The Penn's Grove record., 1913-10-17
PARK SETTING
OF STATE HOUSE
New Wing of Capito! Completed,
Grounds Being Beautified
EXTEND TO A RIVER
Section of UnsightIy Waste Area
Converted Into Attractive Land.
scaPe-Grass and Trees Planted
Footpaths and Fountains Added,

scaPe-Grass and Trees Planted
Footpaths and Fountains Added,
Especial Trenton Correspondence
Trenton.-Under the direction of
Custodian John Weseman much work
is being done on the grounds sur
rounding the State House in Trenton
this fall in preparation for the crea-
ton of park-like conditions all around
the big building in State street in
which the bulk Of the official business
of New Jersey is transacted. With
the exception of some of the interior
work and the equipment and furnish
lngs, the new east wing of the struc-
ture is completed. Within a short
time two brick buildings at State and
Delaware streets, which are owned by
the State and which are now occupied
by several of the State departments,
including weights and measures and
accounts, will be torn down and the
grounds around the main structure
will thus be enlarged. The new east
wing extends half way across what
was Delaware street, which was va
Gated by the city authorities and was
closed by the State as an avenue
from State street to the Delaware
river. It's place will be taken by a
wide, winding and artistically ar
ranged footpath to the rear of the
State House across a bridge over the
waterpower stream and thence to
and along a new concrete retaining
wall which extends along the Della
ware river for a distance of several
hundred feet Immediately in the real
of the State House. A driveway will
be provided, with Willow street, a
short block away to the eastward as
the entrance from State street. Will
low street at present extends only to
the water-power. 1t will be mate
rally improved and a bridge will be
constructed over the water-power and
the driveway carried to the river edge
and in winding fashion around the
whole of the State House grounds.
What has heretofore been a section
of unsightly waste land lying between
the water-power, in the immediate
rear of the State House, and the river
wall will be converted into a park.
Grass, shrubbery and trees will be
while a fountain or two and other dec
orative and identifying effects may be
added. Workmen are now busy on
the east side and at the rear and a
portion of the front of the State
House making the grou%I level, pre-
pairing it for planting, putting in grass
seed and otherwise gazing a good
advent of winter weather. In the
early spring it will be completed and,
as there will then be comparatively
little to do, it is expected that by the
beginning of summer next year the
State House will be entirely sur
rounded by lawns and landscape eff
fects of greater proportions and more
charm and beauty than ever before.
Coast Improvements.
The inland waterways projects are
of large interest to Jerseymen, but
they should be kept within engineer
ing purview. There is danger of slop-
ping over. Vessels of small tonnage
can now make their way through the
State by way of the Raritan canal and
the Delaware river, and the develop
ment of these waterways is about all
that is required at present. The plan
proposed for a waterway along the
coast from the Shrewsbury to the
M~anasquan and thence to Barnegat
Bay seems impracticable, since it is
the development of a number of shall
low streams which would never be
available for more than n navi-
cation, and might interfere with the
natural flow of streams which now
work in their own mysterious way
their wonders to perform. Any action
taken should be adopted only after
study of the whole situation by the
engineers Of the government, who
W, uld consider all the many infu-
ences controlling.
What everyone knows who has
studied even the maps of New Jersey
is that from Cape May to Sandy Hook
there is not a real harbor Of refuge
for coastwise shipping, although the
traffic is large and would be tremen-
dous if the danger of wreck and dis
aster were not SO great in the long
stretch from one end of New Jersey
to the other. 1t is quite plain that
Barnegat inlet should be made great
enough to admit the larger coasting
vessels, and that Manasquap inlet
should be widened and made safe for
seagoing boats of somewhat smaller
dimensions. All canal and inland
waterway projects should be made SUI
coordinate to these propositions.