The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-03
NEW JERSEY RIVERS
Government Engineers Re-
port Upon Their Con-
dition and Improve.
ment.
INSTRUCTIONS IN SALEM RIVER
Some Improvements Condemned
and Others Praised - Cannot
Improve Railway River.
INSTRUCTIONS IN SALEM RIVER

| the improvements on rivers ana harpors
would be many times greater than they
| are. Every year, preliminary exaniha-
| lions are made of various rivers ana
ipIets with a view to their improvement
In the report of the Secretary OF war,
| there are a number of letters or reports
| from United States engineers with re-
gard to improvements that are deemed
advisable in rivers and creeks in New
| Jersey and Delaware, within reach OF
Philadelphia.
Major Raymond of the Corps of En-
| sfneers makes some interesting com
ments on examinations he has made OF
| these rivers. With regard to the I'M
| movement of the Lumberton branch OF
the Rancoeas River, he avs that the
| stream rises in Burlington county, Nj,
and $500 feet above Centerton it unites
with the Mount Holly branch, and forms
the Rancocas River. which enters the
Delaware five miles above a point OPP
posite Bridesburg, Pa
The Improvement desired on this little
stream is the formation of a channel of
from forty to fifty feet wide, and from
five to six feet deep at low water. Logs,
| stumps and other opstructions would
nave u Ne ICikiONSa 0Aio hAS
Strengthened by cutting off bends. About
the only benefit to be derived from the
Improvement would be to a sand and
gravel company and one or tVj other
small firms who could transport their
material a little cheaper. Major Ray
mond reports tina the river is not worthy
of Improvement by the General Govern
ment.
SALEM RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
A report is made on the Salem River
from the mouth of that river, which is
about four miles below Fort Delaware,
to Salem City, situated about three miles
above the mouth. Major Raymond re-
commends that a survey be made with a
view to estimating the improvement
necessary. There is considerable traffic
| on this stream, which at Salem City has
a width of 500 feet, which increases to
1900 feet at it's mouth. The principal
distractions in this stream are the shoal
| at Salem Cove, and some dangerous rocks
remaining in the channel. In speaking
of the benefit an Improvement OF TINS
kind would be to Salem City, Major Kay
mond says
Salem is located in the midst of a rich
agricultural n manufacturing region,
! and has about 1000 inhabitants. It is the
distributing point for many small towns,
| such as ouinton, Canton. Harmersville
and Others. in all of which are located
factories, and for which a good deal of
freight comes to Salem by water. The
river and creek form its boundaries on
two sides, hus affording plenty of manu-
featuring sites directly on the water
| front. The principal manufactures are
three glass, eight canning, one oilcloth.
! one button, one hosiery, two sash, and
two ice-cream factories. 1t also has
three limekilns. coal and lumber yards,
and the usual variety of hardware, gro
anrt- n,a6 1fytppn6S GtnyaS .hItnhar ChOnE
&c, supplying a large area OF country
about Salem. For the season of 1894 the
output of the canning factories is esti-
| mated at 6, 900, coo cans.
WATER COMMERCE.
The present water is i est
mated as follows:-55o steamers, l2Oo sail,
ing vessels els, and M 100 frs,e 9arses ss a s1s1 canal
ST. 34, 700. It is carried on by two steam
boats plying regularly to Philadelphia;
small ~schooners, steam n boats and
barges, and canal boats in tow OF
tugs"
A preliminary examination was made
last year of Buckshutem Creek, which
| empties into the Maurice River, New
| of the latter, and six miles below the
| city of Millville. This creek is n~avigable
for about 1000 feet above it's junction
with the river, and it was found that the
| stream throughout the whole of its navi-
gable extent is owned by two proprietors.
Major Raymond did not think that the
| Improvement OIL DuChSIluteIl WOQuu pe
of sufficient general advantage to com
merce to justify the expenditure of any
money on it by the Government.
A HARBOR OF REFUGE.
Acting under instructions, Major Ray
mond made a preliminary examination
of Cold Spring Inlet, IN the southern
coast q New Jersey sbout FIVE and d., a
| project of making this harbor Of refuge
as had been suggested, is not Endorsed by
! Major Raymond, who says with regard
1.-THE entrance to the inlet is INSTRUCTED
| by a bar, lying about half a mile out
side it. The channel over the bar sell
at low water, and is very variable in
position, shifting so constantly as to
necessitate %soundings being taken every
the gorge the channel has an ample
depth, probably twenty feet at low
water, and swift tidal currents. The
range of the tide is four and one half
feet.
"The vessels which now pass through
the inlet are mainly pleasure yachts
burden, engaged in the coastWise trade.
These come in laden with oysters, coal,
lumber, brick and general merchandise
for the Towns of Cold Spring and Cape
May City. They carry away some sand
and, occasionally, oysters, but more
often leave empty, These vessels are few
feet of water. Smaller boats ply through
the creeks and ~thoroughfares, carrying
principally oysters and fish, but do not
venture out to sea.
"As the Delaware breakwater is only
sixteen miles away, there is no need
OF a harbor of refuge at this point. II
jetties were constructed a permanent
and deeper channe to the inlet might
be obtained, and this would lead to some
increase in traffic, but lit is extremely
| doubtful whether any larger vessels than
those now employed would make use OF
| the increased facilities. unless at the
| same time some comprehensive system
were adopted for deepening, uniformly,
the. channels through the surrounding
creeks and thoroughfares.
THE possible benefits 10 commerce are
not considered sufficient to justify the
| large expenditure required for the i'm
Drovement of the inlet alone. In my
%npinion. the inlet under examination is
not worthy of improvement by the Gen
eral Government.
A similar report was made on the pro
position to make the Mahon River, Della
ware. a harbor of. refuge. The improve.
ment would be very costly, and as the
mouths of the st. Jones and Murder
Iii Rivers, about seven miles south Of
Main River, are being improved, the ex-
penses of a jetty at the mouth Of the
latter stream would not be justified.
NO LOCKS NECESSARY.
A Preliminary examination was made
of the Railway River, New Jersey, K
ascertain the desirability of placing lock.
ST its mouth. With regard to this pro
nosed improvement Lieutenant Colone
Gillespie reports as follows;-
mouth Of the river would act as a per
manent dam to collect and hold behint
# material brought down from the rive
ahoye or abraided from the banks o