The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-14
DIG SHIP CANAL IN
C|TY'S CENTRE,S SAYS
ONE WwHOSTUD|ED|T
Newark Needs Ditch 1000
Feet Wide, with Slips
500 Feet Long,
OPEN NEWARK AS A
DEEP-WATER SEAPORT
New York Unable to Handle Inn
mense Traffic on Compile
ton of Barge Canal.
the Editor Of the Newark Evening Star.


To the Editor Of the Newark Evening Star;
Sir-The writer has noted of late
some criticism s and comments on
the subject of the new ship ana and
meadow reclamation. 1t seems to the
writer hat there is only one practical
way to reclaim the Newark meadows
and open Newark to the world as a
deep water seaport, and that Is by a
ship canal of sufficient width and depth
to dock and any vessel now
sailing into New York.
What Newark needs is a ship canal
at least 1000 feet wide, and not less
than 80 to So feet deep. with slips not
less than $50 feet wide and 800 feet
long. thus affording docking facilities
equal to n IT. the United States. The
canal should be brought up as near
the heart of the city as possible. There
should be a general railroad terminal
yard, where all trunk lines can handle
the cargo direct to or from the steam
ers or sailing vessels, as the case may
be. With the great trunk lines running
into Newark, such as the Pennsylva-
mia Railroad, the Central Railroad Of
INOW SCIbCyf tiO hiHboOibhho "i0
Reading, the Baltimore and Ohio, the
Chesapeake and Ohio, the Lehigh VAL
ley, the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western and the Erie Railroads, and
within a short time direct connections
to be made with the New York Central
and the New York, New Haven and
Hartford Railroads by the tunnel I'M
der the North River. Newark Is one
a. ---A-- 800 ~0,sihtItttna In
the United States.
Moreover, upon the completion of the
barge canal by the State of New York.
Newark Bay and the Newark railroad
terminal will prove the salvation of
the shippers to n from all the Great
Lakes. At the present time the New
York State officials are looking for a
base In or around New York city. Some
have talked of going up Long Island
sound: others talk of Staten Island, or
Jamaica Bay. blu there is really no
place as practical as Newark Bay and
the Newark Meadows.
:. Big Tonnage of Barge Canal.
The government has appropriated
over three million dollars for a terminal
for the Lake Erie end of this $101. 000, 900
barge canal. One only has to stop and
think of the great tonnage hat will
pass through this barge canal to real
lie how important q factor this will
prove. The estimated tonnage is ap-
proximately fifty million tons, composed
of wheat. coal, iron, copper, timber and
all other class Of merchandise. AT
present New York has nothing like the
facilities necessary for handling its
praQont uhtnninu LAT oIara thi. ,,oo+
increase hat will be caused by the
completion of the barge canal.
There Is another factor in this mat
ter that must not be overlooked by the
citizens of Newark, and that is the
reclamation of these meadow lands.
now virtually of no value excepting for
a little bog hay. They are a seriou
menac to the health of the city, and
as notwithstanding meadows they
are notable all over the country. The
mosquitoes are. as a well-known fact,
the cause of most of our malaria
fevers. This act has beer demon
strated too often to need any argu-
ment. Colonel Gorgas, of the United
States Army, and one of the Panama
Commission, has proven that fact in
Panama. Right here 1t must be ac-
knowledged that Colonel Gorgas's fight
on the mosquito n the drainage of
low meadow lands has made the pres
ent progress on the Panama canal pos
sible. This fact Is acknowledged by
all members of the commission. Other
wise no man could live on the zone
with any security against fever.
Professor Smith, another great au-
thority, has often demonstrated the
great danger and menac to health this
fever and mosquito breeding meadow
is to the city, and the man who
fathered this improvement and rec
lamation should be backed to the very
letter by the citizens of Newark and
by the whole State, as thousands of
vacationlsts are driven from the State
on account of the fear and discomfort
of the Jersey mosquito"
Use Material ms Fill.
Another reason why this canal should
be dug is that in digging the canal the
material from the cut would be used as
a fill, and after the meadow is filled
above the high-tide line and made prac-
teal for the building of warehouses,
factory sites and railroad terminals, il
will be found that the actual cost of the
di6SlnB VI Tile tdndl hdS bttH Nipth
out by the sale or leasing of the lands
filled, and you will find that Newark
will have a large profit to boot.
This fact has been demonstrated many
times, and l quote such cases as
Seattle, Washington, where, by the
reclamation of low meadow lands, the
property tax value was increased over
forty millions. Galveston has increased
its tax value by this process, likewise
Manila, p. 1. Tampa, Fla. has made
a great Improvement by this process
and now has. for h first time, a deep
water seaport, and shipping does not
have to stop twelve miles out, as it die
a few months ago. and there is not 3
foot of this property for sale today.
At Long Branch. right at our door,
YOU will find Senator Reynolds reclaim
ing. at his own expense, five miles OF
meadowlands. digging a canal 1000 feet
wide and 35 feet deep. A year ago this
tract of land was valued at less than
three million dollars. Within this past
year approximately -four million dol.
lars worth of this property has beer
sold, though less than one-fifth of the
property IL so far improved. The ap.
proximate value of this tract today Is
forty-seven million dollars. and lots
2Ox100 are selling all the way from $70I
A. ESQ mo :. Iof aooOrJfor % fba 10