The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-11
NORRIS CANAL CLOSED.
The Past Season Has Been
a Most Profitable One
Dangers Of Frost.

What some folk call the Morris Canal and
others "a muddy ditch" was closed on
Saturday evening last. It will remain
closed until April mex and according to the
local agent asxt season will be more pros
porous than ths ons just closed which was
excellent SO far Is traffic receipts are con-
csrnsd. The closing Of this waterway only
concerns the level from the Hudson to the
win remain open for a few days longer and
then all traffic will cease until the frostS and
SHOWS Of winter disappear and genial spring
is ushersd in.
The locks are now firmly closed and bracsd
and the employees Of the Canal Company
will visit every foot Of the waterway to take
precautions against damage dsn to the bank
by the frost. For this purpose q sufficient
amount of water is allowed ca the lower
level, that is between the Hudson and Hack
enSack Rivers. Between these ends Of the
Jersey City district the level Of tas water in
the canal will depend on the tides, but on
the 9'fat level" from Newark west there will
20, during the close season, 3 fal Of six
inches or thsreaboutS. Ths canal officials
find it imperative to keep . certain level in
the canal to keep the frost cut Of the bank.
II Jack Frost were permitted to get in
his fns work, when the spring came
and the frost had gone, the banks on both
sides would be completely destroyed. Any
wstsr percolating the earthwork would, ac-
cording the law Of hydrostatics, expand by
the frost, and act like a wedge to split and
break the solid mass.
DANGERS OF A lard WINTER.
This is the danger to be feared from q hard
winter, and the custodians of the canal
adopt the plan of maintaining a sufficient
level of water to minimize it.
The trafnc ON this canal from the Hudson
Rivar aOucisfc 1argAlv of sand and hit11miu-
Gus coal. The sand finds its way by barSes to
the locomotive works in Paterson belonging
to Rogers and Cook; the bituminous coal is
used in large quantities at the Pompton
Steel and Iron Works at Pompton. The
trade to the Hudson is principally coal from
the Lehigh collisries for the yards in lower
Jersey City.
"How will the closing of the canal affect
these yards and the works up the Statef'
asked q News reporter of Agent Norton.
He replied that these places have been
well stocked with coal n sand during the
summer season, and are consequently pre-
pared for the closing during the winter. Mr..
Norton was asked whether the rumor that
the Lshigh Valley Railroad Company in
| tends closing the canal next year had any
basis in truth. His answer was that he did
not know, but from the fact that the stock
of supplies necessary for next years business
| had been ordered it was evident that nc
CLOSING WA Al Ic&Sb contemplated ue1C year.
w have ordered all Q years station
cry toe" he added.
THR STEGkAN AVENUE SEWER.
At one point of the canal during the
closed season, an interesting operation will
take place, and that is the laying of the
Stegman avenue sewer on the bed of the
waterway. This will be affected by a
Golfer dam. The water will be pumped out
with the sewer pipes laid on the mud below.
This will be lone some time before the
spring opening. A few weeks before that
opening an inspection of the canal banks will
take place and when the Lshigh people utter
the word the barges will at once glide along
through the lock to the intense satisfaction
of no nconsiderable number of merchants in
Jersey City. To them the coming Of spring
doesn't mean nature awakening from her
long winter sleep and donning her verdsnt
| mantle; it doesn't mean the advent of birds
from the south, nor the appearance of buds
on the trees or flowers in the field: net by q
long shot. 1t means the arrival Of the can
aller, and with him business. Poetry,
flowers, nature, be hanged. Business first,
| last, and all the time.