Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-11-04

H matter is of such serious Importance to
the city both at the present time ana
in the future, that 1 feel warranted IN
asking, in case the law he sustained,
that a special appropriation of $4,000 DC
set aside to my order, so that l may
secure a complete analysis of the SUD-
ject, with recommendations thereupon
from engineering talent of the ighes
!, class.
In the consideration of this mat
ter the fact should not be lost sight OF
that the project is first OF all an at
tempt to reclaim the meadows which
constitute now IN u%nsightly waste, a
detriment to settlement and business
and an actual menace to health. The
material for filing, it appears TO me,
cannot be obtained as readily or as
expeditiously in any other way as by
utilizing the earth dredged out of the
bed of what it is proposed shal be the
ship-canal. If we can reclaim the
\ meadows n at the same time largely
increase our facilities for foreign and
domestic we shall be so
much the gamers"
Appropriation Wanted.
In due course the appropriation for
which I asked; was granted, n en-
gagged two engineers of wide reputation
to make an analysis of the plan OF the
advisory commission. These gentlemen
filed with me a report bearing date OF
April Il, 1909.
One of them substantially agreed with
the advisory commissions project. Inc
other one suggested a different treat
ment of the meadow Land. and submit
ted a plan of his own, carrying out his
ideas. In this plan also a snip canal
!, was an essential feature.
The suggestion and plan OF the en-
gineer in question were referred 10
the consulting engineers of the adVls-
,ory. commission, and under date OF
July q, 1909, these gentlemen filed u
report in which they reaffirmed their
beIief in the merit of the original plan,
and stated their reasons for disagree
ing with the recommendations of the
nginekr who had dissented from their
conclusions. A formal letter from TINS
engineer bearing date of August H.
6909. and defending his conclusions was
the next step in the matter.
Reports show Differences.
These several reports and letters had
shown such a wide difference of opinion
on what I could not but regard as es-
sential feature of an important pro-
iiect. that on September 16, 1909, L sent
= speoial message to the Board OF
Street and Water Commissioners IN
which l spoke as follows:
In the several reports submitted by
the advisory engineers of YOU honor
able body and Henry S. Adams, one OF
the engineers engaged by me to go over
the projected plans for meadow recla-
nation. and the construction of docks
and a ship canal, there ave been ex-
hibited so many and such serious differ
ences of opinion from a technical stand
point that it seems to me it would be
highly proper and desirable to have a
conference or series of conferences at
which these experts might discuss the
points of issue in the presence of the
city authorities and others.
81 would suggest that your honor
able body arrange for a series of pub
lie conferences, to which might be in
yited members of the Board of Trade
and others who have interested them
selves in the project, in addition to the
city officials who woul naturally at
tend. i believe that l could range
for a visit of Mr.. Adams to the city
during the session of such a confer
ence, and | am of the impression that
such compensation as he might desire
could be granted to him out of the I'M
expended balance of the fund appro-
priated to my order by the Common
Council for the purpose of securing
expert opinion upon the plans for the
projected improvement.
at seems scarcely necessary to point
the advantages Of such a conference
as 1 ropose. In a free and, to a GER
tain extent, informal discussion of the
points at issue, those of us who ars
charged with the responsibility or
the plans, will much more
readily reach a conclusion as to what
will be right. At the same time the
public will ebtain a better knowledge
of the situation, n such doubts as
be now entertained as to the
of the project, considered as
a whole. may be speedily resolved.
Stenographic reports of the session
be valuable for future co~nsidera-
states His Position.
In the same message I stated to the
of Street and Water Commission
erst that, in my opinion, it would be
highly desirable. if not necessary, for
the city to acquire the whole meadow
tract, including the bay frontage, with
a view to it's gradual reclamation and
Improvement, and outlined a program
under which 1 thought that this might
be accomplished. The board adopted a
motion commencing the message in
strong terms, and on October ID, 1903,
had a public hearing or conference, at