Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-21
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETS
TO DECIDE ON HARBOR PLAN
CONTINUED from page ~
Free Port Roasted

81
Free Port Boosted
Getting down to brass lacks as to
what this district should request OF
the Port of New York Authority, ].
Logan Clevenger said that when h
representatives of the authority were
in this city recently he spoke to them
concerning a free port in this vicinity
and they were quite favorably m
pressed with the idea for this section
Of the harbor. As congress has al
ready suggested there should be two
free ports or the Atlantic coast. Mr..
Clevenger was of the opinion that
one should be located in Raritan Bay.
He pointed out that there is plen-
ty Of room for the development of
such u port on the southern shore of
the bay and river and that the shore
is an ideal spot for factories and
homes for the people. The spot
would also be ideal for the govern
ment in keeping the necessary guard
over the port. The free port would
also oe an aid in obtaining the o.g-
eire of the ship canal across the
state.
The discussion then led to piers,
docks and the dredging of the Rari-
tan river. c. Y. Atkinson represent
ing the city of New Brunswick said
that the commissioners of that city
were committed to the building of a
new dock coo feet long as soon as
the government recommends the
dredging of the Raritan river. Mr..
Bloomfield pointed out that one ar
gument in favor of getting deeper
water in Raritan bay and river was
the fact hat the government has all
sorts Of trouble in getting up n
river to the Raritan arsenal, and the
sinking of the meadow at that place.
The mud dredged from the river and
thrown on the Raritan arsenal
ground will remedy this trouble, said
Mr.. Bloomfield.
Belt Line Railroad.
At this time the discussion again
came back to the belt line. Mr.. Du-
Bots pointed out hat the belt line as
now arranged Ices not touch New
Brunswick although a short branch
does include Perth Amboy. He was
of the opinion that this line should
be changed to come from Summit
which would take in New Brunswick
and also this city. The line from
Summit, the Port Of New York Au-
thority had admitted could be built.
but for some reason it had been
dropped for the plans.
General Discussion.
A general discussion then o
place concerning the free port. belt
line and deepening of the Rarltan
river and bay. 1t was finally decided
that these were the most important
things to be considered for this dis
trict at the present time and a mo-
ton stating such, was offered by Mr..
Clevenger and adopted by the coun-
Gil. The motion recommended the
creation of a free port on the south
ern shore of the Raritan bay and
river; the extending of the belt line
to take in the Raritan section, in
GLIDING New Brunswick and Perth
Amboy and the dredging of the
channel of Raritan bay and Raritan
river.
A second motion was also made
and adopted authorizing the engin-
GERS of the advisory council TO go
over the plans adopted in the nrst
motion and report on them at a 1u-
ture meeting of the council, which
will be held in about two weeks time.
If the engineers report favorably on
the action taken by the council, the
council will then present their de-
mands to the Port of New York Au-
thority.
Some of those present were SO
enthusiastic over the outlook that
they declared themselves willing to
subscribe for bonds for the erection
| of a pier and warehouse here.
d. c.. Chase suggested that the
Chamber of Commerce of South Am
boy and this city get together and
| see what can be done toward getting
| the two communities to appropriate
money for the building of docks n
| bulkheads, so that the people of the
4 Il ,ritan cantinn pan show the Port
| of New York Authority that they
are willing to help themselves. He
| also suggested that delegates be ap-
pointed from both chambers n the
| Raritan Terminal and Waterways
| Association to go to Washington and
| place before congress the necessity
| for the ship canal and deeper water
ways.
1t was held that a department of
docks and piers should be a TO
| see if a separate bonding issue could
be arranged for the construction of
| piers as it was thought that the state
ought to allow the city to float BONDS
! without additional taxation on resi-
| dents. The opinion was that the
| revenue from the piers would taxi
care of any debt thai was incurred.
1t was finally suggested that the
board of directors of the local
Chamber of Commerce take the
matter up at their mex meeting and
| appoint a committee to wait on the
Board of Aldermen and see if some
immediate action cal be taken by
them toward the appointing or a
committee on docks and piers which
in turn, can show to the Port OF
New York Authority just what Perth
Amboy will do.