Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-04-18
WATERWAYS To
Be IMPROVED
Active Campaign BY Mem
bsrs of the Association.

An active campaign is being i~nstitu-
ted among local owners of water front
property along the sound to work for
the immediate and permanent improve
ment of the channel and approaches of
Staten Island Sound, provision for
which was made in the Rivers and Har-
.bors bin, approved by President Taft,
February q, 1911.
This campaign is being conducted by
the Staten Island Sound Deep Water
ways Association, it having been found
necessary now TO SECURE favorable ac-
ton in the matter by the Wa Depart
'ment. 1t is planned to induce the de-
partment, if possible, not alone to i'm
prove the channel, but to provide for
all present and future requirements Of
shipping in this territory. This means
that the channel as finally dredged,
should not be less than forty feet in
depth, nor less than 1000 feet in width,
throughout, including the approaches to
BIT from the ocean and the upper bay.
The united effort of all interested par
ties will be required, however, to in
sure this proposition going through.
For Preliminary Survey.
Col. William T. Rossell, the United
States Engineer in charge of the Third
District Of New York Harbor, will
shortly make his preliminary survey as
provided for in the recent Rivers and
Harbors bill. He Will probably report
recommending that the channel be both
.widened and ~deepened. Unless it Is
asked for and shown necessary, how
ever, it is not probable that the width
and depth of channel as above stated
viii be recommended, in which event,
at some future time all the past work
of the Staten Island Sound Deep Water
ways Association, in getting the present
contemplated improvement through, will
have to be done over again.
In view Of the fact that the volume
of the tonnage now carried through the
Staten Island Sound is, with one excep-
ton, the greatest in the world, those
behind the deep channel movement feel
that the Federal authorities will grant
the request for a permanent improve
ment of the channel, and make annual
appropriations to complete 1t, if the
need of such an improvement is prop
.erly presented.
Appropriations Needed.
In addition to obtaining a favorable
report by the engineer for a permanent
Improvement, there remains the propo-
sition of securing the necessary appro-
priatiOns by Congress. It is President
Taft's policy that Congress should take
up and provide for new work on rivers
ana- harhors durinG-the- long-session,
and during the short session to limit
appropriations to the cost of continuing
those projects already begun. Unless
an appropriation is obtained next De-
cember, 1t will not be possible to get
one for at least three years. The pres
ent administration is ~favOrably inclin-
ed toward the improvement and the de-
.yplopment of the waterways of the
country, but two years hence these con
.ditions may be altogether different, in
consequence of a change in the ad-
ministration. It seems to be of vital
importance, therefore, that existing OPP
..portunities should be taken advantage
of and no efforts spared to push the
proposition through this year.
The future work of the New York
.Harbor Pier Line Commission will not
be wholly confined to the fixing of a
pier-head line, but viii include the
..harmonizing Of relations of water and
rail carriers, the intelligent reduction
of port charges, the adaptation of
modern methods to the trans-shipment
iof freight between rail and water, and
the local distribution of freight in con
gested localities, all of which will help
the proper development of the Staten
Island Sound section of the harbor.
With these unusually favorable con-
ditions the Staten Island Sound Deep
Waterways Association is working to
fill up its general committee of 100 and
hopes to accomplish much during the
ensuing year along the foregoing put
lined course.