The Penn's Grove record., 1922-02-24

NNLldllI NLlltt AIS NlltlA lilalli VI liAN
Judiciary Committee, made "A favora-
BILE report on Senator Cases bill TO
prevent gouging on the part of land
lords. A large delegation of women
came to the State House to express
their approval of the bill. and when
the measure came out they broke into
prolonged applause.
The house, by unanimous vote,
passed Senator Cases bill, providing
for the extension Of the powers of the
port authority commission for the de-
velopment of the port of New York in
agreement with a similar board in
that state. The measure carries an
appropriation of 100000 for the work.
Democratic Leader Gaede, in support
ing the bill, highly commended the
members of the commission for the
intelligent effort put forth to accom-
plish the great project. The bill now
goes to the governor, who is strongly
in favor of the enterprise.
Resume Morris Canal Battle
The intermlnable question of aban-
donment Of the Morris Canal, with all
its intricate and disputed ramlfica-
tions, may come to some definite con-
clusion at this session of the leglsla-
ture.
What that conclusion is to be, how
ever, was not made clear at the pub
lie hearing upon two pending bills
before the Senate and House Commit
tee on Railroads and Canals in the As
sembly chamber.
Former Speaker Carlton Godfrey, Of
Atlantic City, who has devoted years
of study and investigation of the sub
ject and headed a legislative commit
tee which submitted a report and bill,
which came to naught, in 1915, ex-
pressed the conviction that the pend
ing measures are the worst, so far
as the interests of the people of the
state are concerned, that have appear
ed in all the years the abandonment
proposal has been before the legisla-
ture.
Costs $4,000 Yearly
As a matter of fact, the canal, run
ming from the Delaware River, at
Phillipsburg, to the Hudson, at Jersey
City, passing through Warren, Morris,
Essex and Hudson counties, with
many valuable water and land rights,
has not been used for canal purposes
for 80 years, but the company con-
tinues to maintain it at an expense
of approximately $150,000 a year.
Mr.. Godfrey argued that the purpose
of thus maintaining a property at a
yearly loss, without a dollar of rev.
enue, Is to hold the valuable franchise
and its accompanying rights for the
purpose of making the most advant-
ageous deal for ultimate abandonment.
LET 1t alone" exclaimed the former
speaker impressively, land when the
Lehigh Valley Railroad Company finds
that the people Of the state propose to
fight for their rights in this valuable
property 1t will quickly come to terms
upon a basis satisfactory to the peo-
pie"
The former speaker held that the
states interests in the canal property,
including the two basins in Jersey City,
is worth millions of dollars, but that
the company has never yet, in all Its
proposals for abandonment, presented
an offer at all commensurate with that
interest.
Equitable, Says Parry
Senator Parry, urging the passage of
his bill, said it was the fairest and most
equitable economic proposal yet pre-
scented on this important question, and
that the scheme to name a commits
sion, with liberal salaries and large
expense, would not work out to the
satisfaction of the people. The COM
mission might fix a price which the
state would be willing to accept, but
the Lehigh Valley might reject it and
then costly negotiations would follow.
The hearing gave indications that
the Lehigh Valley interests were
strongly arrayed in favor of the ROeg-
ner bill, but some of the influential
members are unalterably opposed 10
its passage. The indications are, there
fore, that the abandonment scheme will
again go over, probably to 1924, when
the state, under the terms of the char
ter, has power to take over the prop
city at an app dIoNh NoluiNAOhs
In fifty years it would be in entire
possession without any legislation
whatever. The proposal has been to
use the canal bed for a traffic high
way or other public purpose, but the
basins on the Jersey City waterfront
are counted as worth many millions
in the scheme of developing the port.
Battle Over Corbin City
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation vas
the principal objector to the passage
of Senator Whites bill for the lncor-
poration of Corbin City borough out Of
a part of Weymouth township, Atlantic
county, at the public hearing given by
the committee on boroughs and town
ships. The new borough would take in
one-quarter of the population OF Wey-
mouth township, or about 23S people.
1t would have total ratables Of $780,
416. Ralph Harcourt appeared in ia
vor Of the measure.
Tobu ctawort ANNA rod az thp rpnrp-