Milford chronicle., 1957-06-07
Cape May-Lewes Ferry
Project Under Discussion

A Cape May-Lewes ferry project
may have progressed at least one
step farther following a meeting
last Friday night in Wilmington at
tended by officials of the States of
Delaware and New Jersey and
members of the Interstate High
way Division which operates Della
ware Memorial Bridge.
After hours of discussion and
counter-proposition it was de-
cided to establish a joint commit
tee, made UP of representatives of
the Committee for a Cape May
Lewes Ferry in New Jersey, a SINH
lar committee in Delaware and
representatives of the Interstate
Highway Division. This committee
is to examine all possibilities and
approaches to bringing a ferry
crossing if at all possible
Garrett E. Lyons, chairman of
the Interstate Division, made it
clear that his group were hosts to
the officials of the two states mere
ly for a discussion of the project
where all could present their views
and without taking a definite stand
at the moment. He said that in his
personal opinion he believed ferry
was feasible at that point and
should become a paying proposition
in time. However, the purpose of
the gathering, he pointed out sew
erai times, was merely for a meet
ing OF minds on the whole subject.
Senator Walter j. Hoey Cd of
Milford made proposal early in
the evening that the Interstate
Highway Division set up a $12,O0O,-
bond issue with which to estab-
lish ferry between the two points.
He said that South Jersey and
people in southern Delaware are
anxious to have the facility in the
interest of future development in
those areas.
Pro and con discussions brought
the revelation that New Jersey has
been blocking legislation in the
Congress of the United States which
would permit refinancing the Della
ware Memorial Bridge, extend the
time for collection of tolls in order
that when and if the need arises a
second crossing could be financed
Chief Highway Engineer Richard
A. Haber brought this matter into
the open when he said, 1--WE need
new bridge across the Delaware
in the vicinity of the present Della
ware Memorial Bridge. We can't
get one until New Jersey okays our
n in
staging a hOldup without a gun
AS l see it, this Cape May-Lewes
ferry is a good trade. l propose
that the Delaware Memorial Bridge
underwrite a Cape May-Lewes fer
ry if Jersey will help us to get
another bridge in northern Della
ware-Otherwise no dice"
This brought comment from SEN
atOr Joseph Cowgirl, minority
leader of the New Jersey Senate,
that should his state take no action
at all on the matter, Delaware will
be faced with a free bridge in a
few years, adding to the burden of
the taxpayers. To this Mr.. Lyons
retorted: Remember, we can oper-
ate Delaware Memorial Bridge for
the next 21 years under our present
setup. All we have to do is reduce
fares and pay bOndhOlders in little
driblets That way, New Jersey
would get no benefits for another
20 years.
Senator Charles w. Sandman, of
Cape May, one of the ferry pro-
ponents in South Jersey, pleaded
that the group discuss only the
matter of the ferry. He pointed out
that he had already introduced
Legislation in the Senate of the
neighbOring state which would au-
thOriZe New Jersey to spend 49,
100000 for a terminal building if
the State of Delaware would take
similar action on it's side of the
Bay. 1t also provides for the Gar
den State Highway Authority to
issue $6,G00,O00 in revenue bonds
with which to purchase necessary
ferry boats and take care of Oper-
ations.
Mr.. Sandman pointed out that
he could go ahead with this legis-
lation if nothing concrete were
forthcoming from the Friday night
meeting, but he would rather with
hold it if there was a possibility of
reaching some other agreement
After talks by representatives of
the Delaware Memorial Bridge
bonding house; the attorney for the
bond holders and others, the meet
ing ended on a friendly note with
the agreement to establish the
joint committee for further study