The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-12-30
rHE JERSEY CITY NEWS MONDAY DECEMBER 3d. 1889

for the past fifty years, we shall have at
the end of that time $4,000 dwellings
in Jersey City.
AWFUL!
Fifty years ago there were five drink
ing places in all Jersey City, then called
taverns because licensed under that name.
Now there are SCI. AT the same rate of
increase as has developed during the past
fifty years, we shall have at the end of the
next fifty years no less than l4S,092
Fifty yeors ago the taxes levied upon
property in Jersey City amounted to
s3,1S6.24. Last year they amounted TO
81 ,496, 63S. At the same rate of increase.
at the end of the next fifty years the poor
taxpayer will be called upon to surrender
for the public good per annum only the
modest sum of about seven hundred
millions.
Fifty years ago there was but one
railroad entering Jersey City, that was
of the New Jersey Railroad and Trans
portation Company. The cars were drawn
by horses. stopped at the hotels to receive
passengers, and ran from Newark to
Jersey City in one hour and a hall.
They were taken over the hill instead of
through the cut. Now, the Erie. the ID.
l.. & W.. the Central, the Lehigh Valley
and the West Shore fast trunk lines, and
many other smaller roads are bringing
their thousands of passengers daily into
the city. What the railroad traffic will
be on this shore, and within the then
bounds of Jersey City, fifty years hence,
no imagination can set forth.
A FIELD.
FIFTY years ago the religious element
of the community supported one Dutch
Reformed Church, one Methodist Church
and one Roman Catholic Church. Now /
would not attempt to specify either the
number or variety of churches within the
bounds of the city. The Lord knows
there is room and work for them all, for
the devil has got the best of them yet,
and 1 doubt not at the end of the mex
fifty years the religious sentiment will
have grown sufficient for the support OF
more churches in greater number and
variety to fight the good fight against the
wickedness of this world, which develops
with such astonishing rapidity within u
bounds.
Fifty years g the amount of money
received from the State for the support of
public schools in Jersey City was $16O.
This present year the amount received
was S341, 734. At the same rate at the end
Of the next fifty years the amount to be
received from the State will be about
S729, 900, 900.
ANNEXATION AND ABSORPTION.
"Of course in ali these figures and
estimates it must not be forgotten that
Jersey City has enlarged its boundaries
by annexation.
SIN 1861, the township of Van Worst
was brought in and this included all the
land lying east Of Mill Creek, with the
exception of old Paulus Hook. In 1870,
old Hudson City, which included all the
territory in the Heights north Of Newark
avenue up to the Paterson plank road
was brought into the city, and at the
same time Bergen, with all the territory
from Newark avenue south to Wayerly
avenue was brought in; and in 1878, the
old township Of Greenville was annexed;
and it does not require a very vivid i'm
%agination to see that the time is not far
distant when Hoboken and the outlying
townships must be united with Jersey
City under one municipal government.
Fifty years ago the criminal part of
the population of this county in one year,
so far as brought to trial by presentment
of a Grand Jury, showed but eighteen
charged with assault and battery, one
with assault with intent to kill, II with
assault with intent to ravish, four with
counterfeiting. three with larceny, n
with malicious mischief, two for counter
feiting, one with polygamy, and sixteen
for selling liquor without license. That
is all the charges which the criminal
records show for the year 1910.
II cannot specify the different criminal
charges presented by the Grand Jury
during the past year ending the 1st of
December present; but the sum total of
indictments during that time, for every
variety of crime amounted in the Sep
TENDER Term of 1888 to 3l4 indictments:
in the April Term of 1889 to 379 indict-
ments, and in the September Term of
1889, 260 Indictments. This enumeration
| does not include the special sessions
which. for the same number of terms will
probably reach the total of 500. At the
same rate OF increase in criminal charges,
the end of the next fifty years will pre-
sent a criminal exhibit against the good
people then bearing the burdens CT this
life in this county of at least 80, 900 per
annum.
"Now, if we consider that our county
| comprises about twenty square miles or
about $4,000 acres of upland, one can
readily see that with The number OF
dwellings and population heretofore esti-
mated. that this territory, salt, meadow
and all, will be densely settled, in fact
beyond the possibility of occupation.
AT LEAST A BIG PROSPECT.
"Of course these figures and estimates
are subject to varying conditions. I only
reach them by estimation on the basis of
| the past. If they are wrong, Icannot cor
rect them, because that correction is to be
made in the future; but under all circum-
stances, and looking at it in the most mat
ter of fact way, the destiny of Jersey City
is bright-it must become a center of a
great population. With the of
- xA-1s a.asA IN {hA ,x.,rf - NJ.