Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-23
ASK STATE To
KILL BILLS FOR
CANAL "GRAB''
Jersey City Residents Adopt
Resolution Denouncing God
frey Measures.
WILL BE PRESENTED TO
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
Declare State Should Take, Not
Buy, Lehigh Valleys white
ELEPHANT"


JERSEY CITY, March 23.-When
the hearing ON the proposed abandon
fnent of the Morris Canal by the
Alehlgh Valley Railroad IS held in
Menton this afternoon resolution
adopted at a meeting of Jersey City
residents yesterday afternoon will be
presented.
The resolution denounces the re-
gently submitted report of the Morris
Canal investigating committee and
the three bills introduced by Assem-
blyman CARLTON &. Godfrey, which
propose that the canal be abandoned
and parkway be built on it, for the
reason that Jersey City and the state
stand to lose all, while the Lehigh
Valley Railroad. which holds a 999
year lease on the waterway, would De
a big gamer.
1t is proposed that the State, in
stead of negotiating for the purchase
of the Lehigh Valleys lease, start
condemnation proceedings to Gust the
Lehigh Valley and the Morris Canal
and Banking Company on the ground
that they have forfeited their right
to .kr2 lease by the non-usage of the
c6Tlaf The Morris Canal and Bank
ing Company was the original holder
of the charter.
Yesterdays meeting was held in
the CITY Hall and was called by the
Board Of Commissioners on Sunday so
that the resolution could be presented
to the Legislatures judiciary com
1nittee today The hearing at Tren-
ten is before the judiciary committee
Mayor Fagan called the meeting to
order and after explaining its object
asked for nominations for chairman.
Judge Mark \. Sullivan was unani
mously chosen and City Clerk Mich
ael l. Fagen was selected to act as
secretary.
Among the early arrivals were
members of the Hudson delegation In
the Assembly. These members in
cluded Brannegan. Braekner. Carroll,
Cannon, Mulligan and Fisk. They
listened attentiyely to the arguments
advanced, Assemblyman Fisk being
the only legislator who took part in
the discussion,
Corporation Counsel John Milton re-
viewed the bills, going into a history
of the canal situation and on behalf
of Jersey City he read this protest,
which will be presented 10 the judici-
AIRY committee of the House today.
Protest Js Read
'.Ihs-AIQrria Canal & Banking Com
pany was chartered by the STATE of
Anew JGIEEE III ioE1s dili elotbbl iACh
to construct canals from the Della
ware River TO Newark The extern
sion from Newark to Jersey City was
authorized in 1928. The canal was
opened in 1881 as far as Newark, and
completed through Jersey City in 1896.
The summit of the canal near STAN
hope is 81 miles from Newark and 80
miles from Phillipsburg; it Is 9i4 feet
above the Hudson River and 760 feet
above the Delaware. The canal has a
total length of 1928 miles, from
phillipsburg TO Jersey City, and in ad-
dition to this, it has two feeders, the
Lake Hopatcong Feeder of Morris
County has a length of one-half a
mile. and the Pompton Feeder, of
Passaic County, of SO miles; making
IN all 10G.4S miles of canal. The origi-
nal cost OF the canal was $3.50. 600.
''ihe total cost, including the enlarge
rnents up TO 1860 was S5, 100, O00 The
canal was leased in 1877 to the Lehigh
Valley Railroad Company for 999
wears. under a guarantee of ten per
cent. dividends on the preferred stock
and four per cent. ON the common
stock of the Morris Canal & Banking
Company.
1.-The canal property lying within
the territorial limits of Jersey City
consists Of two tidewater basins
known as the small basin and the
large basin. and a right of way run
ming from Washington street west
ward TO the Hackensack River, the
distance in all being about 81 miles
The two basins in question comprise
the following areas: The Morris
Canal, or small basin, 20640 acres;
the large basin, or grant OF 1861 4OZ51
acres The value of the canal prop
erty lying in Jersey City, as appraised
by the Morris Canal investigation
committee is slightly in excess OF
81, 900 600.
Report Reviewed.
"The report under consideration is
made as the result of a joint resolu-
ton Of the Legislature passed April
u. 1912, which is found in the pam
phlet laws Of 1912 Oh page 949. BY
virtue of that resolution a certain
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