Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-21
OF MORRIS
CANAL DISCUSSED
Conference Makes Suggestion
for Benefit of Com
mission.
LEHIGH VALLEYS COUNSEL
STATES ROADS POSITION
Representative of Waterway
Lessee Holds Disposition Is
Up to Courts.

At a conference of various organjza.
tons interested in the disposal of the
Morris canal, held In the Public Library
last night under the auspices, Of the
New Jersey Civic Federation, a resolu-
ton was adopted specifying certain
points to be brought before the Morris
Canal Commission to be Included In 9
proposed Investigation of the situation
E. M. Corbin. counsel for the Lehigb
Valley railroad, lessee of the waterway,
was present In the interests of the rail-
road.
Rev. Adolph Roeder. of Orange,
president of the federation, presided,
and addresses were made by John Nc
Gregor Littell, of Mt. Arlington, men,
Der of the Riparian Owners Associa-
ton; Mrs. Howard Crosby Warren,
president of the State Federation OF
Women's Clubs; J.. R. Tinkham. OF
Upper Montclair, president of the Morris
Canal Parkway Association; DIR. G.. A.
Van Wagenen, of Lake Hopatcong, and
A. g. Vogt, of this city; Wilton II.
Caps. secretary. n v. b.. Kane, treas
urer, Of the New Jersey Canals and
Terminals Protective Association.
Mr.. Littell declared that the Lehigh
Valley Railroad Company had failed to
keep its trust with the State In not keep
ing the canal open to traffic; that 1t had
been conducted in a manner to endanger
life md limb and a trip through to the
Delaware was impossible. In short, he
said, the matter was a question for the
courts to decide rather than the Legis-
lature. He declared that the company
was guilty of misuse, non-usage and
abandonment of the canal, which was in
violation of its contract.
Mr.. Corbin, representing the railroad
company, said that he agreed that the
matter was a question for the courts
when it was proposed to take five and a
half millions dollars worth of property
from a corporation without compensa.
ton.
Granting of Charter.
Recalling the granting of the charter
of the canal in 1924 to the Morris Canal
and Banking Company, he said that at
that time there was a rush to build
canals. There was not a mile of railroad
in the country, but six months later and
before the canal was opened for business
the building of railroads began and char
ters for railroads were granted right and
left. It had been expected that the canal
would have a monopoly Of traffic, but the
entry of railroads brought cheaper trans
portation. From 1866 he said there had
been a steady decline in dividends. That
was Ave years before the Lehigh Valley
| Railroad had taken the canal.
The company, he said, invested IS, 600. 00C
while the State had not put In anything,
and although 1t had been agreed that the
property should be free from taxation,
since 1884 a sum totaling $s60,0o0 had been
paid to the State, which was more than
the receipts Of the property. In con-
GLIDING Mr.. Corbin said that later the
company might nave some suggestion to
make regarding the terminal at Jersey
City.
DIR. Van Wagenen, who owns consider
able property at Lake Hopatcong. d.
lated on the value of the lake as a rec
reation spot and declared that the con-
tinuance of the canal was a detriment
10 nut oSdiitys SaPphhB thc "otcso al"
diverting them from their natural chan
nels which should lead to the Delaware.
A. G. voght, who described himself as
a taxpayer of the city, said he believed
everybody was In favor Of abandoning
the canal; that, so far as he could see,
it was OF no benefit to the city and he
could not remember when freight was
transported in any quantities by the
waterway.
j. r. Tinkham, representing the Nor
ris Canal Parkway Association, spoke
| enthusiastically In favor of maintaining
the canal as a State reservation in the
form OF a water parkway. The electri-
fcation Of the canal, turning 1t into
practical usage, was advocated by VIII
ton r. Capps and ". p. Kane, of the
New Jersey Canals and Terminals Pro-
tective Association.
The resolution, which was unanimously
adopted, provides for submission to the
Morris Canal Commission the following
suggestions:
THAT since terminal property canno'
ha sold outright investigation be mad
aa to rental; that in its recommends
tions. one may be mnde looking towart
the separation of canal from railroad
| legislation by creating two committees
In place of the n now called the rail-
road and canal committee, and mat tn
question of ousting the present lessee
be given consideration.
The resolution states that in view o
the fact that there are four genera
propositions before the public for tb
future of the canal, the commission |
requested to look Into the relative valu
Of each. The first is that the canal b
used as a parkway; the second Is tn
identification of the canal and its util
cation for freight. The other two ar
propositions for the abandonment o
Oorto of the canal