Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-17
COMMITTEE WILL
FORMULATED PLAN
TOPROTECT COAST
Army Engineers and Others
Named at the Conference
in Trenton.

TRENTON, Dec. 17.-Federal, State,
municipal and private cooperation
will be involved to devise and put in
operation some effective plan to pro-
tect New Jerseys seacoast in future
from havoc such as that wrought by
recent storms, which proved particu-
larly disastrous to Seabright, Allan
=. tic City and other coast resorts.
This was the general conclusions
reached, yesterday at a conference
called by the New Jersey Chamber
Of Commerce in response to requesSs
from property owners of the coast
municipalities. In addition to nearly
200 property owners from various
sections between Navesink and Cape
May, the hearing was attended by
: members Of Congress, army engi-
neers, whose presence was sane
Toned by Secretary of War Garri-
son; State senators and assembly
men and representatives OF the gov
erning bodies of a number OF towns.
Apparently acting under instruc-
tons from the, government at Wash
ington, the army engineers intimated
that substantial Federal aid could
only be anticipated to the extent that
any proposed plan of relief, such as
jetties, would serve to aid or pro-
tect navigation.
Such suggestions were met with
the counter argument that the ma
tional government has other inter-
ests which 1t is equally bound to pro-
tect, these including it's reservation
on Sandy Hook, with important for
Z tifications and Its lighthouses and
life-saying stations, which are essen
tial to the proper protection of navi-
CATION.
1t was generally agreed that the
first important step to be taken would
be to devise a comprehensive and
adequate system Of coast protection
and then to find ways and means of
carrying 1t into effect. The matter
vas finally left in the hands Of a
committee composed of Colonel Fred
erick Y. Abbott, of New York, and
Major Il. n. Johnston, OF Whining
ton Del, United States army engi-
neers having charge of the districts
including the New Jersey coast: B. f..
Cresson, jr., of Jersey City; w. Par
ker Runyon, of Perth Amboy;
Charles S. Boyer, of Camden. and
Richard C. Jerkinson. of Newark.
, Colonel Abbott read letter from
General Daniel c. Kingman, chief of
the engineering corps of the United
States army, authorizing Colonel Alb
bott and Major Johnston, in the name
Of the secretary Of war, to attend the
hearing.
Representative Thomas j. Scully
encouraged the conferenoA by fore
casting the passage OF bill he has
reintroduced in Congress providing
for a Federal survey of the New Jer-
sey coast. with particular reference
to the establishment of some system
of defense against future encroach-
ments by storms. Mr.. Scully thought
1t would be useless to seek Federal
aid for the protection of any points
south of Seabright or Monmouth
Beach.
The support of the Assembly was
assured by Representative Carlton
Godfrey, of Atlantic City. who. will be
The speaker. Mr.. Godfrey thought
there would be little difficulty in get
ting a Federal appropriation in, fur
theranee of any plans that might be
adopted. He based this upon the as
sumption that both the Presidents and
secretary OF war, being from this
State. might be counted upon to use
their influence in that direction. The
State, too, he was sure would be will
ing TO do its part to the extent per-
mitted by it's rather curtailed treas
ury.
Mayor Oliver H. Brown, of Spring
Lake, advanced the argument that
the government should aid in the gen.
eral movement as protection for its
lighthouses and life saving stations.
Saying that the beach front through
out Monmouth county generally has
been condemned for use as a public
park, he thought that the municipali-
ties and real estate owners should not
be made to bear the entire burden.