Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-02-27
Geran Pledges Support to
Project at High School
Mass Meeting

A small but representative au-
dience turned out for the ship canal
booster meeting, which was held in
the local High school auditorium
last night and listened to enlighten-
ing talks by those who are. well
versed in waterway matters.
The meeting was presided over by
Mayor Russell Z. Watson of High
land Park, president of the Raritan
Terminal and Waterways Associa-
ton, under whose auspices the gath
ering was held. The chairman of
the meeting stated that the idea of
holding a series OF meetings similar
to that of last night is to create pub
lie sentiment in favor of the pro-
posed canal. The next meeting,
Mayor Watson said, will be held in
keyport at "a date to be announced
in the near future.
Mayor Wilson greeted those who
came to address the meeting and
those who came to hear more facts
about the proposed ship canal as
we'll. He pointed out that an inland
waterway, from Morgan to Borden
town, would furnish the connecting
link in a chain of canals extending
from the New England States to
Florida, and would not only reduce
the freight costs and the cost of in
surance on ships, which are forced
to take the outside course" but
woul also do away with the high toll
in lives, hulls and cargoes, reaped
annually along the Atlantic coast.
Mayor Wilson said that other
speakers expertly advised in the
technical features OF the canal would
explain the jroject to the audience
so he would lay particular stress on
the benefits of the waterway from
humanitarian standpoint. One or
the most dangerous coasts of the At
lantic, the mayor said, is to be found
from Sandy Hook to Cape May, and
the canal will make it unnecessary
for ships proceeding to Philadelphia
from New York to take this hazard
Gus trip. THE only person who
might criticize the project" Mayor
Wilson said, would be the railroad
lobbyist who sees the railroads los
ing money as the result of lost
freight carrying business when the
canal is completed. In closing the
mayor urged all of those interested
in the canal to do their utmost in i'm
pressing the legislators throughout
the state of the Importance and need
of this waterway.
Mayor Donnelly Speaks
Mayor Donnelly, of Trenton, gave |
a comprehensive talk en- the techni- |
cal points of the proposed ship canal |
and gave short resume of the !
foundation of the Atlantic Deeper |
Waterways Association which, al |
though it had it's birth in New Jer- |
sey, has not yet succeeded in acquir- |
lns for New Jersey that other states !
have secured in the way of water !
ways. The Trenton mayor pointed |
out that the lack of the New Jersey |
ship canal makes it impossible to |
reap the full benefits of inland |
transportation as ships |
which start from either the north or
south of New Jersey over inland |
routes must take to the Atlantic
Ocean in order to go between New
Y ork and Philadelphia.
The speaker told what the city of |
Trenton is doing il order to make
that place a seaport although it is
$50 miles from the sea. He told of |
he large amount of waterfront prop
erty which had been acquired, mu-
1icipal piers and the plans for the
future in having sufficiently deep,
]
IF the larger vessels going to Tren-
on.
The establishment of the canal
would create at least fifty miles of
new manufa cturing sites, Mayor
Donnelly said, and terminals could
,e built along the shores of the canal
which would open up a new indus
rial section in New Jersey. The
ANAL would be about 125 feet wide
1t the bottom and constructed at a
iepth of twenty-five or thirty-five
'eet, the speaker said. The exact
width of the right of way which the
tate would buy is not known al
hough it has been suggested that
he strip be 1000 feet wide, making
t possible to utilize 800 feet on
'ither side of the canal for terminals
Ind wharves. IL
Mayor Donnelly laid stress upon
he saving in time of delivering
reight shipments as the result of
passage through the canal, rather !
han going down the coast; the saw
ng in the cost of building freight
arrying ships capable of being used
n canal service but not constructed
or coastwise use; the saving in the !
alaries paid the crews of these
hips, fewer and less experienced |
men being needed for canal work !
han on ocean-going steamers; the
aving on insurance on the ships. as
he dangers of outside navigation
lould not be encountered. y
The speaker said the west and
are going ahead in pre-
airing for the future and that mil .
CONTINUED on pasa twoJ
New Packer House Business Mems Lunch