The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-06-19

The first actual step looking to the
construction Of the New Jersey Ship
canal from Raritan Bay to the Della
ware was taken atTrentonM Monday when
the State Board of Commerce and
Navigation authorized James A.
O'Connel1, of New Brunswick, real
estate purchasing agent, to ACQUIRE
yrpparty along the right of way or to
secure options upon such property.
For the purposes of appraisal, the
ronte will probably be divided into
hree or four sections, with compe-
tent real estate appraiser to approve
prices asked by owners along the right
of way. A number Of title searchers
will also be employed in order to
safeguard the states right to the proper
ty after it is acquired. together with
surveyors and other technical men.
The question of acquiring the land
necessary for the canal caused con-
siderable discussion among the Com
merce and Navigation Board members
Under the law, the board has charge
of the state end of the canal con-
struction.
The fund received from the Lehigh
Valley Railroad comany in connection
with the Morris Canal abandonment
will be used in the acquisition of the
right of way for the ship canal. The
total sum amounts to $4,000, which
is being paid by the railroad company
in yearly installments of $174, 900 a year.
Together withthe interest on the money
the total fund will be swelled to close to
81, 100000.
In order to safeguard their in
terests, the board asked for the advice
of the attorney generals office as to
whether they had legal right to use the
fund from the Morris Canal.
Assistant Attorney General Joseph
A. Lenigan attended the board meet
ing and construed an Act of 1928 and
one of 1924 to authorize the Com
merce board to use the Morris Canal
money.
A peculiar situation has arisen
from the two successive acts. The 1928
act gives the NJ orris Canal money
to the Commerce and Navigation
Beard for use in acquiring a right of
way for the deep canal across the state.
The Act of 1924 gives the money to
the Department Conservation and
Development, with the proviso that no
money appropriated in the 1928 act
should be disturbed As the 1923 Act
SlFCo tlO WIlOto w bu6 OOul-
MERGE Board, it is claimed that the
Department of Conservation and
Development, has nothing to
gain from the Act passed in its
favor
The attorney gene al also declared
that the money could be used for ex-
penses contingent to the acquisition
OF the right of way, such as survey
ors' and searchers fees. Up to date
there is $350,000 of the total fund
available.
Former Attorney General Robert
McCarter appeared at the board meeting
in the interest of Henry C. Perrine,
who owns claV pits between Morgan
and Old Bridge directly in the
path of the proposed ship canal
Mr.. McCarter. on behalf of his
Iclient. asked that the route of the
canal be moved about five-eighths of
a mile southeast, so that it W uld
not cut through Perrine's clay pits.
The pits would be destroyed If the
canal cut through them, it was said.
MIR. MeCarter also referred to the fact
that by following the route as
at present laid out, the canal would
cut through the Perth Amboy water
works.
The board asked Perrine to submit
a report covering his proposition for
the moving of the proposed line of the
canal