The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-31
Submitted TO Board of
Works This Afternoon
by Engineer Owens.
POSSIBILITIES OF FUTURE
Newark Water Front So Stu.
ated as to Make 1t Most Avail
able for Mercantile Develop.
ment as Compared With
Plans Elsewhere.

Plans for the development of the
river front under the statute allowing
the city to build docks, ave beer
finished ~ city engineer, James
owen, and were today submitted to
Chief Engineer Morris r. Sherrerd, OF
the Board of Works. for presentation
to the Board of Works at the meeting
this afternoon. They were described
in the EVENING STAR several days
ago.
There are two sketches. Ont shows
the dock facilities that can be con-
structed under the terms of the statute
il ratified by the people at the polls
next Tuesday, and the other shows a
possibility of the future.
The latter is only a suggestion by
Mr.. owen himself. 1t is incidental. to
the development of the city's COM
merce into that of an international
port, and shows the possibilities that
exist of making Newark one of the
important shipping centres Of the
country.
In submitting the report, Mr.. Owen
says:
Morris R. Sherrerd, chief engineer of the
city of Newark
Dear Sill SUBMIT HEREWITH d pIclAAh
mary study of a canal and system or
docks which could be located on the mead
ows within the limits of the city OF New
ark, showing a comprehensive treatment OF
the subject. In submitting the
ing plan l would state that under the pres
ent legislation the development of the
portion fronting Newark Bay is all that
can now be undertaken.
The plan is an adaptation of the original
ship canal which originated the idea of
having water carriage facilities practically
in the heart of the city, but considering
the city of Newark however. as part OF
the great port of the city Of New York,
tho possibilities of extending the scope Of
the project from ITS first limited idea arc
worthy of consideration.
Two facts are patent; first, one-thlrd
of the area of the city Of Newark, known
as the meadow section, is practically un-
used, yet the population on the available
land within the city limits has increased
from 10000 to 0 1000 In the last century.
The second fact Is also to be observed
that the dock facilities of the city OF New
York are all occupied and the necessities
of trade positively demand immediate e1-
tension of such facilities and no other 10
cation can be more favorably chosen thar.
these unoccupied meadows of the city o.
Newark
The congestion of the harbor facilities
of New York is notorious and is giving
rise to numerous projects for relief. The
Bush Terminal plant in Brooklyn is an
evidence of the trend, and the suggestion
VI CilGliiklilH 1aAlAcllCA Lay III OIL III
mense terminal Is also receiving considera-
tion.
the Newark meadow proposal on account
of their imperfect railroad facilities, as
all merchandise that is carried by rail
must be transported to and from the
railroads by floats, a proceeding that is
cumbersome, expensive, and II carried to
a much further extent, unsafe.
"a few statistics from the annual report
of the Board of Trade are significant. The
output of manufactures of the city Of
Newark for the year 1905 was in round
number $l50, 600, 600. The exports from the
city by water, according to custom duties,
was So, 711,S64. In the year ending June so.
1907. the exports decreased to $1,6S5, 113.
Yet there is no doubt that the manufac-
turers' output increased.
"What proportion of the total trade of
Newark manufacturers Is exported Is
not recorded. but assuming 10 per cent,
which is probably small, fourteen millions
Of manufactures are now shipped to New
York for transfer to vessels.
In addition to this amount are the re-
exports, probably amounting to twenty
millions. Furthermore the matnnfaetursd
eastern sections could be also shipped from
Newark.
'aThe total of these items would prob
ably amount to fifty or sixty millions of
dollars. which would be a fair sized BUSH
ness of its own, and this does not include
any imports, and the volume of such bust
ness that Of necessity follows the trend
of trade, would reach to large amounts:
when it is considered that the value
Of the export and import trade for the
Citv of Glasgow for the year 1905 was only
500. 900. 600, and appreciating the wonderful
engineering development on the RIVER
clyde. which was changed from a sluggish.
shallow stream to n broad deep river py
entirely artificial means, the proposition TO
afford the same accommodation for New
ark is a good sound business undertaking;
Taking the primal objects into consid-
Grafton, viz, further accommodations Tor
the trade Of Newark itself and the crea-
tfon of an entirely new trade and business,
that of handling imports and exports Tor
foreign and domestic purposes, the ac-
~companying plan is submitted.
1.-THE plan shows a general outline of
the proposition and 1t may be broadly
stated as occupying an area OF one T ene
In the centre Of this tract is the canal
itself, 1000 feet wide and thirty feet deep
extending from the dock line on Newark
Bay nearly to the westerly end of the
tract. On each side OF the canal is a sys-
tenn Of slips similar in design to the most
approved dock construction now extant.
The bay front, outside the limits of the
canal, will also be developed in a similar
way, and on the westerly end of the canal
are a series Of slips and piers for coal dis
charge for domestic and foreign use.
'Tn determining the depth, as the pro-
posed use is for foreign trade and for for
eign bottoms, not less than thirty feet
must be obtained. To give this dent. 1t
will be necessary to dredge a channel in
Newark Bay for a distance probably of one
mile 10 a point where a thirty-foot depth
Is attainable. The natural advantage Of
fered by the proximity of this existing deep
waterway is of exceptional value to the
citv. and should be made Immediately
available.
.The arrangement of piers and slips is
based on a width of 200 feet for the slips
ana 1850 for the piers, and each pier in
the canal will be l,2O0 feet long. n piers
an the bay front are 1,500 feet by $50 feet,
and the coal piers are 1,5O0 feet long.
ION each side of the bay front slips for
transfer floats are provided for direct
New York trade or for transfer to rail-
roads not having access to the proposed
development.
ut will be noted that the piers are not
laid out at right angles with the canal.
but diagonally. Such an arrangement
gives an easier access from the piers to
inc canal and vice versa. Docks for barge
accommodations are also included for the
layout of purely local trade from the Pas
sale and Hackensack Rivers and New
York Bay.
"The width of the canal and the pro-
norton of length and width of piers and
slips has been arrived at after careful con-
eideration Of probable public requirements
Of this particular location, and from the
experience sustained In other localities.
iThe width of 1000 feet Of the canal
will give ample room for through com
rnunieation in the canal and for the com
plete handling of the largest vessel liable
10 enter. The length of the piers is de-
termined By actual experience in New York
and Brooklyn, and elsewhere, and gives
room for two or three ordinary vessels,