Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-28
Of
CANAL ADVOCATED
Mr.. Brown, of Keyport, Aston
ishes Colleagues on Commits
sion by His Views.
HIS REPORT SUBMITTED
TO RAILWAY COMMITTEE
At Second Hearing on Nutting
Bill Waterway Board Asks
for More Time.
TFrom n stan Correspondent.I

IFrOm StaR Correspondent
TRENTON, n. J.. Feb. 2S.-Rich-
ard r. Brown, of Keyport. has sur
prised his colleagues on the Morris
Canal Abandonment Commission. He
has declared that tho immediate
passage of an abandonment act can
not be too strongly advocated. This
dissent to the views of the other
members of the commission is EN-
bodied in a report to the House com
mittee on railroads and canals.
The committee held a second hear
ing on Assemblyman Nutting's bill
providing abandonment and for the
other members of the commission, ex-
cept Mr.. Brown, Carlton Godfrey, the
chairman, reiterated his arguments
that the bill should not pass and that
the commission should be continued
Until such time as it can make a COM
plete report.
Mr.. Browns Proposal.
In his minority report Mr.. Brown
proposes that the I.ehigh Valley Rail-
road Company should retain basins at
Jersey City, the canal right of way
from there to Fiddler's Elbow and
the basin at Phillipsburg. The entire
balance of the canal, he says, includ-
ing its property and rights and fran
chises, should be decided by the rail-
pany to the State. The railroad COM
pany should purchase and retire all
outstanding stock and securities of
the canal company.
Furthermore he proposes that the
railroad company should also release
its alleged claims against the State.
including the suits in the higher
courts. The property retained by
the railroad company should be
valued by a board of engineers and
real estate men, and from this valua-
ton should be deducted as a credit
the sum of money which the present
outstanding securities of the canal
company have cost the railroad COM
pany. without interest, provided that
no credit shall be allowed in excess
stock and $40 per share for the
preferred stock. The resulting sum
will be the amount whieh the rail-
road company should pay the State,
the report sets forth.
To Compensate Railway.
For this, the railroad company, the
report continues, should receive a
deed in perpetuity from the State
for the property retained by 1t, and
should be allowed to abandon the
canal and should have the securities
of the canal company cancelled. A
commission to be appointed by the
Governor to carry out this plan is
suggested.
his report:
There should be a provision that with
out authority from the Legislature no
sales could he made at less than the as
sessed value. The right to lay and main
tain sewer and water pipes under all
parts of what is now canal property
should he reserved by the State.
The State should profit under this adj
justment to the extent of several hundred
thousand dollars over last years bill.
What may be termed the one fortunate
condition of the whole problem. from the
point of view of the State, is the fact
that the basins at Jersey City have COM
paratively little value as compared with
the water rights. There will come a time
when the water will be a necessity TO
life itself, and engineers estimate that
this supply will be needed within the next
fifteen years.
Needed for Water Rights.
The increase of population in the north
ern part of the State will no doubt he
governed by the available water supply:
hence the development of this section
will depend largely upon whether the
State acquires these reservoirs or not.
If the canal question is still unsettled
in 1924 it is more than possible that the
State will have to purchase the canal at
value to obtain this water supply.
New Jerseys position on the canal cues
ton is fortunate, compared with other
States. Pennsylvania was practically
bankrupt early in the last century be-
cause of the immense sums of money
spent in building canals. New Jersey did
not invest any money in canals and
now, instead of a deficit of millions. by
the abandonment of the Morris Canal she
should become possessed of property and
money at the least computation to the
value of $4,000,0O0.
The advantages to be gained are so OBJ
vlous, and the penalty of neglect so
plain, that an immediate abandonment
act cannot be too strongly urged
Hudson Maxim. the big property
owner at Lake Hopatcong, spoke at
the hearing, saying he represented
the Lake Hopatcong Property Own
ers Protective Association, which is
against the abandonment of the
waterway. He declared that the
waters of the lake could not be used
for drinking purposes.
Satisfactory to Railway.
For the Lehigh Valley Railroad
William l. Lewis told the committee
that the bill now before the Legis-
lature providing for the abandonment
project was satisfactory to the rail
road, but he added that the railroad
had no objection to the con-
of the investigating COM
mission for another year
At the close of the hearing the COM
mittee was requested to grant a fur
Their hearing. Chairman Leonard said /
the request would be considered, but |
no date was announced. Unless the /
Legislature directs otherwise, the /
will be continued for an