Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-03-05
RARITARa WATERWAY
PROJECT IS TAKEN TO
OFFICIAL WASHINGTON
Mayor Morrison and Secretary
Atkinson Encouraged
RECEIVE PLEDGES OF SUPPORT
Deep Channel, to County Seat,
IL Is Agreed Would Boom
MiddIesex-Many In
terested

By Special Correspondent. =.
WASHINGTON. d. c., eMarch~5-
Representing the Raritan Terminal
and Waterways Association, John j.
Morrison. mayor of New Brunswick,
and c. S. Atkinson. secretary treas
urer, have been in this city for two
days, and in that time have been
actively engaged in presenting the
claims of the Raritan river for i'm
provement to representatives of the
senate, House of representatives and
the river and harbor board of the
war department. Mayor Morrison
and Mr.. Atkinson met with much en-
eouragement everywhere and assist
ance has been promised on all sides.
What was accomplished with the
senate committee on commerce was
due to the splendid cooperation ON
the part of Senator Walter Z. Edge
who devoted considerable time to the
Raritan river proposition. senator
Edge arranged for conference with
United States Senator Wesley l..
Jones, of Washington, chairman of
the commerce committee. The en-
tire proposition was reviewed. and the
representatives of the Raritan Term
inal and Waterways Association. pre-
sented data which showed the i'm
portance of having the channel deep
ened.
Among other things 1t was shown
that the Eastern Potash Corporation
would have daily tonnage Of ap-
proximately 5000 tons material re-
ceived and an outgoing tonnage of
finished product amounting to about
3. 1000 tons This means 5000 tons
daily every day in the year and
makes the big total of 3,285,000 tons
annually. Mention was made also of
the expectation of the potash corpo~
ration to bring tank steamers from
Mexico with crude oil as far up the
Raritan river as possible and until
the channel was dredged to sufficient
depth, to unload the steamers to
barges. or possibly the oil would be
stored temporarily in big tank be-
low the potash plant and pumped to
the works by means of a pipe line. =
The probability that the Middlesex
Transportation Company would Sc
riously consider the question of put
ting larger boats in commission for its
traffic between New Brunswick and
New York was brought out as an ex-
cellent argument in favor of the
deepening Of the channel. 1t was
shown that larger boats would enable
the Middlesex Transportation Com
pany to handle from four to five times
as much freight to better advantage,
and afford the shippers of New Bruns-
wick an opportunity to ship by water
to New York, which at the present
time is denied them on account of the
limited facilities. Until the channel
of the river is deepened there is no
hope for anything better.
The plan Of the Burnrite Coal Brl-
quette Company to build big plant
on the Raritan river just above Perth
Amboy was brought to the attention
of the senators and river and harbor
hoard. Also, the possibility that
when the plant was completed export
trade with some of the South Amer
lean countries might be developed
with advantage and ships would want
to come in the Raritan river to the
plant to be loaded.
The possibility that the Raritan
arsenal would shortly increase the
volume of it's traffic in the Raritan
river due to the removal Of the ar
senal from Governors Island was
matter which was deemed worthy of
attention, and it is expected that the
ordnance bureau of the war depart
ment will present the matter to the
board of harbor engineers just as
soon as 1t is deemed wise. 1t is prob
able that deeper water to the docks
of the arsenal will be required to
take care of the shipments that will
come there in the future.
After the matter had been presented
by Mayor Morrison and Secretary At
kinson on behalf of the Raritan Term
inal and Waterways Association, Sem
ator Jones said he was impressed with
the importance of the project, ana
would be glad to render such aid as
was possible in accord with the policy
covering river and harbor improve
ments. At his suggestion the Bruns-
Wickers visited Colonel Harry Taylor,
of the river and harbors board, who
received them cordially and the en-
tire proposition was discussed.
The present provision for survey
specifies the examination of the Rari-
tan river from SaYreville to New
brunswick. After carefully consider
ing the project from different angles,
and referring to a lot of data, Colo
mel Taylor suggested that the sftua-
ton might be improved If the ltmita-
ton were stricken out and the pro-
vision for the survey allowed to handle
the Raritan river as a whole. 1t was his
idea that this would give the district
engineer more latitude in making his
recommendations 50 that If he felt,
after the examination had been made
and the data collected, that a certain
depth was required for a specific dis
tance, he would be in a position to
so recommend.
When this phase of the matter was
presented to Senator Edge later in
the day he said he would take 1t up
with Senator Jones. the chairman of
the committee, and he felt confident
that when the bill came before the
committee the amendment striking out
the limitation would have favorable
consideration.
Mayor Morrison and Mr.. Atkinson
saw Senator Frelinghuysen, who in
quired how the Raritan river PROPOSE
ton was progressing. and he said he
would be more than glad to do any
thing he could to advance the interests
of the cities represented in the Rari-
tan Terminal and Waterways Asso-
citation.
Continued on page 60
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