Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-02
SIX GREAT PROJECTS

est thing that could happen for Perth Amboy.
The six great projects are:
Thirty five foot channel up the bay from Sandy Hook.
Ship canal across New Jersey from Morgan to Borden
Establishment of a free port on the south shore of Raritan
bay.
Deeper channel up the Rariton river to New Brunswick.
Construction of the million dollar state highway bridge
across the Raritan river.
Construction of the terminal railway that is to circle the
port of New York.
To these might be added a possible seventh project, the
construction of a suspension bridge or tunnel across Staten
Island Sound TO Tottenvile. The need of better facilities for
crossing the sound, however, might be solved, at least for the
time being, by an additional ferry with up to date service.
A thirty-Gvc foot channel up the bay is mentioned first
because that is Of first importance to the city. At the present
time most of the large vessels coming to the industries OF this
vicinity come in by the way Of New York thereby helping to
congest that already crowded port. This is because the Staten
Island Sound Deeper Waterway Association, of which we heard
so much a few years ago, succeeded, with the help of Perth
Amboy, in getting through congress an appropriation for the
deepening of the channel through the sound.
Promises were made at that time that with Perth Amboy
helping to boost the Staten Island sound project, the associa-
lion back of that improvement would turn in and help Perth
Amboy get the much needed channel up the bay.
The EVENING NEWS, at that time failed to see the merit
in giving the channel in the sound precedent over the channel
up the bay, pointing out that the Staten Island sound channel
was the back entrance to the city while the development that
would be of real advantage to Perth Amboy would be the chan
mel up the bay.
IL OulCOlhC 10 ~ 90 tC ~ hANIAN ~NN'D ItSHAN'O1
The influence behind the Staten Island Sound Deeper Wafer
way Association turns out to be the Standard Oil crowd who
were mainly interested in the deepening of the waterway about
Tremley Point. With this accomplished interest IN the deep
er channel up the bay has been lost. And Perth Amboy finds
that there are now fewer vessels coming into this port direct
than there were five years ago. The channel up the bay, then,
is our one big waterway development.
Second we have the ship canal project which is receiv-
Ing considerable agitation at this time and bids fair to sue
ceed.- It means much to Perth Amboy and will, in itself tend
to hasten the channel up the bay. Vessels that are to feed and
be fed by the commerce on the inland waterways will find
Perth Amboy the logical place to load and unload, the mer-
chandise going either north or south by the inland route with
equal facility.
Third we have the matter of a free port. This is some
thing that has been agitated more and more in recent years. 1t
is pretty generally accepted thai ii must be located somewhere
in the vicinity of New York City.
The free port, or free zone, as it is sometimes called,
would permit the manufacturer to land the raw goods from
other countries without paying duty upon it, manufacture it,
repack and export it, without the discouraging delays due to
prepayments and rebates.
One of the most comprehensive schemes for the develop
ment of the port of New York as a whole includes a free zone
on the south shore of Raritan bay extending from Morgan to
beyond Keyport. This district, it is pointed out, has all the
essentials that an ideal free zone would require. Hundreds
of industries with thousands of employees would be attracted
to the vicinity of the free zone. It's benefits to this community
could not be over estimated.
Next we have q deeper channel up the Raritan river to
New Brunswick. This is a matter that should interest New
Brunswick even more than it does Perth Amboy, but we could
not help but be greatly benefited because of the increased
shipping it would bring to this locality. Both banks of the
Raritan would be lined with industries and shipping terminals.
This project means so much not only to Perth Amboy and New
Brunswick but to the whole of Middlesex county, that the
strongest kind of cooperation ought to be brought about in
pushing it.
Closely allied with this is the proposed terminal railroad
that is planned to circle New York harbor. This railroad will
touch every great trunk line railroad coming into New York as
well as the numerous docks and terminals on the waterfront.
1t is now planned to make Perth Amboy the southern terminus
of this belt line. 1t is up to Perth Amboy to see that this is
done.
Last, but very important in itself, is the new highway
bridge which the state will build across the Raritan river to re-
place the present wooden structure which has been such a
burden on the county. This bridge project deserves more at
tention on the part of Perth Amboy than it is receiving. 1t
can be made to mean much in the development of the CITY. Its
location in regard to waterway development and the northern
approach is of particular Importance to Perth Amboy. 1t is a
matter that a competent city plan commission ought to have
well in hand as well as all the other projects here referred to.
1t is an old story for the EVENING NEWS to point out
the Importance of harbor and waterway DEVELOPMENT. The