Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1909-07-12
SENATORS FIND
CANAL TRAFFIC
AT STANDSTILL
Inspection Tour Through the Delaware Raritan Shows
the Waterway Is Ample But the Boats Are Missing
but Two or Three Passed on Trip
AN INTERESTING CRUISE ACROSS NEW JERSEY
Route Follows the Most Natural Water Course Across the
State--CanaI Has an Average Depth of Eight Feet Is
E0rty-fOur Miles in Length

Saturday was great day for
Senator George S. Silzer, of Middle
sex county, when the first gun of the
Delaware & Raritan canal investiga-
tion by the state senate was fired. 1t
marked the beginning of what has
been perhaps, the greatest ambition
OF the MiddleseX senator since he
has been In the legislature, and, if
the work is continued in as satisfac-
tory manner as it was begun, the
result of the senate committees
labors and Senator Silzer's hard fight
will be of great benefit to the whole
state and particularly to a large
number of Senator Silzer's constitu-
ents.
Guest of the Railroad.
The trip. Saturday, was made in
the Pennsylvania railroad tug Re
lief, long, low, narrow craft con-
structed especially for canal service.
With her deck covered with awnings
and with flags flying she made an
ideal pleasure craft. The company
entertained the party and served
luncheon aboard. Accompanying the
committee were representatives of
the railroad interests, Alexander P.
Gest,' superintendent of the Belvi-
dere division; w. Holt Apgar. of
Trenton, of counsel for the railroad,
and Ivy L. Lee, of the railroad g
publicity department. Newspaper
men were also on board.
The trip was through the forty
four miles of the canal across New
Jersey, from New Brunswick to Bor-
dentown. At New Brunswick the
canal meets the Raritan river, which
carries its traffic to New York, while
at Bordentown it meets the Della
ware.
At the outset of the trip forcible
| illustration was given of the feeling
of the communities along the canal.
/ Less than half mile from the en-
trance to the canal were huge lum-
Der piles, at the waters edge. Post
ed conspicuously on these were
| signs among which was this:
This lumber came by railroad.
Sign Tells the Story.
This simple sign told the whole
deplorable story of the once teeming
waterway. 1t was in a nutshell the
history of the gradual drying up of
great waterborne traffic-a traffic
which, prior to the time that the
Pennsylvania railroad gained con-
troll, had steadily risen until it ex-
ceeded 100000 tons annually, but
which, since that time, has as stead
| lily diminished until it is less than
half a million tons annually. And
this in a period when the inter
change of commodities between the
Atlantic states has increased with
magic strides. While rail freights
have been swelling enormously the
traffic of this waterway has been
driven somewhere-of course, to the
rails.
There was plain indication to the
party Of the decadence of the canal.
Sylvan quiet reigned along the
banks. Mile after mile was passed
without meeting freights moving in
the opposite direction.
"Just how would a canalboat look
coming toward us?" asked one OF
the party, finally.
| Kingston Had Planned Welcome.
! At Kingston the grounds about
the lock had been decorated with
flags The locktender explained that
the boat was a half-hour ahead oi
schedule; that the whole populaee
had planned to be on hand to well
come the party and give Senator Sill
ger an especial greeting. 1t was
Just at the noon hour, however, and
when the tug passed through the
lock the residents of the town were
at dinner.
The canal crosses the state, using
the most natural water course avail
able and is thus built at the lowest
possible level for lock canal. II
follows the bank of the Raritan riv-
er from New Brunswick to Bound
Brook and then starts off to the
westward along the bank of the
Milestone river, which empties into
the Raritan at Bound Brook, The
Milestone is followed through the
center of the state, past Carnegie
Lake at Princeton and along Stoney
Brook into the Delaware river wa
tershed. The canal attains its high
est level at Kingston, which leve
CONTINUES to the State street lock in
Trenton, where the canal begins tc
go down to meet the Delaware river
at Bordentown.
While there was little or no ship
ping on the waterway, there seemed
to be no apparent reason why there
] should not be- There is near
depth of eight feet throughout it'
length of the canal which is ample
water for the average canal boat OF
freighter. Why the waterway is ap-
parently abandoned is the question
! the Senate Investigating Committee
is trying to have answered.
The committee was appointed il
pursuance of a resolution adopted al