The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-18
NO MODIF FICATION
Secretary Of War Decides
Adversely on the Newark
Bay HarbOr Line
Question.
RIPARIAN BOARD 10 ASK HEARING
Secretary Payne Says the
Decision Retards Newark
Meadow Proclama-
ton
RIPARIAN BOARD TO ASK HEARING


Mr.. John c. Payne. secretary and engi-
neer of the State Riparian Board, re-
ceived today communication from the
Secretary of War announcing his decision
in the request of the Board for modi-
fication of the established harbor lines on
the westerly shore of Newark Bay, from
the United States dixie at the mouth of
the Passaic River to Arthur Kill. This
request was made by the Riparian Com
missioners at the instance of United
States Senator John Kean of New Jersey,
and Senator Wetmore of Rhode Island.
p Sanford Ross of Jersey City, and a
number of other owners of land on the
bay who desired the Improvement.
They represented to the Board that if
the lands under water which they owned
were filled in to certain point they would
be valuable for building wharves and
piers and industries on the water front
would spring UP like mushrooms. The
Riparian Commissioners thought well of
the scheme and through their counsel and
secretary argued it before the Harbor
Line Board sitting in New York. Prac-
tically there was no opposition to the
plan, and everybody concerned went away
hubbing themselves that all would be
well with the request, but they were
counting without their host.
Secretary Root refused to grant the re-
quest for the reasons contained in a re-
port made to him on the subject by
Colonel Charles r. Suter, president of the
New York Harbor Line Board. In this
report the Colonel says
'An application similar to the within
for this general locality, though not so
broad in its scope was referred to the
board for report by department endorse
ment of March %, 1901. and reported upon
by the board under date of April 30, 1901.
In the consideration of that case the
board was of opinion that the interests
of navigation would not be seriously af
fected by a modification Of certain pier
head lines, and such modification was
recommended. 1t also recommended,
however. that no change be made in the
bulkhead line on the west shore of New
ark Bay as then established and its re-
port covering these recommendations was
approved by the Secretary of War May
13 1901
"In considering the present application
the board has again gone very care
fully into the question of modifying the
lines on the west shore of Newark Bay,
but as no additional reasons are now
known for changing its views as ex-
pressed in its report of April 30, 1901, the
board is of opinion that the harbor lines
in Newark Bay, as approved by the Sec
adhered to and therefore recommends
that the within application be not favor
ably considered
Concurring in this report was that made
to Secretary Root by A. Mackenzie, act
ing chief of engineers, u. 8. Army, and
in it he says
''The object of these applications is to
secure to the riparian owners, if granted,
the right to fill in submerged lands and
reclaim them for Industrial purposes;
and the position which the Harbor Line
Board has taken is that the demands of
the applicants are largely in excess of
pubic needs, and that if these and other
demands. which it is reasonable to an
ticipate would follow, were granted New
ark Bay would be reduced to about one
third its original proportions and the
navigable capacity of the hay and its
tiiputdl4CS WOd.u Dt ld4SciJ dtAitli1SilSu
In view of this adverse decision Engi-
neer Payne will so to Washington on
and seek an interview with Sec
retary Root for the purpose of endeavor-
ing to secure a rehearing before the Sec
retary takes final action on the matter
'@The Riparian Commss on said Mr..
Payne to a News representative this
morning, regards the modification of
these lines as being Indispensable to any
practical plan for the improvement of
the west shore of Newark Bay between
the mouth of the Passaic River and
Eliza bethport. The Commission believes
that with the modification suggested the
problem of the reclamation of the New
ark meadows would have taken long
step towards solution. All that is needed
is access to deep water in connection
with this water front. AS it now lies
500 feet from the line Of feet at mean
low water. the intervening space being a
mud fiat over which at low water there
10 not on an average more than 3 feet of
water in depth"