Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-02-14
A9%
MUST BE WAKE

Tho rornipo c;ven to Perth Amboy to look after the interests OF
chic norti N the new treaty now being drawn up between New YORK
md New JERSEY comes none too soon. The future development anu ''
very prosperity Of the city itself are at stake IN TINS at'er:
II has been the excellent water facilities that has made Perth Am
hoy what it is today and it will be the continued development u une9e
water facilities that will make the great metropolis OF the iuture'
Tbs EVENING NEWS has persistently urged waterfront deVet
onment for many years. With New York as an example, 1t "a urgeu
r,unicinaI ovnership Of waterfront property. New London, Connec(7
cut. shows what can be accomplished with the proper spirit OF optimism
behind the idea. New London issued bonds to the extent OF $l'oOo'oVo
for the dHelopment of her waterfront and thereupon the federal gov
ernmoM appropriated money for digging out the Thames river making
q channel for vessels of deep draft.
New London docs not begin to have the advantages that Perth Am
Z boy possesses for shipping, yet New London, by not being afralo u
spend money on harbor development, has made that place n 0
the most important ports on the New England coast Perth Ampoy is
in a position to become one of the most important ports on the whole
Atlantic coast as soon as the people here ae willing to spend tn money
necessary to make it so.
A few wears ago the EVENING NEWS strongly advocated the
eiy securing the riparian rights at the ends of every street leading to
the water. These rights could then have been bought outright Tor
forty dollars a foot. As the total would run into over $lOoooo
however, the city authorities could not see the wisdom OIL
spending so much money for mere street ends under water. But today
the riparian rights cannot be bought at all A new policy has been
adopted by the state board OF commerce n navigation whereby oS
leases ar granted.
1t is significant, however, that a short time ago the Perth AmbOy
Dry Dock Company secured riparian rights for certain lands along the
Staten Island sound in fee simple on the ground that the Application
for such grants as made before the new ruling went into effect. 1t
night be possible for the city to get its street ends on the same grounds
as the city, also, went into the matter of riparian rights at the street
ends before the new ruling was in force.
Be that as it may, Perth Amboy has been entirely too neglectful
Of its waterfront. This is a priceless asset and just IS soon IS the city
decides to develop it just so 500 will Perth Amboy become a great
port, taking in The overflow from New York.
The advantages Of Perth Amboy over Newark as a port are too
apparent to be discussed, yet Newark, by persistent agitation, is get
ting ahead of this city in the way of port development and unless Perth
Amboy wakes up the government will be spending millions of dollars
dredging out the shallow Newark bay for the benefit of Newark when
for onetenth the money the port of Perth Amboy can be made suitable
.susny vessels that float.
But Newark, as a municipality, is spending millions of dollars her
self developing Port Newark Terminal on the meadows along Newark
bay. Surely, if it is worth while for Newark to spend millions on such
marshes with only shallow water for frontage, how much more is it
worth the while of Perth Amboy to spend money developing a water
front that needs only bulkheads and a little filling to have water thirty
to thirty-fve feet already available.
The federal government has a policy of helping those cities that
show a Willingness to help themselves. Perth Amboy cannot expect
large federal appropriations for the improvement of this harbor when
the city itself spends nothing, while such places as New London and
Newark spending millions for their own Improvement.
Recently there has appeared in the metropolitan newspapers large
advertisements setting forth the advantages of Baltimore a a port and
commercial city. Perth Amboy has it all over Baltimore for mort ia
ciities til nearer the open sea by a hundred miles " mor and it is
the continent New York. All this city needs is al awakening TO the
advantages that lie at Its door, placed there by nature. and which
would be the means of transforming the city into N of the greatest
ports on the coast If the people living here would only make fnl Use of
those advantages.
Perth Amboy likes to call itself the Paccmaking Civ b,t ~
less the city gets busy on waterfront development it will be left far
behind in the matter of commerce.
In the meantime, steps should be taken Immediately to place
Perth Amboys claims forciby before the commission now forum
Iatmg a new treaty between New York and New Jersey for a re-
organization of the port of New York. Under the old treaty Perth
hmboy is included in that port. The least that can be DOTS is to
lei those IN authority know that this city is to be reckoned with in
anything affecting its waterfront.
A definite policy of harbor development ought to be adopted
"a Whether IL IS accomplished this year or ten years from now
city the harbor facilities that its matchless location entities it to.