SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF THE SPECIAL BOARD SYLLABUS A careful field check upon estimated right-of-way costs presented by the railroad interests was made by the special board and the railroad's estimates have been found to be more than four times the probable costs of rights-of-way today. The special board shows that the modified plan of eliminating the Bordentown Dam in Delaware River and of providing a pumping plant in the relocated lock at Crosswicks Creek, will be equally effective in preventing instrusion of salt water into Delaware River. Showing is made as to the ample sufficiency of estimates for first cost and maintenance to provide for the installation and operation of the pumping plant. Capacity of this plant, the power required for its operation and approximate annual cost thereof are stated. WAR DEPARTMENT, UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, N. Y., July 10, 1935. Subject: Supplementary report of the special board on the New York Bay-Delaware River section of the intracoastal waterway. To: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army. 1. Pursuant to instructions from the Chief of Engineers dated April 24, 1935, the following supplemental report is submitted by the special board on the New York Bay-Delaware River section of the intracoastal waterway, appointed April 3, 1934, by Special Orders No. 19, Office, Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. C. The specific points covered are those on which the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors has requested additional information. COST OF RIGHT-OF-WAY 2. At a hearing held April 16, 1935, by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, a brief1 was submitted by the Reading Co. and the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., in which it was alleged that the cost of right-of-way for the proposed canal would be materially in excess of that estimated by the special board. An independent check of the figures submitted by the railroad interests fails to show a justification for their contention, although the board's present estimate runs about $1,000,000 over the figures of a few years ago. In order to make the figures comparable, the check has been confined to the limits of the railroads' study, so does not include the cost of spoilage-disposal areas. 3. The special board's estimate of cost of right-of-way, referred to by the railroad interests, was based on figures prepared some 2 years ago, and came to an aggregate of $1,040,000. An investigation just completed for the special board by Capt. H. M. Underwood, of the second New York district, places the probable cost at $2,051,700. Compared to this sum, the railroads' estimate is $8,787,850. A tabulation prepared by Captain Underwood is included as part of his report, which is hereto appended as enclosure I. This tabulation shows in parallel columns the railroad estimates and those of the special board, broken down as to counties, townships, and boroughs. 4. It is to be noted especially that the railroads show $1,100,000 as the assessed valuation of land in the city of New Brunswick that would allegedly be damaged by the canal; while, in their summary, the purchase price of that land, plus damages, is shown at $5,000,000. The only apparent explanation of this wide spread between assessed 1 Not printed. |