Evening star., 1903-12-19

Forty Thousand APses That Now Pro-
ducs Naught but Mssquitoes, Ma.
laria and Poor Hay.


forty thousand acres now producing only
perrficious, malaria bearing mosquitoes,
into sites OF healthy villages and profit
able fndustrfes-this is the problem peren-
nially arising before the authorities of the
two states The problem is not yet solved
to the point of practical utility, but its
Importance and insistence are command
ing the attention of the most advanced
scientific thought.
1t is not necessary here to recount the
many plans nor the regularly recurring
prospectuses which have held out hope
that these pestiferous marshes would be
redeemed and thereby conditions of health
and all else improved. One study OF the
case, presented with careful detail, was
made by Mr. c; G.. Vermeule, consulting
engineer, and submitted to the state OF
New Jersey by its geologist In reports sew
ersal years age, before the positive knowi-
edge which now exists of the spread OF
malaria from a certain Kind OF mosquito
While New Jersey has taken the more
active part In this matter, 1t Is equally true
that this great marsh menace is against the
people of New York almost as mucn as
against the people of New Jersey, fer there
are great marshes in New York staten
New York city, in it's borough Of Rich
mond Nearly the whole western side OF
that borough is In condltion quite as un-
healthful and troublesome as the Jersey
side. In all there are over 10000 acres or
land involved in the stretch of about thir-
ty-fve miles from above Hackensack to
Perth Amboy For thirteen miles of the
distance this swamp borders the borough
of Richmond.
The Plans Suggested.
One plan suggested is to elevate the
marsh land by material taken from canals
through the marsh or by extraneous ma
terial. The plan of Mr.. Vermeuie con-
templates a like protection against the
tides by elevating at the shore lines only
the ordinary method of diking along the
water courses and draining the interior
parts through the dixie line with automatic
tide gates emptying at low tide -
This vast area was once great Day Win
a depth of water in some places OF more
than twenty feet, and as the marsh formed
here by accretton will dry out Wheh re-
claimed It will shrink and settle. and TINS
causes the gates to become imperative. when
resort must, after a few years. be had en-
tirely to pumping the rainfails out OF the
embarked areas, or to nillng fumplhs
would have to be resorted to from the first
In some instances where the marsh level Is
unusually low. H.
It would take to properly fill the whole
area, about 3C0 ,000, ,000slcubtc yards or SOIL,
and to purchase, transports grade and dram
the same would cost aabout $15OO00.0O0.
Even at that expenses ttet land would De
still untitled for residenceqinet only on ac-
count OF there being no provision for dis-
posal of sewage, butg by reason of per-
collation. and saturation, wster would stand
too near the surface 4si
The plan to open Canals an through these
forty thousand acres and Using the mate
rails for other parts EoaMiS M @ cost W1s,a more .nas
data, and there would yet sbe the same IN
complete result as in the former plan be-
sides other physical objections.
To raise dikes and DO necessary prelimi-
innate Of Mr. Yermeule, $1GO per acre, or
81 600 600 His estimate for maintenance
and pumping is s. per- acre annually.
Things to Be Avoided
Any plan proposed nust. not be injurious
to- navigation. " The commercial considera-
tions bear very important relation. About
fifteen million tons of freight annually pass
through the approaches to these marsh
areas, and these vast interests must De
carefully guarded Again, an Improvement
must not be planned SO that the waters
shall become any more impure than unoer
the operation of the plans now under way.
Nor muss the cost be prohfbitive or the dif-
ficulty Of laying the cost such as to make
ii impossible to work the plan.
II is thought that workable plan may
be suggested that will redeem the whole
situation from Perth Amboy to Haeken-s
N,
other difficult objections.
The present plan contemplates construc-
tions at two points only-namely, one at
or about on line from Tottenyille to
Perth Amboy, and. two. from Port Rich
nond to Bergen Point. These controlling
works would consist at. both places OF
ne sonry and steel bulkheads. in all about
1900 feet long. with suitable gate, which
VIC uld prevent the higher parts of the tides
from passing respectively through Arthur
Kill and Kill Won kull and affecting about
45,0OO acres, including the lower uplands
Oh Staten Island and in New Jersey. These
gates would be opened when the outer
water got at tide level lower than the
aIn.est constant inner level.
This latter level would, be normally but
slightly affected by water which had ac-
cumulated between low tides. The gates
VIC uld be a part of system of locking
vessels through the bulkheads which gates
could stand open for a period before and
after the lowest ebb. When the tide be-
gan to flow in stronger the outer gates
would be closed, holding the inner level
substantially little above low tide, as
before stated. Two locks could, If neces-
sary. be made, one for vessels passing each
way. a moving incline over the bulkhead
for smaller craft would save much of the
labor of opening locks and the necessary
inflow of the outer water.
Results to Be Attained.
This plan, briefly stated, would lower and
keen the height of the wa ater within the