The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-14
RENEW ATTEMPTTO
DRAIN JERSEY SOIL
Gov. Runyon Invites Federal
Aid in Retaining Great
Piece Meadow.

With assurances OF aid from Governor
William N. Runyon and the State De-
partment of Agriculture and marked in,
terest on tho part of the Federal Gov
eminent there is now some hope for the
reclamation OF 10000 acres Of the Great
Piece Meadows, extending over parts Of
Norris Essex and Passaic counties in
northern New Jersey. Such a step un-
doubtedly would mean a big increase In
land values there and would lead to ex-
tenslve development and production of
100000 to SIC, 10000 worth of food
stuffs annually. 0
Governor Runyon, after a survey OF
the land, said he believed the State and
Federal authorities could be shown the
value of improving the valley and he
announced that he would mako a study
of the entire project in anticipation Of
suitable legislation at the next session
in Trenton. Because of the location Of
the navy rifle range at Caldwell. just on
from the Great Piece Meadows. and the
fact that II must be abandoned unless
the entire valley Is freed from the an
nual peril Of floods and the grave danger
Of malarial epidemics, it is believed tho
Federal authorities win cooperate In the
reclamation project.
Mayor u. @, Crane Of West Caldwell,
County Farm Demonstration Irving T.
Francis and L. A. Clinton, director Of
the New Jersey Agricultural Extension
Department, have been at work during
the past month on the project. They
point out that the enterprise will add
an immense acreage to the agricultural
resources OF the State and that the re-
clamation of the meadows will make
that section OF New Jersey the greatest
truck garden in the world. Farmers in
the vicinity of the meadows claim the
soil on their places is the most fertile
In all New Jersey and that through
out the 10000 acre stretch of swamp
and bowlands the soil Is equally rich, II
not richer.
The farmers of Morris county, who
lost 100000 worth of crops by floods
from the rivers this year, have formed
Board of Agriculture and already have
taken steps to have the New Jersey
Legislature to take up the question
o. reclatming the land. 1t was largely
through their activity that Governor
Runyon was interested In the project
and made first hand study OF the stu
alton. The floods in the entire valley
through which the Passaic Pompton,
Eockaway and Whippany rivers flow,
were worse during the past summer than
wildly to mind the disastrous floods OF
1903 and 1906, when millions 70 dollars
of damage was done throughout the
entire valley and parts of the cities OF
P9ssaic and Paterson were under water.
These foods aroused the countryside to
realization OF the dangers of a repeti-
ton of the destruction. AS a result the
leaders in the project have succeeded in
av akening greater interest than 'here
has been at any time since reclamation
OF the meadows was first considered
xty years ago.
The Federal Government has assisted
in the reclamation Of vast areas of
swamp lands in Florida and in Central
Western and Southwestern States, and
Jerseyites have great hopes of receiving
aid from Uncle Sam in its big problem.
especially in view of the fact that the
rifle range of the Navy Department will
be greatly benefited by the proposed i'm
provement.
The winding course of the Passaic
River through the meadows follows
bed eighteen miles in length over an
actual space of three miles. 1t has been
pointed out by engineers that the course
could be Strengthened so as to eliminate
at least ten miles OF it. 1t is believed
that the entire valley can be drained
by the construction of a canal rom
Pine Brook to the mouth of Deep-o-Val
brook, the lowering of rock reefs in
the Passaic River at Two Bridges and
the lowering of the Beattie dam at Lit
tie Falls. Whereas the project may cost
a million dollars, 1t is said that 1t would
increase the ratables Of the State ny
ten times that amount.