Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-01-27
BELT LINE

In the revival of the talk Of a belt line railroad encrcHng
the port of New York we note that Perth Amboy is not
mentioned. The talk to be sure, is not official, but it shows
the generally accepted idea of the route to be taken by the
road and it is up to Perth Amboy to see that this general i'm
preston is corrected.
The latest report has it that the New York and New
Jersey Port Commission has plans for a twenty million dollar
connecting railroad to begin at Piermont-on- the Hudson and
extend to Elizabeth. 1t will be fortyfve miles long and
would intercept six branches of the Erie Railroad, the West
Shore Railroad, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad and its subsidiary, the Morris and Essex Railroad;
the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad, the
Central Railroad of New Jersey and Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road. 1t is planned to double track-the line and to have at
each junction Wit an existing railroad a railroad yard for
exchange of freight cars. The only big railroad Of the East
left out would be the New York Central, and even that line
would be represented through its subsidiary, the West Shore.
1t is planned, however, to have carfloat connections between
the New York Central and the proposed connecting railroad.
1t is said to be the plan Of the Joint Port Commission to
run the connecting railroad in an almost straight line from
Piermont to Paterson. The road would then run down the
Passaic valley to Summit then along the line followed by the
Railway Valley Railroad to the Newark meadows and thence
to Elizabeth.
Last summer at one of the Board Of Trade Forums at
which MI. Dewitt Van Buskirk, one of the members Of the
port commission, was the speaker, we We're assured that the
belt line railroad would be extended so as to make Perth
Amboy its southern terminus. At this time Mr.. Van Buskirk
said the route had not been definitely fixed below Summit.
Of course, the construction of such a belt line railroad is
going to cost a great deal Of money. 1t is estimated that
the Piermont to Elizabeth route will cost twenty million
dollars. To extend the road on to Perth Amboy would cost
considerably more, But the advantage to be gained would
more than offset the additional cost. Then, indeed, would
the belt line fully encircle the port Of New York.
Perth Amboy cannot afford to be left out of this belt
line railroad scheme. 1t is a part Of the commercial and in
dustrial development Of this section that is Of the utmost
value. 1t is one Of a great many really big things that are
under way just at present that mean so much to the future
OF this city. Unless we are fully awake to the possibilities and
are constantly on the alert we are likely to be sido-tracked.
Other municipalities with waterfronts of their own are not
particularly interested in the Raritan bay and river section.
They realize that once the possibilities here are thoroughly
understood developments will be attracted hther that might
otherwise go to them.
The call is for big mel of vision to get behind these
big projects and work for Perth Amboy. The Chamber Of
Commerce is doing the best it can under the circumstances,
but it does not get the enthusiastic support that it should.
Perth Amboy has to look after her own interests in all these
developments that are now taking place. The Chamber Of
Commerce seems to be the logical organization to do this. 1t
Is only through organization that the right kind of pressure
can be brought to bear and such organization is furnished
through the Chamber o. Commerce. That is the way other
towns and cities are doing things and that is what the
Chamber of Commerce of Perth Amboy can do if the people
of the city will be big enough and broad enough to sink their
Individual likes and dislikes and get behind the organiza-
ton in the furthering Of the interests of Perth Amboy is such
matters as the belt line railroad.
1t looks as if Perth Amboy would have to fight hard to
get the southern terminal of tho belt line located on the
Raritan river. But it is something worth fighting Tor. Mr..
Van Buskirk stated last summer that he expected that the
port commission would be ready to make its final report about
the first of the year. Now is the time for Perth Amboy to
make sure that this city is included in the route as planned.
We should get busy at once and find out where we stand using
our united effort to have the city properly cared for in this