Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-02-01
CALL TO ARMS
FOR WATERWAY
ENTHUSIASTS
Mayor DonnelIy, of Trenton,
Calls Barkman'S Bill "Perni-
cious"-Urges Action
FIGHT is IMMINENT
Morris County Mans Bill
Would Repeal Hoffman's
Ship Canal Measure

In a letter to Assemblyman Har-
old Hoffman, Mayor Frederick w.
Donnelly, of Trenton, one of the
leading ship canal advocates of the
state, declarfs that assembly Bill
No. 1877, introduced by Assemblyman
Barkman, of Morris county, for the
purpose of repeating the Hoffman
measure of last year making an ap-
preparation of $S75.000.00 for the
purchase of right of way for the
New Jersey Ship Canal, Is PERM
! cious'', and he sounds the call for
every waterway advocate to join in
a fight to prevent the passage OF
| this measure.
Colonel Newcomer, of the United
| States engineers. returned on jan
uary 10 from Washington, where
he went before the board of en-
gineers in the matter of the New
Jersey Ship Canal. His report was
returned with instructions that he
get further data as to the value OF
the cana both from the immediate
| prospective use and for the future.
The Atlantic Deeper Waterways AS
ISOLATION is cooperating with the en-
gineers to secure the necessary data
in the hope that it will go before
congress at the present session.
Mayor Donnelly feels that the pas
sage of any legislation affecting the
funds that have been appropriated
will seriously hinder the program of
the waterways associations, and the
the board of engineers, and would
undoubtedly kill all hopes of fav-
orable action by congress. Assem-
blyman Hoffman has announced
his intention of fighting the repeater
in the legislature, and will make
strong effort to prevent its passage
in the House of Assembly, where II
is said that the delegation from Pas
sale, Morris, and Essex counties who
WELD a strong influence in the lower
House, will make determined effort
to pass the repeater. Should it pass
the House, however, Senator Morgan
+. Larson will endeavor to prevent
its passage in the senate.
The Middlesex county assembly
| man has also announced his inten-
tion of making a careful study of
all legislation affecting the disposi-
ton of the Morris canal, in so far
as it will affect the New Jersey ship
canal project by appropriating funds
| that have already been set aside
under last years legislation for the
! ship canal purchase.
Tide Level Canal
Colonel Newcomer. it is under
| stood has recommended the aban-
/ donment of a local canal project
across New Jersey and the substitu-
/ tion of a tide-level canal. The
] M Tn ri ne 4
to favor recommendation, but has
referred the matter back for later
| details as to prospective traffic, In
order to support more strongly the
important project when it is pre-
sented to congress.
There are over eight bills in re-
gard to the disposition of the old
Morris canal in the legislature this
year." said Assemblyman Hoffman
this morning. land some of them,
am convinced, will affect the dispo-
lsition of the funds received from the
! Lehigh Valley Railroad Company
and which have already been appro-
priated for the purchase of the ship
canal right-of-way.
| "Some of this legislation has been
/ drafted to incorporate the recon-
mendations of the governors special
commission to determine the method
OF disposing of the old canal proper
ity. Senate Bill No. 120, by Senator
Bright, provides that all money here
ltofore or hereafter paid to the state
by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany, together with interest, rents
and all other income. moneys re-
ceived as the purchase price upon
| any property sold, and all moneys to
be received from the diversion of
water shall-constitute a special fund
to be known as the Canal Fund.
s'The entire cost of dismantling the
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