Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-12-20
STRONG PLEAS
ON WATERWAY
Large Delegations Present at
Hearing Held at New
Brunswick Saturday.
URGE DEEP CHANNEL
Local Men Show Need of
Making Channel Deeper All
the Way to County Seat.
URGE DEEP CHANNEL

If Colonel J. c. Sanford, of the
L. S. Engineering Corps can be con-
vinced by strong arguments, the
large representation present at the
hearing in New Brunswick Saturday
morning to speak their views on the
deepening of the Raritan river and
bay must certainly have won their
case with the government. Delega-
tions from all the communities in
this vicinity were heard by the gov
eminent representative and many
arguments of weight were pre-
sented
In accordance with the River and
Harbor Act approved June 5, 1920
which directs that preliminary ex-
animation be made of the Raritan
River, the hearing was held at City
Hall and commenced at IL o'clock.
the speakers wasting no time upon
points that were not particularly
convincing.
Jean Du Bois, president of the
Raritan Terminal and Waterways
Association and also representing
the Perth Amboy Chamber of Com
merce was the first to present his
case. Mr.. Dubois said authoritative
ly that there is large section of
land between Perth Amboy and New
Brunswick which is undeveloped at
this time and for which several in
dustries are waiting to build upon
the moment the waters bounding it
are deepened. Mentioning the large
plants in this section, Mr.. Du Bois
showed where much of the trans
portation could be facilitated by the
deepening of the river and thus the
growth of the cities In which the
10, tAI ri hn Int iF1tf n
ly benefited.
Congressman elect r. Frank
Appleby. of Asbury Park spoke
briefly upon the possibilities of the
large tracts of undeveloped land and
told that the large boats which
would be enabled to come in would
be able, not only to bring in raw
material, but could take out such
products as sands and clays which
are very difficult to export under the
present conditions.
Isaac Alpern president of the
Perth Amboy Chamber of Com
merce mentioned specifically several
of the plants in Perth Amboy which
\ could be aided greatly by the bay
and river development and pledged
the final, moral and physical support
of Perth Amboy along with it's re-
sources of $17,000,000 in the fur
therance of this project.
Mayor Frank Morrison, of New
Brunswick, spoke of the deplorable
railroad conditions and insisted that
I he waterway improvements facili-
ate the transportation conditions to
such extent that several of the
plants would not have to depend on
rail facilities at all. Mayor Morri-
son also pledged the heartiest CO.
- cit nf
wick.
Robert Johnson. mayor of High
land Park, spoke both for his COM
munty and the Middlesex Transpor-
tation Company.
\ Charles A. Bloomfield, Of Metuch-
7 en-, who is an owner of extensive
property along the waters which are
under consideration, advocated no
less than a twenty or twenty-five
foot depth. Mr.. Bloomfield said that
il this project materializes the
growth of the cities which are bound
to be affected by it will be astound-
ing.
Director William Dey, of the
Board of Freeholders of Middlesex
county, spoke not only of deepening
the waterways but of Strengthening
out several crooks in the Raritan
river which at this time are great
detriments to navigation.
c. H.. Craner, president of the
Crossman Company, of Elizabeth,
spoke of the inconvenience that are
being met with and have been put
up with in the past because of the
present condition of the waterways
and advocated the use of the south
channel when it is finished for up
stream transportation and the north
nlxa, ~ RI II.
Crossman representative felt that
fifteen feet would be ample lin the
new improvements.
l.. p. johnson laid special stress
upon the perishable products that
could be saved if the improvements
materialize. Farm products especi-
ally Mr.. johnson said, are now be-
ing shipped by railroad and the
congested conditions of which make
it impossible to eliminate the waste
of decaying material. The cost of
shipping this produce by water
would also be infinitely reduced and
the consumer would have to pay a
much lower price, according to Mr..
Johnson's idea. Mr.. Johnson said
that the farmer is not getting the
square deal. and this change would
be a great asset in making him
more contented.
Questions sent out by the govern
ment in regard to this proposed i'm
provement were answered on paper,
giving the department which is in
charge of this work. all the data
which it requores.
Representatives from Perth AM
boy were: Isaac Alpern, president
of the Perth Amboy Chamber of
Commerce; Orin c. Baker, secre-
tary of The Chamber of Commerce:
Jean Du Bois. president OF the
Raritan Terminal and Waterways
Association; Paul L. Fulton of the
Standard Underground Cable Co.;
r. +. Alcan. of the American En-
caustic Tiling Co., and John L. Jar
hoe.