Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-28
Time for Local Harbor Improve
ments, Says McGuire
BIG WAREHOUSES; ARE NEEDED
Says There Is No Doubt But
What Ship Canal From Nor
gan to BordentoWn Will be
Constructed

Emphasizing the need of concert
ed movement to develop the Raritan
Day and river, aproject that is to be
the main object of the organization
to be formed in New Brunswick Mon
day night, James F. Mcclure, former
president Of the harbor board, has
written a letter to the EVENING
NEWS in which he heartily endorses
the movement and. at the same time,
throws some light on what other cities
along the Atlantic coast are doing in
the way of harbor improvement.
Mr.. McGuire's letter Is as follows:
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
Within the last two weeks 1 have
read with interest through the col
umns of the PERTH AMBOY NEWS
OF the activities of the Chamber Of
Commerce and some OF our leading
citizens regarding port development
and deeper waterways. / think the
time Is here for harbor improvements
and l personally feel that the city
should own all the land between
Smith and Fayette streets and the
land between Water and Front streets
that would give to the city a dock
about $50 feet In length and with the
above land could build one of the
finest warehouses in the state of New
Jersey, they couId have an entrance
which they could call the top deck
and the lower entrance from Front
street.
While 1 was president of the harbor
board In 1917 and 1918 l had a price
on the property now occupied by
the Raritan Mercantile Company. be-
tween Smith and Fayette streets and
also had price on piece of prop
erty between Front and Water streets
and was requested at that time by
the people representing the Merritt
property which l was very anxious to
purchase to put a bid In, but being
war times 1t was impossible to raise
that amount of money necessary to
purchase this property. I think $125.-
900 would purchase tho property.
also think the city should have ripar-
ian rights at that particular location,
In fact they should have riparian
rights in front of every piece of prop
erty they now own.
There is no doubt about the ship
canal coming through. If such is the
case, why not get busy and see what
should be rome with the Gregory prop
erty as far as building terminals. fill
ing In and getting deeper water to
land along the piers that might be
erected? We note the improvement
being made lately by the Perth Amboy
Dry Dock Company. You can imag-
inc what they must be- expecting in
the near future regarding the develop
mont OF our harbor. When the Inn
provement to their plant Is complete
they will have one Of the finest ship
yards and building plants in the
country and will be able to dock most
all stea mships. When you see such
able men who control the Perth Am
boy dry dock making extensive i'm
provements to their plant In the har-
InY- 4
agine 1t would be tip to the citi-
zens to get busy.
The following is an idea OF what
seaports IN the United State are do
ing in regard to building of docks and
terminals to improve their harbor:
Harbor for Atlantic City
Plans for the Atlantic City, N. j..
municipal ship terminal for coast
liners and cargo carriers, were con-
summated when the city commits
sioners awarded a contract for the
dredging of a large area Of meadow
basin and for the bulkheading Of the
proposed wharves and warehouses,
to the Hi Dredging Company. Of
Atlantic City, for $181,444.
Work Is to be commenced upon a
municipal terminal at once. The
Chamber of Commerce already has
proposals from two syndicates to
pace Atlantic City upon the coastal
lines.
improvements for Wilmington
Wilmin gton, Del. is about to take
its place among the ocean ports of
the world The cityscouncil has an-
thorized bond issue of s2,50O.OO0
for the purpose of starting the work
The money will be expended under
the direction of the harbor commits
son. The council has also appro-
priated S1J0,000 for bulkhead
landing for river craft. sheds and
connecting railway which are to be
used as a provision market
The initial work viii begin on the
south side of Christiana river, just
above its confluence with the Della.
ware, where 105 acres of ground
have been purchased from the Lon
dell Car Wheel Works There will
be built a bulkhead wharf 200 feet
long, with tracks connecting the
Baltimore and Ohio. Pennsylvania
and the Reading railways. a ware
house 600 feet long, 200 feet wide
and three stories high will also be
erected.
tContinued on page two.)