The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-24


they entered Newark Bay. thirty minutes
later, and say in their imagination the
greater achievement which transformed
Newark's waste meadow land into available
property worth millions.
Peter Campbell, president of the Board
of Trade, called his guests together on the
trip up the river, and, after thanking Mr..
Weidenmayer for the use of his vessel
and the guests for their presence, he In
troduced MIR. Tomkins. who spoke briefly
Of the history of the attempts to secure
government aid in the deepening of the
river channel. AT first. he said, the gov
eminent officials seemed Indifferent. Later
they manifested more interest; then they
inspected the river, and when we asked
for a si~xteen-foot channel they said:
Make it twenty feet. the engineers
said,' continued Mr.. Tomkins. 'But we
thought sixteen feet would be sufficient for
a while. We want to educate the people
up to just what the Passaic River, properly
utilized. would mean to Newark. In The
meantime. property has been acquired for
improvements within the past two or three
years-great public undertakings like the
Pennsylvania erminai-that the people
know very little about, II. indeed, anything
at all. These improvements are going on
without their knowledge.
Now the rates Of freight would imme-
uAutSly 81 up IL we OlQ not nave the river
trade. This affects not only the man on
Market street, the merchant on Broad
street, out the man on High street as
well; in faet, every one in the city. While
private interests may benefit by the
projects now under way, the public benefit
is so great that none can deny It,"
Mayor Haussllng was greeted with cheers
as he made his appearance in the centre
Of the circle of men who had clustered
around the speakers. Evidently he was
taken unprepared, as he spoke for only a
minute or two, pleading that he had not
anticipated sp~eechmaking.
Il want to say that the city administra-
ton is always ready to help any cause
that is for the good of the whole COM
munity," said the Mayor. 'While 1 am a
better listener than Il talker, l do not
think that there is anything before us
which Is more important than the purihca-
ton of the Passaic River"
Calvin Tomkins, president of the Metro
politan Civic Improvement Association,
said that most people underestimate the
Importance of the Passaic River as a
branch of New York harbor. He pointed
out the manner of handling freight by
lighters, which is now the custom in New
York. He said that Newark was the key
to the situation; that a wider and deeper
channel here. with great docks and storage
warehouses. would be the solution of the
troubles many railroads encounter in trans
ferring freight.
Liverpool, Antwerp and Newport News
have great docks for the handling OF
freight. but New York city has but one
adequate dock at the present time. Do
away with the double handling of freight
at New York by the establishment at New
ark of facilities which will place the rail-
borne freight of the West on board ocean,
going steamers to all parts of the world
without transferring it by lighters, and we
will have solved a problem, not only CT
local, State or national Importance, but or
International proportions. The opportunity
Is ours-greater in magnitude than the OPP
portunity which Brooklyn has seized in
the building of the Bush terminal. BY all
means, let us grasp It,"
Arthur K. Denman. president of the
Board Of Works, said he had studied the
dock and canal proposition for u long time,
and whether it cost the city one million or
three millions of dollars, he was heartily IN
favor OF 1t. In the Board OF Works. he de-
clared. party politics did not enter into the
attitude of the commissioners; they weie
a unit In favoring 1t. The police. fire.
school and other departments of the city,
he said, while absolutely necessary, were
expensive and produced no revenue. by
establishing docks and constructing the
proposed canal, the city would have a res
ular, steady income, which would increase
as time made the property more valuable
and commerce became greater.
George JagIe, president Of Hoekenjos g.
Co.. paint dealers, was enthusiastic in his
expression of the benefits which would
accrue to the city by the deepening and
widening of the channel in connection with
the construction Of docks and a canal, and
predicted that the trip made yesterday
would go down in history as the beginning
of a new era in Newark's growth.
Sandwiches, lemonade and ale were
served on board the vessel. The smooth
ness and speed of the new boat were uni1
versally commented upon and Mr.. Weiden-
mayer, the owner, was the recipient of
many oongratulatory remarks.
The party arrived at Newark about 7
o'clock on the return trip.