Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-01
TO VIEW SITE OF
PROPOSED CANAL
Appropriations Committee and
Harbors Commission TO Cross
State in Autos.

DpoGtdi 10 the evening Sthfs
TRENTON, Oct. 1.-State Senator
Charles O'Connor Hennessy, of Ber-
gen county, today annouced that on
Friday, October 16, the members of
the joint appropriations committee
and the river and harbors commits
sion viii make an inspection of the
territory through which it is pro-
posed to construct the ship canal
across New Jersey from BordentoWn
to New York bay. This project was
committed by the act of the last
Legislature to the supervision of the
river and harbors commission.
1t is expected that Governor
Comptroller Edwards, President of
the Senate Slocum and Senators
Hutchinson and White will accom-
pany the party. The last three
named represent the counties
through which the proposed canal
Wiz probably pass Invitations have
also been extended to the New Jer-
sey representatives in the Senate
and House at Washington.
The official party will assemble at
Perth Amboy on October 16, the date
, of the inspection, at $3.50 a. M, and
after viewing the waterway condi-
to the canal, will then proceed in
automobiles to the Delaware river
at Bordentown along roads that will
follow as closely as possible the sur
veyed canal route.
Senator Hennessy today said that
the object of the proposed inspec-
ton was to enable his committee to
formulate recommendations to the
next Legislature. There is a large
| question of expense involved in this
| project said the Bergen man, land
| the problem Is how best to provide
the money. assuming that the Legis-
| lature will deem Ii wise to go ahead
with the matter. The United States
army engineers have already rec
| commended the building of this canal
| by the Federal government. IL New
/ Jersey will provide the right of way.
This would mean an expenditure. by
| the Federal government of from
| twenty-five to forty-flve millions of
| dollars, according to the depth of
| the waterway The right of way to
be supplied by the State would prob
bly, cost s1,00O,000.
| I'VE find that new interest has
| been aroused In this undertaking, not
| merely because Of the recognition of
| it's great commercial Importance. but
because recent naval happenings in
Europe have demonstrated that a
canal of this kind might be of i'm
| mense strategical Importance in the
| event of war. Secretary of the Navy
Daniels has recently given emphatic
expression to this thought.
"Should the canal be built with
! federal aid, as suggested. 1t would
| provide more than sixty miles of new
waterfront for the State, large part
of which, 1t Is thought, will be avail
able for manufacturing sites. while
making a great addition to our
riparian values. The owners OF land
contiguous to the canal front would
be tremendously benefited by the i'm
provement, and it has been suggested
! that the cost of acquiring the right
of-way might be shifted in part or
| in whole from the treasury of the
State, by a system of graduated as
| easements for benefits to be dis
tributed over the area contiguous to
the canaI. This Is one of the ques-
lions that the committee will have to
/ investigate.