Proceedings of Seventh Annual Meeting 125 



It is the easiest thing in the world to wax eloquent on this grand 

 opportunity for reclamation. I told last night of the little story of 

 Dr. Howard, of our going down into the woods not far from my 

 house. That spot twenty-five years ago was known as Grove Road 

 Swamp. Within the last twelve months $250,000 worth of houses 

 have been built in that swamp. It is no longer a swamp, it is very far 

 from being a swamp ; but it was a swamp when we began, and it 

 certainly was a pest hole. On Grove Road, that ran right through 

 it, I could have bought all the land I wanted at $10 a front foot; 

 within the last two months a man has refused $70 a front foot for it. 

 They have found that it is now a beautiful woodland, and people are 

 now building their houses, in spite of the high cost of everything, in 

 the very place that was such a pest hole twenty-five years ago. 



Now another point. Henry Sutphen, vice-president and general 

 manager of the Submarine Boat Corporation, came down to Wash- 

 ington in the early days of the war, wanting to build a shipyard. 

 General Goethals at that time was the head of the Fleet Corporation. 

 Mr. Sutphen was aware that I knew General Goethals pretty well 

 and wanted me to give him an introduction. He said to me, 'T have 

 an option on Port Newark and if I can get a contract from the 

 General to build some ships I will put Newark on, the map." "But 

 what of the mosquito question?" I said. "I will guarantee that if 

 you put your shipyard there your men will not be annoyed by mos- 

 quitoes." He said, 'T am mighty glad to hear that, and I want you 

 to tell it to Mr. Carse." When I saw the General we got to talking 

 on the subject and he said, "Oh, I understand all about mosquito 

 extermination. There isn't any question at all but that if Mr. Sut- 

 phen builds there and you have an organization to deal with the mos- 

 quitoes, that shipyard can be made free." Well, the shipyard is there, 

 and Mr. Sutphen got his contract for building some ships. 



We in Essex and Hudson counties have the proof that if you 

 clear out the mosquito, industries enter in. The same thing can be 

 done in South Jersey. Here is a big problem, but who cares for a 

 little one ? The only thing that makes a man live is something that 

 is worth doing. 



And so I would like to ask Mr. Gaskill if his department has in 

 contemplation the reclamation of this land for farm purposes. 



Mr. Gaskill : I would like to show you in print, Mr. Miller, a 

 program bearing upon this problem that appeared some time ago. 

 It is a matter that has been discussed a good deal. It just happens 



