I think I am guilty of wishing there were a connection . The 1839 map showing the D&A route, and the 1880 NYT article on a proposed canal, aren't as alligned as I thought. The D&A comes out down around Manahawkin, whereas the Times states that the proposed canal would have come out further north on the Shark River, so I guess just a case of an error followed 40 years later by some wishful thinking.