Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-07
WOULD IMPROVE
JERSEY HARbOR
CONTINUED from First Paseo

dredge out shore of its present pier
head line.
At the hearing before the New York
Harbor Line Board on June 4. 1913,
modification of the riparian commits
sioners' application was proposed by
representatives of local property inter
ests, this modification called for an
extension of the United States bulk
head line of about two thousand feet
In that locality where it is furthest
In shore, making a straight line be-
tween the existing bulkhead line near
Communism and the existing bulk
head line at Constable Point; 1t also
called or the establishment of the Uni
ted States pierhead line parallel with
this bulkhead line and sixteen hun
dred feet out shore. 1t Is the under
standing of the New Jersey Harbor
Commission that this application meets
with the approval of all the property
interests In this locality and that 1t
has not been opposed by the State
Riparian Commission.
The New Jersey Harbor Commits
sion is strongly of the opinion that
this section of the harbor should be
developed for marine commerce
rather than filled in to make land
for railroad yards. 1t believes fur
Their that IL channel be dredged
in a general direction parallel to the
shore therel will be ample upland
available to permit of the carrying
out of an improvement adequate in
itself without the necessity of extend
ing the present bulkhead line and
without causing the consequent
possible danger of creating condi-
ton of greater contamination of, the
harbor waters. the New York upper
bay being the principal basin In
which, the clean water of the Atlantic
brought in by flood tides meets and.
is mingled with the polluted waters
from the North and East rivers. and
to a less extent those from Newark
bay Such development scientifically
planned can be made to be of great
value to the community and to the
port of New York.
The Navy Yard.
The United States government is
considering the location of what Is
planned to be the principal naval sta
ton of the country-in fact, the
greatest naval station and navy yard
in the world-in this section of the
harbor. A change in the harbor lines
at the present time might throw some
obstruction In the way of accom-
plishing this.
The plans for the new navy yard,
which have been presented to the
government by Captain L. S. Van
Duzer, former captain of the Brook
iyn Navy Yard, show dry docks of
sufficient size and capacity to dock
any ship now plying in the Atlantic
trade or any ship that is planned, so
far as Is known, with an ample mar
gin for increased length. 1t Is we'll
known that there is no dry dock at
the present time on this side of the
Atlantic sufficiently large to dock the
present type of express passenger
steamship and the construction of
such dry dock as is contemplated
by the plans for the new navy yard
would be of great Importance and
benefit to this port. New York in
terests in general and New Jersey
interests in particular should in every
way discourage any action, federal or
otherwise, which might adversely at
feet the establishment of such an I'M
portant station in New York Harbor.
Better channels, better fortitications
and a larger degree of governmental
supervision and patronage through
out the entire harbor would result
from the establishment of such a
naval station.
No Bulkhead Extension.
The New Jersey Harbor Commits
sion, therefore, does not approve of
any extension of the bulkhead line
which will permit further encroach-
ment on the waters of New York
Bay, at least until 1t shall be salts
fed that such extension Is necessary.
The grantees of land under water
and riparian rights would have more
to SELL provided lines were extended,
and this commission Is positively
against the policy or creating addi-
tional speculative land values by this
means. If the interests affected will
give proper and definite assurance
that they will develop the lands al
ready granted them along lines that
will be of benefit to the community
(perhaps in a general way suggested
by the plan attached), the New Jer-
sey Harbor Commission will assist
in every way to present to the federal
authorities the necessity and desira-
bility of having proper channels
dredged to give access to this water
front.
Your commission respectfully rec
ommends that If this report shall
meet with your approval, 1t be for
warded by your excellency with
statement of your approval to the
President of the United States, with
a request that 1t be transmitted to
the Secretary of War.
]. SPENCER SMITH,
RICHARD C. JENKINSON,
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