The Jersey City news., 1906-02-05
New Jersey Desires to Pro-
vide Havens of Safety
Along the State for
Mariners
THOMPSONS RESOLUTION
IT ASKS FOR A COMMITTEE OF
TWO SENATORS AND THREE
AssEMBLYMEN TO INFLUENCE
CONGRESS.


house resolution No. 3, put in last Tues
day by Assemblyman Henry w Thomp-
son, of Mercer, is story interesting to
every citizen of the United States, and
especially to those who go to sea in ships
The, resolution provides that a special
joint committee Of two senators and
three Assemblymen- press Congress to
allow New Jersey to improve the inlets
of the coast to protect the shell fish in
dustries and to provide more harbors.
The real story of Congress stopping
present report of the state geologist.
Henry B. Kummel He takes up the
matter from the standpoint of the ex-
pert and shows that New Jersey has
no safe harbors and its coast towns no
commerce because congress will not i'm
prove the inlets and harbors and re-
fuses to allow New Jersey or any pri-
yate corporation to do the work,
1t is stated that the reason ser thls
is found in the opposition of the rail
roads, which want the whole freight
charges paid by these cities. There is
no way to get goods except by rail and
as long as commerce by water is kept
out, the railroads will have all of the
tonnage. In the administrative report
of the geological survey of New Jersey
is found the matter reeited as follows:
The coast of New jersey from Sandy
Hook to Cape May is Of great impor-
tance in many respects. 1t forms the
southern approach to New York harbor,
and the large tonnage between New
York and all WestTndian Gulf, South
and Central Americans ports passes close
at hand Although from Sandy Hook to
Delaware Breakwater is only 143 miles,
records of the United States Life Saw
coast than on any other Of equal extent
in the United States. During the past
decade 332 strandings occurred, more
than one-han of them within range of
the Absecon light at Atlantic City Dur
ing single year q9oS- -QEl nearly two
millions of property Q,989, ,745) were
placed in jeopardy by accident along
this coast, although, owing to the eff
actual loss was less than $4,000 or
only 375 per cent. These figures war
rant the statement that the New Jersey
coast in its present condition is menace
to commerce. notwithstanding the light
houses and life guards which guard it.
This danger is greatly increased by the
absence of any harbors Of refuge along
the coast, and the. shallow, tortuous,
The presence of well-defined and fixed
channels at Abseeon. Barnegat and other
inlets along the coast would go far in
eliminating these dangers.
Although certain features of the coast
are menace to commerce. vet other fea-'
lures make it Of inestinable value as
place for rest and recreation. 1t is hard
ly necessary to emphasize the importance
Of the summer resorts along the coast.
Long Branch. Asbury Park. Ocean
Grove, Atlantic City and Cape May are
known from one end of the country to
the other The growth in popularity ana
wealth of these and other places has
been marvellous. and vet it he's been ac-
complished in spite Of forces constantly
tending to change the outline Of the shore
to shift bars and channels and render
insecure all titles based upon former po-
sit;on of inlets or coast line. 1t is diff
cult for one unfamiliar with the acton
OF waves ana currents 10 appreciate
what great changes may be wrought upon
the sand beaches during even a single
storm or by slow accretion in one local.
ity and equally slow wasting at another.
The channels Of the inlets are constantly
changing in depth and location through
certain cycles and the inlets themsesxy,s
are slowly shifting their position. In
the aggregate vast sums Of money have
been spent to counteraet these changes
and to protect the beaches from destrue-
tion,a but in large part to no permanent
good, This is in part due to the absence
Of any concerted action embracing CON
siderable areas and in part 70 improper
/ plans followed.
In the annual report Of the State Geo