Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-07
NEW PLAN SOLVES
CANAL PROBLEM
Say Investigators of Scheme TO
Divert Waterway Into
Second River.

AS result of the second tour of
inspection up the Morris canal of the
Morris Canal Investigation Commit
tee, accompanied by a large number
or legislators, plan has been devel-
oped which it Is thought by all inter-
ested will permanently settle the canal
abandonment question eG4&li
The new plan, which seems to be
the most feasible yet advanced and
at the same time the least expensive
to execute, consists of making an out
let for the canal In the Second river,
near Bloomfield. The Second river
communicates directly with the Pas
sale river, so that the present ter
minals OF the canal on the Hudson
river would remain intact.
one or the greatest obstacles in the
way of the abandonment of the canal
has been the objections of the resi-
dents in the towns and cities west of
Bloomfield. The canal is In a. good
condition In that vicinity and Is used
to considerable extent for boating,
swimming and fishing.
Second River Scheme Practical.
According to Fred G.. Stickel, secre-
tary of the investigating committee,
the residents of Essex and Hudson
counties and more particularly of
Newark and Jersey City are the chief
agitators for the abandonment of the
canal, while the people further west
are fighting to maintain it.
With the idea of developing a plan
which would satisfy the residents in
both sections of the canal zone three
members of the committee made a
private trip over the canal route sew
eral weeks ago and investigated the
practicability of making the Second
river an outlet for the canal near
Bloomfield
Engineers were called to the loca-
ton, and after a few preliminary
surveys 1t was decided that the
change in the canal course could be
made by installing two locks, and
at the same the connection with the
Hudson river would not be destroyed
During the recent tour of investi-
cation OF the legislative representa-
tives and the investigating commit
tee this plan was explained to the
lawmakers and met with their In
slant approval.
Would Please Residents.
TITS the only plan yet advanced,
Secretary Stickel said, (which will
meet the entire satisfaction of all
the residents along the route of the
canal
West of Bloomfield the canal is a
Of he Ill r.
nearby residents and is the only body
of water near them. Naturally they
object to being deprived of this
source of pleasure. West of Hopat-
cong the canal passes through a
county that equals the Rhine Alps
for its beautiful scenery 4.e,. ~
IF a boulevard were constructed
the canal from Bloomfield
west to Phillipsburg 1t would make
Jersey a mecca for motorists from
all over the country"
The trip up the canal this year was
more satisfactory than the one in
1912, because there were twice as
many Representatives from the Legis-
lature present on this years journey,
and the definite plan. for making the
Second river an outlet for the canal
had assumed tangible proportions,
and could be explained to those inter-
ested in an intelligent manner.
A number of engineers will be en-
ployed to make an exact report of
what the expense of running the
canal into the Second river will be,
together with various other recon-
mendations, and their suggestions
will be submitted to the next Legis-
lature by the investigating committee
in the form of an exhaustive report.
1.-THE latest plan, which will ulti-
mateiy be used to settle the canal
question, emanates from me-" said
Secretary Sickle, who has made an
exhaustive study of the canal situa-
ton in the last five years.
He is in favor of the construction
of boulevard 100 feet wide along the
canal west of Bloomfield, which would
be a direct route between New York
and the Delaware Water Gap. West
of Hopatcong, where the canal be-
gins to descend again. Mr. Sickle
points out is scenery of unsurpassed
beauty, 900 feet above the sea level.
He declares such a boulevard would
open up what is now practically an
undeveloped region from which rich