Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-09

tins COHkG1NAOn III NtN AVAR hNA ~
has been practically removed from
consideration by the report Of the
Coney Island Ship Canal Commission
that is now in the hands Of he New
York state printer at Albany. Some
of the vital facts brought out in the
report regarding Jamaica bag are as
follows:
Jamaica bay consists of seven
square miles Of marshes surrounded
by fifteen square miles OF marshes
(which have q shore line Of twenty-five
miles.
1T is tapped by only one railroad
the New York Connecting Railroad,
which connects the Pennsylvania and
New Haven systems.
The only other way to get freight
in or out Of the bay is by lighters.
Navigation around Norton's Point,
off Coney Island. is treacherous; 1t is
out Of the question for lighters OF
other small craft during a large part
of the year.
Jamaica bay is thirteen and one
half miles nearer tho Ambrose chan
mel entrance than are the Chelsea
piers.
ut also is the same distance fur
Their away from the terminals of thir-
teen railroads on the Jersey shore,
which most of the freight in or out
bound must pass through.
THE Pennsylvania tunnels are only
for passengers; they are negligible as
a factor In freight hauling.
Railroads now include lighterage
in their freight rates inside the New
York harbor zone; protests have been
made to the Interstate Commerce
Commission which has intimated
some relief Will be given; it certainly
will If much traffic is diverted to the
bay"
With jamaica bay out of considera-
ton from now on future development
of New York harbor on n extensive
scale rests between Newark bay n
.Raritan bay. An impartial investiga-
ton would readily enough show the
advantage of the Raritan as compared
with Newark. We have the railroads
and we have tho harbor. The
Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley and Cen
trail railroads are the only roads d.
lrectly on Newark bay. They are also
on Raritan bay. AS for the Laeka-
wanna and Erie and other roads that
reach tide water in Hudson county.
the proposed belt line railroad would
make them as available for a terminal
ion RarItan bay as for a terminal on
Newark bay.
When it comes to water facilities
lRaritan bay offers access to the open
sea that Is as good as the upper New
) York harbor. To reach the Raritan
There are no narrows to be passed. the
bav affording a broad and straight
! fairway direct from Sandy Hook.
Comparatively little dredging would
be necessary to make this course deer
enough for the greatest ships that
float.
Newark bay can pc reached only
by passing through upper New York
hay and the KIN Won Kull or through
iRaritan bay and the Arthur Kill. The
Newark bay is little better than a
mud fat, the water for the most part
being but four or five feet deep and,
like Jamaica bay, it is almost entire
ily surrounded by swamp land and
meadows.
Raritan bay not only has the direct
straight and broad fairway. but the
| shores are already available FOR in
ldustrial and terminal purposes.
New York harbor must have relief
from It's present congestion. Power
full influences were al work In the
Interest of jamaica bay. That be-
ling eliminated. however, only Raritan
and Newark bays are left. owing 10
the larger population in Essex and
Hudson = counties h advocates oil
Newark bay are able to make a great
deal of noise and naturally attract
considerable attention. But with the
organization of the Raritan TerminaI
and Waterways Association the claims
of the Raritan are not to be neglect
ed.
CONGRATULATIONS.