Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-01-07
RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN
NEW JERSEY


attention in New York. The Times
of this morning has an account of
some of the most important. It says:
The acquisition of clear title to
Harsimus Cove by cession from the
State of all its claims to the water
front, for the sum of $500, 900, to the
companies interested, announcement
OF which was made in yesterday s
Times, opens the way for contemplate
cd improvements of vast extent. Har-
sinus Cove is large inlet just below
the long piers of the Erie Railroad
Company at Jersey City. The title
to the property, which consists of land
most of which is completely covered
by water all the year around, has for a
long time been in dispute. The entire
property. besides quantity of the
adjacent land. comprising about five
hundred acres, the whole now valued
at over $10,000,000, was purchased by
q man named Johu b. Cole as long ago
as 1904 for $4,000. Something over
ten years after the State made grant
TO Nathaniel Budd, giving a ferry fran
chise and making him proprietor of
more than half of this valuable water
front. The right of the State to make
this grant was disputed by the Cole
family, and tedious litigation, which
lasted over twenty-five years, and was
ended only the merger of both titles in
subsequent purchaser, ensued. Final
ly, C. G. Sison, A. o. Zabriskie, Peter
Bently, ane others, acquired the title,
and the dispute between the heirs OF
the Cole estate and the holders of the
Budd franchise was ended The ques-
ton, however, was still unsettled
whether the State had right to the
property, and, as will be perceived, it
came again subsequently and gave rise
to troubles which have only Just been
settled.
In 1856 the Long Dock Company,
which is controlled by the same parties
who control the Erie Railroad Com
pany, and is, TO all intents and pur-
poses. the same corporation, common
eed the work of building the Bergen
tunnel, filled in about 5000 city lots,
having acquired title from the State to
the water front, butt its long piers,
and claimed right under the grant OF
the State to quarter interest in the
Harsimus Cove property, lying next
door" Last year the trustees of the
owners of this property, Messrs. Moses
Taylor and Peter Bently, agreed to con-
vey to the Long Dock Company all
that portion OF the property lying
north of the centre of South Second
street, Jersey City, having a water
front equal to two blocks of thirty two
lots, 25x100 each. At the same time
the same parties conveyed to the joint
Railroad Companies which from that
time became owners of the property
namely, the New Jersey Railroad and
Transportation Company. the Cam
den and Amboy and Pennsylvania Cen
trail Railroad Companies-all that por.
ton of the property lying south of the
boundary above mentioned, consisting
of five blocks of two hundred feet
front each on the water line. This
whole property was conveyed for $780,
900.
Meantime, commissions were appoin-
ted by the Supreme Court to settle
the pending claim of the State of New
Jersey to right in this property, and
it is in accordance with their award
shat the joint companies pay 100000
to the State as a consideration to the
latter relinquishing all right, title and
interest in the premises. 1t is claimed
by the Directors of the Erie railroad
company that they have no interest in
the award, and are not called upon to
pay any portion of it. On the other
hand. it is understood that the associ-
ated companies claim that $500 of
the amount awarded to the State
should be paid by the Erie Railroad
Company. And thus the matter
stands.
However this may be settled, it will
not probably stand in the way of the
valuable improvements about to be be-
gun by the various companies After
filing in the land it is designed by the
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