Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-07-29
BIG PORT
SURVEY
is SURE
All Municipalities Have Action
to Raise Fund Except This
City and New Brunswick
THEY WILL ACT SOON
FreehoIders to Aid Project
Means Much to This
City and County

within the course of few weeks
A. is believed the survey OF the
waters of the Raritan Bay, staten
island sound and Raritan river VIII
he an established fact. Accofdlns "
r a Atkinson, secretary OF the Hari-
ton Terminal and Waterway Associa-
lion ali municipalities have already
taken the necessary steps to con-
rihute their share to the Sl5,0oo TO
he raised for this purpose, but this
r,tv and New Brunswick. Alderman
at-L,arge Richard j. CALVIN SAID re-
Gently that he thought the matter
would be taken up and acteo upoIi
5 at the meeting of the aldermen hsa. sa
Monday night, and Mr.. Atkinson w ;,
clared today he had been informed
tha+ the New Brunswick City COM
n,ission will act on the matter at
their meeting next Tuesday.
some weeks ago the Board OF
Freeholders took up the question OF
contributing their share OF the eA-
nense of the waterways and went on
record as contributing one third ol
tbe amount necessary or $4,000. Ihls
monev is to be raised by temporary
in,nrovement notes and later put in
the budget for next year. IL was the
oninion of the Board that 1T would pe
some time before all of the money
is required.
FOLLOWING this action on the part
Of the froeholders. South HlveI'
South Amboy. Sayreville. ana w oou-
bridge took steps to contribute tneir
share of the $4,000 and 1t now re,
mains up to Perth and Amooy ana
New Brunswick to contribute .tne
balance. Mr.. Atkinson today SAID
that he is sure these municipalities
will act on the matter at their meet
ings next week.
For wears municipalities on the
waterways and people generally have
pictured the Raritan river and Rar-
itan bay as being ideal for docks,
natural harbor for ships and ex-
cellent for industries OF all kinds.
This fact had been widely adver-
tised ana the banks of the Raritan
river and bay pictured as being lined
with large manufactures and docks
and water alice with shipping. Pros
perity seemed to be just around the
corner and Perth Amboy was spoken
of as tho greatest port In the world.
The first Jolt that was received to
awaken the people out of this dream
was the action of the war DEPART
ment in refusing to appropriate
InO1ey lOT ltlG diOQRiib VI lhC isoi
itan river from the Great Beds to
point 100 feet above the Central
railroad bridge. even in view of the
fact that the army engineers recon-
mended this action.
The war department claimed that
conditions did not require deeper
channel and that shipping in this
section would not support 1t. This
at once created a protest on the
part of the municipalities bordering
along the waterways and on this pro-
test the war department withheld ac-
etion until the municipalities, repre-
sented by the Raritan Terminal &c
Waterway Association could present
further data.
In the meantime conferences were
held and speakers with national rep
utations and in close touch with the
war department were heard. All of
these urged the survey of the water
ways in order that the municipalities
might learn whether or not they
: have the gold mine in the waterways
as they have thought. or II the
waterways are useless and should be
allowed to wind their way to the seas
rs they have for past decades.
Aldermen Take ction
Inc bOdIu VI fAloCi hiCi octW sAAS
Importance of such action and II
was practically decided that such a
survey would be made on the part OF
the city, but before any definite ac-
ton was taken it was decided to
take the matter up with other mu-
inequalities and see If they would
not be willing to stand share OF
the expense If the survey included
their waterfronts.
AS the idea for the survey pro.
eressed, the matter was considered
too big for any one municipality te
\ handle and 1t was then placed in the
hands of the Raritan Terminal &
Waterway Association, to which each
municipality along the waterways
contributes. 1t was through the eff
forts of the association that the mat
"a ter was finally placed before thu
Board of Freeholders and the surve,
advanced to it's present status.