Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-03-16
than train. The reasons the boats
are mot used Is the fact that enor-

~1V hfVt u@0u - tfS thEN Ahot rfAVi
nous tolls are charged by the rail-
roads for all vessels passing through
the canals. at the present time on
the Delaware and Raritan canal the
toll ranges from thirty-hye cents to
$3.50 a ton. It has been figured out
that should this toll be reduced to
five cents a ton, fat rate, commerce
would flow into the waterway and
the people would not only derive a
great benefit by this cheaper trans
~portation, but the owner of the
canal would also greatly increase
their income from the waterway.
A movement is now on foot in
this state to force the Pennsylvania
railroad to loosen the grasp It has
on the Delaware and Raritan canal
and, If not permit the free use of it,
to, at least, charge a nominal price
for boats passing through. The
canal in the condition it now Is can
accommodate a great deal Of traffic,
despite the fact that the railroad has
allowed it to run down by lack of
attention. The locks are 220 feet
long and twenty-three feet, six
inches wide. A vessel drawing seven
feet of water "a pass through them.
This is much better than the accom-
modations of the Erie canal before
the state of New York began to spend
millions Of dollars In the improve
ment of that waterway. BY making
the Delaware and Rar1tan canal
deep enough to accommodate a yes
sci twelve feet draught, and by
widening and lengthening the locks
the waterway could be made one Of
the greatest routes of commerce In
the world.
The fact that this matter is now
being brought to the attention of the
governor and the legislature Is of
particular interest to Perth Amboy.
Captain w. C. Clark, one Of the wide
l1y known waterway men of this
country, Is active LIZ the movement
and has presented facts and figures
to the authorities at Trenton which
cannot be disputed. 1t was largely
through the efforts of Captain Clark
that the Improvements were author
lied for the Erie canal, and he has
evidence of the great Prosperity
these improvements are bringing to
the cities located along the inland
routes between Albany and Buffalo.
1t can readily be seer what the i'm
proyements of the Delaware and
Raritan canal would mean to Perth
Amboy. In fact, without any Inn
at all, but by merely re-
dueing the toll to a nominal sum,
commerce passing this port would be
vastly increased and thousands Of
dollars would be brought into Perth
Amboy as a result of this shipping.
Not only would the shipyards and
dry-docks be benefited, but the peo-
pie themselves would reap a profit
by having coal and merchandise
brought here by boat at a much re-
duced cost, thus lsssening the price
of materials. Perth Amhoy cannot
afford to let this important matter
pass and 1t should use every infu-
ence possible to have the legislature
force the railroads to reduce the toll
or remove it entirely SO that COM
merce can again flow through this
artificial waterway across the state.
The Importance of this matter Ia
brought out by the fact that at q
recent hearing held at Trenton, men
were present from as far south as
North Carolina arguing In favor o,
a reasonable toll on the canal or
better still, to have 1t thrown oper
to free commerce. .
The railroads have had their owr
way In the matter of transportation
long enough, The water furnishe:
the only competition that we car
have and 1t is due to the people tina
this is developed in every way pos
sible.
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