Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-24
SHIP CANAL PLAN
i TO Be DISCUSSED
Proposed Municipal Improve
ment VIII Come Before Board
of Works Meeting.
TALK OF ABANDONMENT,
BUT NO OFFICIAL ACTION
Three Commissioners Decline
TO Commit Themselves Re-
garding Proposition.

me question of the abandonment
OF the proposition to construct a ship.
canal through the meadow property
owned by the city of Newark viii be
brought ZIP before the Board of
Works at tomorrow's meeting of thai
BODY. in the nature of a motion that
a conference on the subject be called
for an early day
Commissioner Charles P. Giller
says that 1t is his intention to offer
such a motion
Up to this time no action or dis
oussion of the project, in an official
way, has been taken by the Board of
Works, the only reference to 1t being
report of the engineering depart
ment following a report of the Adj
visorY Dock and Meadow Reclama-
uon Commission. containing a plan
Tor the development of the territory
affected.
Anything said or suggested bv
commissioner has been as an indj-
vidual, according to the statements of
ALL At the outset Commissioner Gil
len opposed the ship canal project
More recently Commissioner Charles
#. Kraemer, in an interview, took
similar view. holding that the project
would necessitate an expenditure OF
money that would be an unWise ont
lay ct this time.
President Patrick H. Ryan. OF tho
board and Commissioners Bier
tuernpfel and Denman declared TODAY
that they did not wish to commit
themselves until the subject came
before the board in formal way for
discussion.
Commissioner Gillen. however. was
In no way reluctant In expressing
himself.
"The resolution offered at last
Thursdays meeting providing for the
construction of two roads from Ere
1nghnysen avenue to Newark bay.
across the meadows. was an agreeable
surprise to me; although chairman of
the street committee, I knew nothing
of these proposed roads until the en-
cheering department proposed them
at the last meeting of the board" said
Mr.. Gillen; later read Commissioner
kraemer's interview regarding the
new plan for meadow reclamation.
This new plan eliminates the canal
and COMEDIES exactly with my views
as expressed during the campaign pre-
ceedshg my election. advocated the
bay-tront dvelopment and meadow
reclamation, at the earliest possible
moment. but always opposed the canal
scheme.
During the past spring a resolu-
ton was offered in the board by Com
missioner Kraemer. providing for the
purchase of several tracts of meadow
lend, scattered in various sections. 1
opposed that resolution on the ground
that | did not think the city Of New
ark should go into the real estate
business. | stood alone ir my opposi-
ton at that tire. The ether members
of the board and the engineering de-
partment, claimed st that lime that
the bay front development and the
meadow reclamation should be carried
out in accordance with plan pro-
posed in a report made by the Advis-
DRY Dock and Meadow Reclamation
Commission, composed of Henry Dick
son. Isaac F. Roe. r. p. Goodrich,
George 7. Hand James Owen. G. G.
Elliott ana M r. Sherrerd, which re-
port included as part of the plan the
digging of a great ship canal or basin.
running from the bay front to the lano
line of the Pennsylvania railroad,
which would have piers on both sides
connecting with the railroad spur, to
include the railroad ditch and to
spread out on both sides of the ditch.
81 always opposed this canal
scheme. 1t seemed to me to be en-
tirely impracticable. 1t would freeze
in the winter and tester in the sum-
mer. 1t could only be used during
certain seasons OF the year. 1t al
ways seemed to me that instead OF
digging a hole in the meadows and
allowing the water from the bay to
run into this hole, we should try to
get all the water that is in the mead
ows out into the bay. At that meeting
I was asked what plans l would ofrer
for meadow reclamation, and / then
stated that favored the early devel-
opment of the bay front by the build
ing of wharves and the bridging OF
the channel to bring In deep sea
shipping, and the construction across
the meadows of many roads connect
ing the reclaimed and populated sec
ton of Newark with Newark Bay.
I stated then that if these roads were
built that the owners of all the mead
ow land bordering on such roads
would Immediately fill in and reclaim
their own lands, and that almost ev-
eryone in Newark having refuse OF
any kind to dump, would be obliged
in the near future to go to that sec
ton with it.
I'm fact a great deal of the meadow
land has already been reclaimed, as
anyone can see who will take the
trouble of going down to the edge
of the meadows and looking at the
great plants which are built there
oh reclaimed meadow land. II you
cbver your meadows with a net
work of roads, the filing in process
would very soon reclaim the land.
and that is the only way in which
bur meadow land will ever be re-
claimed. | am glad to know now that
lthe board has abandoned the canal
lscheme completely. or at least that
Commissioner Kraemer does not
favor it.
'1 really do not know how the other
members feel on the subject at the
present time No conference has been
held to, talk the matter over. 1t is,
of course, one of the most important
subjects connected with the growth
and progress of Newark, and should
receive careful consideration. Sew
eral conferences of the board should