Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-10
FACTORIES CONE
WITH CHANNEL
Only Thing Holding Back Prog
ress Of Perth Amboy
DISCUSSED AT n. Y. HEARING
Much Valuable Waterway Data
Taken Up--Another Hear
ing in Two Weeks

Much valuable information was
given to the War Department yester-
day at the hearing on the improve
ment Of the waters of the New York,
| Newark and Raritan bay in Room
| No. 512 of the Army building at 80
About fifty were present at the hear
| ing, representing all the cities and
| towns on the waterways to be affect
ed by the deepening Of the channels,
as were also some manufacturers
who have plants or desire to locate
on the waterways If the channels are
| deepened. The surprise of the day
came when the department was in
| formed that Perth Amboy stood
| fourth in the amount of tonnage
handled at this port.
Jean Dubois, Morgan f. Larson, the
city engineer. Fred e. Hilton, secre-
tary OF the Chamber of Commerce and
Copper Works attended from this city.
South Amboy, New Brunswick and
manufacturers in this vicinity were al
SO present. All of these representatives
| put in pleas for the deepening of the
channel from Sandy Hook up to the
head of navigation in the Raritan
River. This channel If dug will also
include the Staten Island Sound.
The Pennsylvania Railroad, made
strong plea for the digging of the
channel. At the present time the Rail-
road pointed out 1t is shipping five
millions tons of coal from it's docks
In South Amboy and with the deeper
channel this amount could be doubled.
Fred e. Hilton, secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce of this city and
b. w. Chase president Of the Chamber
Iof Commerce Of South Amboy both
spoke in favor of the deepening Of the
channel and told of the great need
|of deep water here 30 that large
ocean liners can come direct to this
city and thus do away with the trans
ferring Of freight from barges to the
large vessels in New York Bay.
Secretary Hilton pointed out that
there are many industries which
would come here and locate if it
was possible to bring the larger ves-
sells into local waters. Some Of these
Industries want to locate on the
Staten Island sound but will not do
so unless they are sure that the
bring ships here so that the transfer
ing of freight from a lighter to the
big vessels in New York harbor will
not be necessary. 1t was pointed out
that the Barber Asphalt Paving Com
pany needs deeper water for their
will locate here if deeper water is
assured. The Bethlehem Steel Com
pany. it is understood, will also To-
cate q plant in this vicinity if the
channel Is deepened.
A. c. Clark, of the Raritan Copper
Works. told of the great expense his
concern is under due to the fact that
the channel is SO shallow In the
Raritan bay and river. The copper
used at this plant comes from the
southwest and all of this has to be
transferred from the large ships and
sent by barges or lighters to the
plant. Mr.. Clark also pointed out
that the company is changing over
its system so that it may use oil for
fuel instead of coal. This oil at the
present time has to be brought in on
lighters, but II the channel was deep
er the large tank steamers could run |
direct to the plant.
George w. Goethals. chief engineer
of the New York and New Jersey
Port Commission stated that he was
in favor of all improvements suggest
ed for the metropolitan district which !
includes this city and an extension of |
two weeks was granted Secretary
Hilton so he might file additional stat |
iSticS.