The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-11-08
LAFAYErrYs STREET WAR.
The Facts About the Recent Attempt to
lYacate Certain Streets.

kVacaIc CertHiu StfcotHs
Many of our readers are probably
acquainted with the locality of the curling
pond adjoining the Newark and New York
Railroad, at the foot of Wilton street, in
lafayette. 1t contains about two acres of
low salt meadow. some fifteen feet below
the grade of the railroad, and is surrounded
by very high fence. 1t seems a very plain,
unpromising locality, but just now it is the
subject of considerable interest in Lafay-
cite. by reason of the application recently
made to the Board of Public Works for the
vacation of the public rights, if any, in
those parts of Wilton street and Bramhall
avenue which are located within this fence
and the adjoining garden. With view of
ascertaining the trus inwardness of the
many extrayagant statements concerning
this matter which have appeared in the
daily papers of late, the TATTLER has
endeavcred to investigate the merits of the
application.
1t appears that about twenty years ago
James Stevens and William w. Edwards
bought this tract and the adjoining upland
from one of the Van Horne family. A few
years later all this section was surveyed
and laid out into city lots and blocks, and
a map entitled 'sMap of South Lafayette
was filed in the County Clerks Office. On
this map both Wilton street and Bramhall
avenue are delineated. The owners of the
property shown on the map signed the fol-
lowing explanation upon it
Eve. the undersigned. owners of land which is
"delineated on this map hereby dedicate the
streets and avenues shown thereon to the public
'use over the lane of each but no street is to be
"ope,sed without the consent of the owners of the
Gland therein except in the manner provided by
-the charter Of the Town of Bergen.
The old town charter provided that in
opening streets the owners of the land
taken. AS the street is actually opened to
this point there is no person competent to
apply for the opening except Messrs.
Stevens and Edwards.
For all these years this land has practic-
ally remained idle save for few weeks in
winter when used as a pond no road, not
even path has ever crossed it it would
cost large amount of money, probably
more than the land is worth to fill it up 10
the level of the grade of the surrounding
streets. The city has never claimed the
streets as open. year or so ago the
people living on Wilton street to the North
desired to put sewer through the prop
erty and applied to the Board of Works for
permission so to do, but the Board replied
that they had no power over the premises
and that the applicants would have to ap-
ply to Messrs. Edwards Il Stevens this
they did, and these gentlemen to oblige
their neighbors granted the desired per-
mission, on the express understanding that
the sewer was to remain only during their
pleasure they did more, they paid por-
ton of its expense.
few months ago large manufacturing
establishment from Brooklyn entered into
negotiations with the owners of the curling
pond they wanted to erect a large factory
to give employment to some 300 men the
site suited them; in order to settle any
possible question as to these streets they
requested the owners to apply to the Board
of Works for their formal vacation under
the provisions of the fifth section of the
city charter This was done at once, and
the Board passed the formal resolution for
advertising for objections. AS the appli-
cants owned every inch of the land on both
sides of the streets proposed to be vacated
and supposed that they were the only par
ties in interest, they anticipated no OBJ
jections.
It seems however that thepeople owning
property on Wilton street between Com
muulDdW dNSnuO nuO LILO CuIllnB DOHu
fence are taking a lively interest in the
matter; they claim thst these streets have
been dedicated and should be forthwith
actually opened; none of these persons,
however, purchased from Stevens and Ed
wards, who are under no Obligation to
them, so thsir claims seem a little far
fetched Moreover they are entirely un-
willing to pay anything for the lands in the
street, but coolly propose to confscate the
same. The remonstrant's further assert
that if the streets are closed the right of
sewage would also be wiped out; this would
be great calamity, but it appears that the
owners of the lands are at least considerate
of their neighbors, for in their contract
with the manufacturing corporation they
have provided that the sewer shall be per-
petually maintained by it in good repair.
Some few residents of Pine street also
object, although at its junction with Pine
street, Bramhall avenue by reason of its
proximity to the railroad is only about five
feet wide.
Lafayette is destined to be great manu-
featuring locality, and the sooner its in
habitants wake up to that fact the wiser
they will be; every encouragement sh ould
be given to the establishment there of large
factories; which alone can fill up with ten
ants the many houses and build up the
vacant lots.
The new enterprise will add to the popu-
lation number of mechanics all earning
good wages, will turn swampy, non-pro-
ducing pest hole into fiourishing factory,
and will add $50, 900 to the taxable property
in The city There is every indication that
to-morrows meeting of the Board will be
lively.