Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-21
.BLAMEs RAR|TAN
CANAL CONDITION
TO THE RAILROAD
Committee Suggests Ways in
Which Its Usefulness Can
Be Reestablished.

TRENTON, April 21.-In addition to
the request that Congress authorize
the Interstate Commerce Commission
to assume Jurisdiction over the De.a-
ware and Raritan canal, as printed ex-
clusively in last evenings STAR, the
committee which has investigated the
conditions reports the following in
addition:
That the State has little interest in
the canai appears from, the opinion OF
the Encouragement hereto attached.
up to 1888 the State had the right to
take over the canal. Having failed to
do so, the right no longer exists.
III it was desirable that the State
should take the canal over, It could
probably do so by condemnation under
legislative act.
Your committee does not, however.
believe that this would be advisable.
The cost would no doubt be very great
and far beyond the benefits derived.
The State can put its funds to better
use; and, besides this. the same amount
of money applied to a new, deep, wide
and up-to-date ship canal across the
State would bring better results.
Under the attorney-generars supple
nental opinion the State has no power
~ = l. L la AoASo va In S6AAd =
though it may. perhaps, the service. =
After citing various causes that have
helped to make the canal traffic unim-
portant the report of the Senate com
mittee says:
ION the other hand. there is on
vincing evidence that after the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company acquired
control Of the cana it used its power
to divert shipping from the canal to the
railroad.
1T has also caused a bridge to be
erected over the canal at New Bruns-
wick against the protest of the Board
of Trade OF New Brunswick, which also
limits it's usefulness.
1--WE are also convinced that the toll
rates charged are excessive and aided
In diverting traffic.
with the owners and operators of
the canal charging high rates, permit
ting discrimination, favoring rail ship
rents and di~scouraging canal transpor-
tation, it was but natural that traffic
should be driven from the canal and
the canal fall into disuse.
Those who still had the canal in
mind found the rates too high in COM
petition with railroads. The owners OF
boats had no organization, and shippers
found only a desultory service at
hand"
Suggests Remedies.
The committee finds hat before the
canal can be made an important factor
there should be.
l. A reduction in the rates of toll in
order that there may be effective COM
petition with the railroads.
2. The present classification Of
commodities for the purpose of making
rates therefore should be abolished.
8. The toll-rate must be an estab-
1ished one, SO that shippers may rely
upon the fact that the rate will be
stable n Interchangeable and sum
GENTLY certain to insure the invest
ment of capital.
4. There should be regulation of the
management of the canal to prevent
unnecessary delays n discrimination.
.. The canal should be protected
against destructive railroad COMPETE
ton.
6. The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion should be given Jurisdiction over
the canal, as to interstate traffic.
7. Trade bodies and merchants should
unite to use the canal n to provide
transportation facilities.
s. Faster motive power should be
use..
o. The use of the canal could be slim
ulated by advertisement that this
method Of transportation Is open to the
public.
10. Terminals should be provided so
that all shippers may be accommo-
dated.
"A bill has been passed by the House
regulating the rates on the canal. II
is pending In the Senate.