Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-13
BAY PIER LINE
TO Be EXTENDED
Riparian Commissions Report
Shows Intended Benefit to
Newark Shore.

Especial to the Newark SfaR.1
TRENTON, Dec. 1S.-The annual
report of the Riparian commissioners
WAS submitted to Acting Governor
TAYLOR today. The receipts OF the
board aggregated 1888. O43.49, derived
from the following sources: Grants,
$50, 1896; conversions, S14,65S.57;
leases, 1884, 1892; limited leases, annual
rental, $21.43; rentals on leases, &c.,
sos. SO; interest on grants delayed in
acceptance, $119.94.
The report says notwithstanding
the generally conservative attitude
of the commercial interests OF the
country the business done by the
commission in the past year is very
gratifying indication of the increas-
ing value and Importance OF the
States riparian lands. The new
business for the year Is about $4,000
in excess of the average for the past
ave years and excluding the receipts
Tor 1910, which was an exceptionally
large year; the business for the past
year Is about $4,000 in excess OF the
average of the four preceding years.
The report in part says:
in the last annual report to Gov
eruor Wilson reference was had to
Company to locate it's enormous and
important business enterprise on the
shores of New York bay at Bayonne.
A great deal of public sentiment was
exhibited both for and against the
proposition; meetings of citizens
were held, and great many sugges-
tions made to the Riparian Commits
sion, as was set forth in the report
of the commissioners to Governor
In 1910 in all such
cases, the people most interested, the
people directly responsible for these
Developments, are controlled by bust
ness and commercial exigencieS
known best to themselves.
I'm this case, unfortunately, the en-
terprise in question has not seen its
way to prosecute the matter of ac-
During the States rights to con-
clusion, but the commission Is war
ranted in reporting to your excel
lency that the company in question
has not abandoned its desire and
purpose, under feasible and proper
conditions, to carry out the inten-
tons as set forth in its original pre-
sentation to the Governor and the
commission, and the commission is
warranted in saying that the COM
pany has actually acquired certain
Upland interests which entities IL to
appurtenant thereto 1t is hoped the
matter may be brought to a success
full conclusion in the near future, as
it would be of enormous Importance
and benefit to the community If this
enterprise and development could be
located on our Shore"
The report points with great deal
of satisfaction to the successful issue
in the matter OF the location of the
exterior lines on Newark Bay, 'front.'
ing the cities OF Newark, Elizabeth,
Jersey City and Bayonne. The report
says the exterior lines on Newark Bay
were originally fixed by the riparian
commission, in 1876, and although SUBJ
sequently the government extended
the pierhead line on the Bayonne and
Jersey City shore some 200 feet, it re-
ceded the exterior line on the Newark
shore some 1000 feet, bringing the ex-
terror line for improvements so close
TO the shore and so far within the
line of low water that no commercial
development, under the circumstances,
could be carried out without prohibit
tive expense and insurmountable n.y.
Geographic difficulties.
Continuing, the report says:
"The riparian commission, through
the years that have passed, has eX
erted every effort and influence it
States government to not only restore
this line to the position originally
fixed by the commission, but to extend
ii to meet the needs of commerce and
the feasible and practical development
of the shore front. In 1901 the com
mission made a strenuous effort to
have this result brought about, con-
tinued through the succeeding years,
and the reports of the commissioners,
L.. ill.,.
1905 and later years, have all been
addressed to this important subject,
ana reeently-this is to say, on April
"a 1913-this board directed that a
map be prepared showing the lines
desired by the commission and his
tory of the efforts of the commission
TO have said lines approved by the
United States government, submitted
to Hon Lindley M. Garrison, secre-
taIy of war, with a request that this
commission be heard on the subject.
'sOn May 2, 1918, this matter was
presented to the honorable secretary
Of war, and it is with qualification
that this commission reports to your
excellency that on September 10, 1918,
the secretary of war approved modi-
fled lines for the east and west shores
Of Newark Bay, those on the east
shore of Newark Bay or the Jersey
tllty anu Bayonne 'front.' Delng some
500 feet in advance of the lines for
merly approved by the secretary of
war, and the lines on the west shore
of Newark Bay in front OF the cities
of Newark and Elizabeth, being $500
to 1000 feet, or an average of 1850
feet in advance of the lines fixed in
1901 by the government, and this new
line agrees almost identically with
the line originally fixed by the ri
parian commission, and is n substan-
tial coincidence with the location of
the lines recently asked for by this
commission.
This recognition and concession by
the government Is of enormous inn
portance to the cities interested, par
ticularly the city of Newark, where
1t has added on an average 1900 feet
10 the available area of land under
water for commercial development in
connection with the dock enterprises
Of the city of Newark.