Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-24
SCORES PROTEST
ON CANAL BILLS
Delegations from Affected Mu-
inequalities Attend Assem-
bly, Hearing.
MANY FROM NEWARK
VOICE THEIR VIEWS
City Engineer Sherrerd Tells
Committee State Owes a
Duty to This City.
Especial to the Evening Star. /

TRENTON, March 24.-ScOres OF
citizens from many parts of the State
appeared in the Assembly chamber
yesterday to protest against the Nor
ris canal abandonment bills at hear
Ing conducted by the House judiciary
committee.
Among the protestants were several
men from Newark. They showed their
opposition to the abandonment of the
canal bill except that part Of it which
runs through Newark. This, the New
arkers asserted, is a nuisance, and
should be given up.
Among objections to the canal
abandonment bills was that they gave
TO the Lehigh Valley Railroad too
much for too little money. 1t was
also said the bills were introduced so
late in the session the members of the
Legislature were given scant time to
.familiarize themselves with the Meas
~ure.
Special Session Suggested.
This led TO a proposition. toward
the close of the hearing, coming from
several of those present, that the bills
should go over until next year, or that
a special session of the Legislature be
called to consider them. One sugges-
ton was that the judiciary committee
report the bills with the recommend
atoms that the Assembly appoint q
committee to wait upon the Govern
or. This committee was to request
the Governor to call special session
OF the Legislature to consider the
Morris Canal abandonment bills.
The voice of disapproVal expressed
the feelings of the people all over the
State, from the rousing protest ut
tered by Hudson Maxim, the we'll
known inventor against the partial
draining of Lake Hopatcong, which
he said would follow the parking Of
the canal. Asked by Assemblyman
Bennett IL. FISHER if making a park
of the canal would drain the lake
more than maintaining the canal as
navigable canal would, he replied:
"Certainly, because it would take
more water to keep the canal in a fit
condition for bathing, and the canal
would also have to be drained out
for that purpose
Jersey Citys protest was TO the
giving over to the Lehigh Valley
Railroad of the two basins in that
city, and other parts of the canal,
for a total payment of 81, 600, 000. Fin
ance Commissioner Brensinger, Of
Jersey City reading from his record
said that the basins are assessed at
$4,000 900 and are worth $4,000, 900.
Corporation Counsel John Milton
made a similar statement and plead
ed for the rejection of the bills
Speaks for Parkway Association.
Charles Hartshorne, of Hartshorne,
Insley & Leal1e, of Jersey City. who
said he represented the Norris Canal
Parkway Association. with a mem
bership of 5000. scattered all over the
State. the major number of whom,
he said, have property along the line
of the canal, next spoke. He said ii
is n volunteer association and that
they were in favor of the purchase
of the canal from Newark westward
for a public park. He said they were
in no way concerned in the problems
of Jersey City and Newark. He said:
1--WE favor the plan Incorporated in
The bills for a parkway west of New
ark. We do not favor building an
auto driveway along the canal, al
though that would be a fine thing.
We are considering it merely as a
place of recreation. If it should
merely be abandoned the canal would
go to waste"
Former Senator William d. Ed
wards was the next speaker. He
drew a picture of the lower part of
Jersey city. He said that the trouble
with Jersey City is that the Penn
sylvania Railroad hasn't moved
away These citizens need some sort
of a terminal there To boost their
trade He said: I'VE want a ter
mlnal on the north side of the gap,
and we have an opportunity to get
1T here from the Lehigh Valley Rail
road"
n. Van n. Lane asked Mr. Edwards
what assurance there will be that the
Lehigh Valley Railroad will carry out
heir promises to erect such a ter
Ainal in Jersey city. In answer for
faer Senator Edwards read the follow
rig letter;
George II. Smith, president Prop
erty Interests Association OF Jersey
City:
"Referring to the plan of improve
ment which | laid before the meeting
of your association ON March ., at
which you kindly arranged to give
us a hearing at my request, | beg to
corroborate what | then said-that
the Improvement of the terminal
properties and the location Of tracks
on the abandoned strip to Fiddler's
Elbow will cost between three and
four million dollars, and. as soon as
thel Legislature has authorized the
Abandonment of the Morris Canal and
given us full title, upon payment of
proper consideration of course, TO the
Little Basin property and the strip
TO Fiddler's Elbow, and confirmed our
title to the Big Basin property, which
title is now in litigation, not on ac-
count of any matter of substance,
but one of form. arising out of the
supposed authority of the Riparian
Commission to deed to this company
the States reversionary interests
therein, we win begin to construct
the improvements in question, sub
stantialIy in the manner indicated,
or with such changes as future de-
Velopments and conditions may war
rant, and carry the same through as
rapidly as the growth of business and
financial conditions will permit.
"Of course, in these days of SO many
adverse attacks upon railroads it is
not easy to raise money for such an
extensive work, and the progress of
the work will necessarily depend upon
the financial conditions we may have
to meet in the future.
u. b. THOMAS,
President Lehigh Valley Railroad.
DIR. Kraemer speaks.
DIR. Charles f. Kraemer. president
Of the Newark Board of street and
Water Commissioners. spoke against
the bills. although he declared the
wishes of Newark people to get rid
OF the canal in that city. lie said,
after explaining that he would speak