The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-11-05
Outlines Project to Reclaim
Meadows, Abolish Bridges and
Provide an Adequate Harbor.

naturally connected. In the first place,
1t must be remembered that there is
nothing more dis~couraging to the ship
ping trade of any port than bridge OBJ
struction, and if Newark hopes to eve
develop into a great shipping centre she
must do away with ship distractions
over her waterways as much as pos
sible.
This fact was recognized in Europe
long ago, and hence whenever in such
cases a choice lies between a bridge
and tunnel, the latter is always adopt
ed. h construction of a tunnel under
the H~ackensack canno be said to pre-
sent any difficulties to modern engi-
neering, seeing that one was made UNI
der the Thames half a century ago, and
one under the Mersey a quarter of a
century ago, not to speak of similar
feats connected with New York bay.
Ships coming through Newark bay
are compelled to suffer the i%nconven-
fence n loss of time of having to pass
through two bridges. and il other OBJ
structions of this kind are allowed to
exist an insuperable barrier will be
placed against the development of the
shipping trade of Newark.
To obviate these drawbacks I would
suggest the following plan for removing
from the Passaic the present bridge
obstruction, so as to give ships a clear
passage UP the river as far rs jackson
street. which will also have many other
advantages.
The removal of the present bridge on
the Waverly (freight) branch Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad could be easily
effected by the substitution of a tunnel
under the river and adjacent railroad
tracks OF the north. If a subway were
added from the river and carried under
Plank road the advantages would be
still further increased by the remova
Of an intolerable obstruction on the
meadows and neighhoring lands.
I would also advise the joining of the
Passaic with the Hackensack by the
digging of a channel from the point or
the meadows where the former river
turns at a right angle to some part o.
the Hackensack between the Pennsyl
vania railroad and the Plank road, and
the filing in Of the part of the Passaic
running under Plank road. This plaf
would have many advantages. In thu
first place, it would straighten TIL,
course of the river and so facilitate TIN
passage of ships along it's course - II
the C place it would give a deeper
channel for part of it's course, as thu
Passaic 10 only from 9 to 10 feet deel
in the part done away with, whilst TIN
Hackensack has a depth of from 20 Il
"a feet. Then the Hackensack has
width two or three times that OF tn
Passaic. and II the land on its eastern
bank could be purchased from Jerse,
City a valuable site for the building o
docks would be secured.
But the chief advantage lies in TIL
fact that by filing in the part of TIN
Passaic running under the Plank roa'
there would be only one river insteat
Of two to deal with, and thus a grea
economy Of both time and none woul,
be effected. The remainder OF the OLE
Iriyer left untitled could be utilized 70
the discharge of freight. The chief ad
vantage resulting from this compare
lively simple and inexpensive plan re
mains to be told.
II a tunnel under the Hackensacl