Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-20
JERSEY CITY WILL
FIGHT CANAL PLAN
Does Not Want Waterway
Abandoned Because Basins
Would Be Lost.
TO DISCUSS PROPOSAL AT
PUBLIC HEARING SUNDAY
Its Sentiment Will Be Conveyed
to Legislature at Mondays
Hearing.
Especial to the Evening stnr.l


TRENTON, March 20.-Opponents
ana advocates of the four bills recon-
mended mby the Morris Canal
Abandonment Commission for the
abandonment of that waterway will
De given an opportunity on Monday
AFTERNOON to voice their sentiments
with regard to the proposed measures
betore the judiciary committee of the
House in the Assembly chambers.
At a meeting yesterday of the five
commissioners of Jersey City it was
decided to hold a public hearing in
the City Hall of that city on Sun-
day, at which the public will discuss
the proposed bills. The commission
ers fatty oppose the bills, as they be-
HeYe that it would mean great loss
to Jersey City, hut they will allow the
public to express itself. committee
viii be chosen from those present, of
which the commissioners will be
members ex-ofiicio, to appear before
the judiciary committee of the House
next Monday
Opposition to the bills which Assem-
sbtyman Godfrey of Atlantic submitted
and introduced in the A assembly We'd
nesday night will also be heard from
Newark and Essex County people,
prominent residents of Morris County
and elsewhere.
The four canal bills are stismatized
by Jersey City people because of the
loss to the city If the big and little
canal basins which would result.
Mayor Pagan said last night: IF
these bills should pass, a possibility
I hardly can realize, it would be a
4Nt,ri hlp r,aic ufria 90 Of Tho
voice of the people of Jersey City
should be heard at Trenton and there
ought to be enough DIRECTORS outside
of Hudson and enough Assemblymen
unwilling to Cypress any city and
county to stop the bills
Jersey City to Fight.
Commissioner Ferris said: Jersey
City through it's law department and
the Board of Commissioners will GER
tainly fight to the last ditch to pro-
tect its riparian rights"
Commissioner A. Harry Moore said:
1.-THE Morris Canal Commission re-
port is radically unfair to Jersey City
and to the State and l shall advise
that the law department take all pos
sible means to defeat the measures
proposed by the commission"
Corporation Counsel John Milton
this afternoon said: 'tFrom the ac-
counts of the report which I have
read it appears that the interests of
the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company
have been well looked after by the
commission and the demands and
rights of communities along the route
of the canal in other sections of the
State have been cared for at the eX-
pense of Jersey City. The report APP
parently recommends the giving to
the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany, lessee of the Morris Canal and
Banking Company, title to the two
fidewater basins in Jersey City which
should be owned and developed by
Jersey City.
1.-THE State commission proposes
that the State shall accept 81 100000
for the tidewater basins, which would
be priceless in the hands of the city,
as they would afford n means of de-
Veloping water commerce and aid the
growth of the industries which now
have no proper public outlet from the
city by water. 1t fails wholly to pro-
tect Jersey City, sacrificing it's inter-
ests for trifling financial gain to the
State and in the interests of other
sections. l shall certainly advise the
commission to fight to the bitter end
any attempt to ALLEVIATE the tidewater
basins from Jersey City and hand
them over to the railroad company"
Commissioner Brensinger said: "I
am informed that the report of the
special commission to the Legislature
advises the taking over of the Morris
Canal property by the State except
the properties in Jersey City, includ-
ing the basins which is to go to the
railroad. At this time | think this
would be so observation-disclosures to Jer-
sey City as to be disastrous to our
plans for future development. 1t
would cut off access to the city's
property from South Cove from the
Hudson River and absolutely prevent
the future development of our val
liable South Cove property. This
basin alone is assessed at 81 100000
and is probably worth much more. I
Certainly Jersey city should be
first consulted and her interests be
considered of at least equal import
ance with any other. l demand for
the people of our city before any
thing is done by the Legislature. a
referendum. submitting any question
of taking any lands of the canal COM
pany in Jersey City or the railroads
by the State for our decision that we
may after public discussion. decide
ourselves a matter SO yitally affect
ing our interests.