nick of time"
Prof Haupt has applied for years
leave of absence from the University and
will devote his time to these projects, OF
which he has made q deep study.