Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-10-14
To AROUSE INTEREST
FOR DEEPER CHANNEL
BY PUBLIC MEETING
Aid Of CONGRESS-
Needed TO Get
Route TO Sea
VALUE TO PORT

A pubic meeting 10 awake sehlA-
ment to influence congress to appro-
pirate money to make a new channel
line leading from off Sandy HOOK 10
the channel in Staten Island sound,
SO that the port of Perth Amboy will
not have its commerce hampered by
not being able to accommodate yes
sells Of more than twenty-three feet
of draft, will most probably be called
by the Harbor Board in the next few
weeks. The date will be decided de-
finitely next Monday night, to which
date the board adjourned Its regular
monthly meeting last night.
This action was instigated by a
delegation from the New York and
New Jersey Pilot Commissioners and
Quarantine officer Charles w. Naul-
ty, Jr., who appeared before the
board last night. Pilot Allen M.
Beebe, of the local pilot house, was
also before the board and presented
a map showing the proposed water
way route from Sandy Hook to Rar-
itan Bay. 1t would effect straight
channel from the former place that
would form a straight line to the
Great Beds light house. 1t Is pro-
posed to make this channels depth
from twenty-five to twenty-seven feet
at low water. Mr.. Beebe stated that
under the present conditions no YES
sci could come into the port around
the present circuitous route follow
ing the course of the lower end of
Staten Island without danger If Its
draft was over twenty-three feet.
He called attention to the increased
al fu Gil q
dredging Of the Ambrose channel,
letting in such vessels the size Of the
Lusintania. He declared that the
maritime commerce of this port
would stand still, instead of enjoying
its natural and inherent right of ex-
pansion unless something was done
to let bigger vessels into this port.
Mr.. Beebe stated that the big gov
ernment dredge now working In the
Ambrose channel, would complete Its
work there In about month, and
that IL 1t could be transferred to
dredge the channel proposed, that 1t
could complete the work within
about six months. 1t seems that the
line of the proposed channel is un-
der water, already within but few
feet of the desired depth, and that
there would not be a tremendous
amount of work required to deepen
same. Mr.. Beebe argued that the
present channel leading to Sandy
Hook needs celaning up, and that the
money for such could be spent In a
much better manner by effecting the
proposed channel, which after COM
pleted. would not cost as much for
maintenance as the present channel,
he declared. He thought that the
proposed location Of the channel
would be such that the mid current
of the water would keep it much
cleaner than the present waterway,
which lies undisturbed by such In
fluences, following the course and
curves of the lower end of Staten
Island. The channel he proposed
would be four and one-half miles
long from off Sandy Hook to nearl
the Great Beds light house, and 6001
feet wide. He called attention to the |
velopments of the present activity off
congress, which has Endorsed /
scheme for making "a twenty-five foot
channel down the Sound from Shoot |
er's Island to the foot of Smith
street. He stated that this work is
not to be completed for three and
one-half years, and when done, the
port of Perth Amboy would still be, !,
shut off from the sea.
DR.. Naulty urged the dire need of !
the channel to afford more anchor |
age room near Perth Amboy for YES
sells of deep draft that have to an
chor in the channel to keep from 60 !
ing aground at low tide. He stated |
that the ports shipping facilities are
handicapped because a vessel has to |
wait at Sandy Hook for quarantine
inspection, whereas II there were a
deeper channel leading from the /
Hook, they could be inspected easily |
and with expedition near the quar-
.antine office. He stated that largei !
vessel cannot without danger anchor
in the vicinity OF Perth Amboy for
any length of time because of the
hazards Of striking other craft, by
which the channel extending by
Perth Amboy is continually being |
monopolized.
The visiting delegation was prom
ised the hearty support of the Har-
Dor Board by President Bolger, who
asked them to return next Monday
night, by which time an effort will
be mades to secure an engineer from
the War Deartment to estimate the
Continued on page g.