Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-10-11
HEARING HELD
ON NEW CANAL
Army Engineers Hear Inter-
eSted Parties at New Bruins
wick Yesterday Afternoon
URGE ACTION AT ONCE
Morgan -BordentoWn Sea-
Level Canal Project is
Given Big Boost
URGE ACTION AT ONCE

NEW BRUNSWICK, Oct. IL
Delegations from three states attend
ed the public hearing held in the
court house here yesterday after
noon for the purpose of learning
public opinion and receiving sugges-
tions ON the building of the propos-
ed Intra-Coastal Ship Canal from
Morgan on Raritan Bay to Borden
town on the Delaware River.
Colonel Newcomer, of the, second
district army engineers office, pre-
sided over the meeting which was
addressed by men who have made
a study of conditions and are urgent
in their plea that the canal be built
and that work start at the earliest
possible date. The speakers yester
day urged that Col Newcomer
make favorable report to the war
department relative to revising the
estimates on the canal and going
ahead with the construction work at
once. Under a resolution adopted by
the Rivers and Harbors Committee
of congress, a revision of the pro-
ceedings in the construction of a
canal in this part of the state, was
authorized and the engineers office
is now conducting this and other
hearings as a part Of this investiga-
tion to determine conditions and
sentiment.
Some interesting figures were
given by Col Newcomer showing the
difference in estimates for lock
canals and sea level canals secured
in 1912 and in 1920. A lock canal
twelve feet deep would have cost
100000 in 1912 whereas in 1920
it would have been twice as much A
sea level canal of the same depth
would cost $33,000,000 in 1912 and
60,000,000 in 1920. A lock canal
twenty-five feet in depth would have
cost $30,000,000 in 1912 and $57,-
100000 in 1920. A sea level canal
of the same depth would cost S45,-
100000 in 1912 and SS6,000,000 in
1920.
General sentiment is in favor of a
sea level canal of the greatest depth
possible and reports of those present
who have been looking into the cost
of such construction work today
were to the effect that the 1920 esti-
mates were peak prices and that the
work could be done today at a cost
not exceeding the s86,000,000 esti-
mate of 1920. The locks e not de-
sired and reports received yesterday
would indicate that it would not be
possible to widen and deepen the
present lock canal known as the
Raritan and Delaware canal so that
it would serve the desired purpose
of the new sea level canal from Nor
gan to Bordentown. In 1912 a fav-
orable report on the construction of
a twelve foot lock canal was made
by the army engineers but in 1920
an adverse report was submitted.
Mayor j. Hampton Moore, Of
Philadelphia, president of the At
lantic Deeper Waterways Associa-
tion, said there could he no ques-
tion about the advisability of build
ing the canal no more time should
be lost in getting the actual work
under way. The canal, Mayor
Moore said, is a necessity from a
transportation relief standpoint as
the present canal from New Bruins
wick to Bordentown can never be
made to meet the demand made up
on it owing to the limited depth and
width. Speaking of the wealth to be
found in this vicinity, Mayor Moore
said one half the wealth of the ma
tion and one-third the population is
located in this immediate section
Government intra coastal ship
canals are in operation to the north
and south of New Jersey, the speak
or said, and it now remains to con-
struct this new canal which will
serve as a connecting link between
the two parts of this wonderful sys-
tenn.
w. II. Schoff, of Philadelphia,
secretary of the Atlantic Deeper
Waterway Association, filed a brief
with the engineers outlining facts,
data, statistics and the popular senti-
ment with reference to the canal.
Mayor Frederick W. Donnelly, of
Trenton, declared that the construc-
tion of the proposed canal is vitality
essential in order to complete the
inland passage barge service from
New England and New York to
points in the south. In the years
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