The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-12
WIDE INTEREST
IN UTILIZING
MEADOWS
Federal Officials Active.
Work Here to Be Model
for Other Parts.

OSMOA
Interest in the proposed reclamation
of h meadows in this city is Of more
than local interest, for the Federal
Government, after the work on the
Newark meadows, will be guided in
the reclamation of the meadows and
marshes in other parts of the country,
of which there are tens of thousands
of square miles. Interest in the New
ark meadows is especially strong on
account of their proximity to New
York and their availability here for
manufacturing sites.
The Newark meadows are only six
miles in a direct line from Manhattan.
and are practically surrounded by
cities, Newark on the north, Elizabeth
south and Jersey City east. They are
six miles long and average two miles
wide. The chief product is mosquitoes,
though considerable truck is raised.
Newark is slowly building upon them
to accommodate her enterprises, while
Elizabeth is doing likewise on the
other side. Upon the real estate maps
of these cities the marsh appears duly
mapped in lots and blocks and streets,
but the meadows are submerged by
salt water and high tide, and whatever
filling In is done is by private owners.
1t has not yet been exactly decided
by Supervising Engineer ]. o. Wright,
of the national division Of drainage OF
the Department of Agriculture. what
plan of retaining the meadows should
be adopted. He has had consultation
with the State geologist and the city
engineering department, and while II
has been agreed that the reclamation
is entirely practicable, there are many
problems to encounter and solve.
One of the plans proposed contem-
plates in the first place the building oil
a dixie along the Newark Bay front tc
keep out tho salt water, n In the Sec
ond place an arrangement for the dis
position of the water hat drains from
higher ground into the lowlands. The
treatment of soils in an effort to get rid
of superfluous salt nay also follow rec
lamation.
The building of bikes that will with
stand the constant tapping of the
waves and will resist the operations Of
burrowing animals has proven ~1lscour-
/ o6AAA6 " ill1lty SOtllllluAlAtiCo ~ u AAACAS
matter of ~thoroughness and under
standing, the experts say, will accom-
plish the desired end
An outlet, however, must be provided
for Bound Creek. which runs through
the middle of the mellow and carries
water from a watershed of considera-
Bile dimensions. There are other stream:
of less Importance. Bound Creek a
n time was a navigable waterway
and might be made again into a valua.
BILE one.
To dispose of these waters automatic
tide gates must be constructed. Theil
construction is based on the fact tha'
the meadows will drain at low tide
but not at high tide. When the tid'
sets out the gates open automatically
and allow all waters to escape. Wher
the tide sets in they close in the sam
way.
A sufficient reservoir capacity to stor'
the water brought down by the streams
during high tide must be provided Of
pumps must be used during that period
What the method will be will not b.
determined until the problems are stud
led more in detail.
One special difficulty that is met II
the reclamation Of salt marsh and tina
is expected on the Newark meadows i
the settling of the soil when 1t becomes
dry. The surface soil is largely sedi
ment. which contains a high percentag'
of vegetable matter. This Upon drying
shrinks, and the surface of the meadow
sinks in proportion. What this shrink
age will be can be told by an analyst
of the surface soil and by finding tn
soil depths.
Reclaimed meadows are valuable Il
the first place for truck gardening
though in this city they will be evei
more valuable for factory sites. Re
claimed bogs have sold in Massachu
sets for 81, 900 an acre for garden pur
poses. In Holland similar lands sup
port 450 persons to each square mile
1t is expected. however. that the New
ark meadows will soon be covered wit
residences and business enterprises
To this end 1t may be necessary to fl
in the land artificialfy, raising its leve
This phase of the work will, however
be left to the Individual owners @
property.
An Immediate Improvement In com
fort and in health of the n~eighberin
people Is expected through the lessen
ing of tthe mosquito evil. and the re
moval of miasmatic conditions. tn
drainage experts. in proof OF this poir
to Charleston. S. c., where a stmila
work. materially affected the report
of the health officers, a great decreas
in m,alarial complaints being particu
larly noted.