New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-28
FOR STATE PURCHASE.
That WW BE Keynote Of Ne1c Re
port about the Norris Canal.

The special committee of the Newark Board
OF Trade appointed to see that Newark was rep
resented before the State commission on the
ques: of the Morris Canal abandonment will
make an amended report to the board this even
ing The committee reported originally TO
board meeting last month. and the report went
far beyond the purpose for which the committee
was appointed. II proposed that the board
should anticipate the conclusion OF the State
commission by recommending that in considera-
ton Of certain local advantages promised by the
Public Service Corporation, the board should
lend its support to abandonment" bill in
the legislature. Action the report post
poned for two weeks on motion of an opponent
of abandonment
When second meeting OF the board was held
fortnight ago. the sentiment against the report
was so strong that it was decided to refer it
! back to the committee for amendment. The
committee received suggestions from board
members to amending the report.
The committee has adopted an amended
port which viii in its terms be entirely different
from the original one. Its keynote will be State
purchase of the canal property. The particular
features of the report have not been disclosed
by the committee, but it is understood that
tention by the State Of the water rights apper-
tanning to the canal charter viii be insisted on.
If the State should anticipate it's option of pur-
chase in 1923 by acquiring ownership Of the
canal next year and shut off navigation. some
use would have TO be made Of the right Of way
and the State and municipalities would give
franchises for trolley and other purposes. Cor
porations that should acquire these franchises
could make the necessary deals with the owners
of reversionary rights along the line of the
canal
In Sussex, Passaic and Warren counties many
of dc Of
The court clerk in Sussex recently asked
for transcript OF certain records by a Newark
lawyer. and made reply that the old records had
been neglected for many years, and were in such
condition that he could not promise to find any
certain title. AS the property owners generally
along the canal when it constructed be-
ieyed at the time that the canal would be per-
petual they took no care Of records OF title and
transfer, and many deeds and conveyances held
by families have disappeared The records in
Essex County have been better kept But the
purchase of reversionary rights that be
proved in the courts will not involve any con-
siderable payment.
1t is understood that the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road Company would consent to a scheme of
state purchase if guaranteed possession of the
canal basin at Jersey City which is needed for
a railroad terminus This basin has been mostly
filled up by the canal leSsees in anticipation of
its use for railroad purposes. To the Public
Service Corporation it would make no material
difference whether the canal bed between New
ark and Jersey city and Newark and Passatc
were acquired from the lessees or from the State
and municipal governments The terms from
the latter would doubtless be more advan-
tageouS.
The vast Importance OF the water rights is
now better appreciated by the members of the
Newark Board of Trade. The special committee
in its original report almost ignored local in
terests in these rights. Newark possesses
the rights to about 70,000,000 gallons of water
daily from the Pequannock watershed, which is
a tributary of the Passaic River. Many OF these
rights were Morris Canal rights and were sold
to The contracting company by the canal lessees
Tor more than S2.OO0OO0. With the growth of
population and with annexation of adjacent mu-
inequalities. Newark will soon reach the limit of
present aqueduct supply and viii need more
watershed. If to the canal leSsaes shall be given
private ownership of what is left of the canal
water rights, the city will be at the mercy of
private corporation and will be obliged to pay
any amount, however excessive for an addi-
tional supply. If the water now available for
canal purposes should be sold to other munich
palities or piped out of the State for sale the
future situation for Newark would be serious
enough.