The sun., 1919-10-21
TRANS-NEW JERSEY
CANAL IS ENDORSED
Project Would Connect Ports
Of Philadelphia and
New York.

Necessity of directing the attention of
the Western and middle Western MEM
bers Of Congress to the needs, economic
and industrial, of the people along the
Atlantic coast was emphasized yester-
day at a hearing before the New York
New Jersey Port and Harbor Develop
ment Commission on the project to con-
struct canal across the state of New
Jersey from Bordentovn on the Della
ware River to Morgan on Raritan Bay.
No difference of poinion as to the de-
STABILITY OF the waterway development
was expressed at the hearing, which was
held in City Hall. Each of a dozen
speakers favored the project and the
problems of the engineering features and
depth were left for further consideration.
The project under discussion is for a
waterway crossing New Jersey from the
Delaware to Raritan Bay that will per-
NIT Of navigation between the ports of
Philadelphia and New York by an in
land route. 1t is TO he part of a great
intracoastal canal planned to extend
from New england to F'lorijs and has
been surveyed and reported on favoraoly
by a special board OF army engineers
Representative j. Hampton Moore. Re
publican candidate for Mayor of Phila-
delphia, and Mayor Frederick w. Don
nelly Of Trenton were among the chief
1T Is time" said Mayor Donnelly
that a halt was called and the middle
West stopped from getting away with so
per cent. of the appropriations in the
rivers and harbors bill for improvements
that do not compare in national impor-
lance to this"
Representative Moore held that the
problem was a national one that 1t de-
manded immediate attention; that the
experiences of the war had demonstrated
the demand for just such an inland
waterway.
1T is a matter of the utmost i'm
portance to the States of New York
New Jersey and Pennsylvania" he said.
The development of the ports OF Boston
Philadelphia. Baltimore, Norfolk and
other places further south will increase
the shipping business in New York,
where so many projects originate, and
will tend to relieve the present conges-
ton in the harbor.
THE big problem, however. is the
education Of Congressman TO the neces-
sity for this improvement. Some mem
bers of Congress last only two years
and the work of education has to be
done all over again with their success
sors The western members have theiI
own pet projects for inland waterways
and those from California are particu-
larly interested in the development Of
coastal canals as n means OF military
preparedness. They are apt to overlook
the necessities of the Atlantic coast COM
mlinities. and the demand for economy
Is likely TO result in charges of pork
barrel tactics when this demand is pre-
sented."
Mr.. Moore referred to the development
OF inland canals in France and Ger
many and said that nowhere In the
world. 50 far as his knowledge went,
was there the economic possibility that
exists in the construction of the proposed
ink of the Atlantic intra- coastal canal
system.
The most pertinent Illustration of the
practical value of a complete inland
canal system, according to ]. F. Moran,
representing the rivers and harbors
committee OF the Maritime Association
OF the Port of New York, was in the
utilization OF the Cape Cod Canal 10
relieve Boston of the effects of the strike
of coastwise tugmen.
Similar Inducements of the project
from an economic and defensive view
point were expressed by former Dock
Commissioner r. A. c. Smith, represent
ing the Chamber OF Commerce of the
State OF New York. who was present at
the request of Gen. Black OF the Port
and Terminal Committee of the United
States Shipping Board and representa-
tives of other civic organizations.
The State of New Jersey has already
committed itself to an initial appropria-
ton OF 100000 for the acquisition Of
the right of way Whenever the Federal
Government viii undertake the construc-
ton work The estimated cost of con-
! struction for "A lock canal of a depth OF
twelve feet is s30,OO0.00O and it was
| brought out yesterday that the same es-
Inmates suggest that a waterway of a
depth of % feet which is advocated by
some OF the engineers, could be con-
structed for s4b 900 900