The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-25
STILL DISCUSSING PARK SITES.
Mr.. Currie Points Out the Advantages of
the Bayonne Water Front Tract.

Mr.. Currie Points Out the Advantages of
the Bayonne Water Front Tract.
Lawyer Mungo j. Currie, who is one of
the heirs of the Curric estate, which the
Park Commissioners talk of buying for a
park site, said yesterday that s2,25o per
acre was a low price for the property; that
the last time any part of the tract-the
poorest part of twas sold, $500 per lot
which is about 5000 per acre-was Sc
cured; and that the water front gives the
site value no other tract offered to the
Commissioners possesses.
sit is a mistake" he said, "to suppose
that the county will have to buy the
riparian right from the State Riparian
Board" AS he expressed it, the water
front right will be thrown in by the
estate.
When the part which is to be devoted
to park purposes is taken out the estate
will have only fifteen or twenty acres left.
Enquiry was made on this point because
the value of the part of the estate which
is left will be quadrupled by the con-
struction of park on the part which is
taken, and the fact is important as bear
ing on the question of the amount the
county should allow the heirs. If the
improvements the county projects for the
park increase the value of the holdings
many fold, it would seem but fair and
proper that some allowance should be
made by the heirs to the county.
IF THE LAW KEEPS THE RAILROAD OFF.
Mr.. Currie admitted that the value of
the estate for q park site will be almost
wholly destroyed by the running OF the
Pennsylvania Railways Waverly spur
trestle over it. He would not even ad-
to cross it. But he has already delayed
the company in proceeding with the con-
demnation of the land it needs in the pros
pective park site, and hopes, on certiorari
to defeat the company's project
Finance Commissioner Henry Lembeck,
who is one of the Park Commissioners,
was enormously made to say, the other
day, that he held the Currie estate to be
worth 81, 500 to 5000 an acre. What he
said was that 81, 500 per acre is fair price
for it.
MR. CoNDIT FAvoRs THE SMITH LAND.
Mr.. Henry V. Condict, the lawyer who
has his office in the Fuller Building, in
speaking of the proposed park sites, said
'"The Smith tract is in my opinion the
best one offered to the Commissioners.
live nearer to the west side tract, but
still consider the Smith property far su-
perior. Conceeding the fact that the
park should be located in Jersey City,
these two sites are the only ones which
compete for the location.
''In the first place, park should be
located where mosquitoes are the least
numerous. believe that the west side
site is the worst place in Hudson County
for mosquitoes, and if the park was
located there on good mosquito day there
would be no comfort or pleasure there, and
q horse would be about eaten up. / have
driven through there myself. The land
is swampy, and regular hothouse for
breeding mosquitoes
"Now, in order to get rid of these pests
it is necessary to get where the wind will
drive them away. The prevailing winds
in summer do not reach the west side site.
"On the other hand, the Smith tract is
located on high ground, and is swept by
the southerly and southeasterly winds,
thus freeing the place from mosquitoes.
BENEFITS TO ADJOINING LAND.
ga par,- should be loc ated where it will
benefit the adjoining property. II it is To-
Gated on the west side tract it would not
benefit the property adjoining it except to
| the east. Because, on the other sides
there are only swamps and graveyard.
| of the prettiest sites in the county, and if q
park should be located there it would
| benefit property on all sides OF it.
| "If it is located on this site, which is
| bounded eaSterly by Bergen avenue,
westerly by West Side avenue, southerly
| by Van Reipen avenue, and northerly by
| a line drawn south of Grant avenue, it
would undoubtedly be intersected by the
county road, and no county road will ever
| 90 through the west side tract.
Moreover, park should be place
to drive through and beyond, and no
| drive can be had through and beyond the
west side tract, because it has no be-
| yond. But the Smith tract, lying on the
| backbone of the county and on its priIi-
| cipal thoroughfare, is so situated that a
drive through it to Bayonne and Bergen
Point would make one of the most beauti-
| full drives in this part of the country.
''The estimates of the West Side avenue
tract were based on certain options given
| by the owners. | am in a position to
| know that these options in some cases
have long since expired and the land can
| not be now had at any such figures and
can only be acquired by condemnatory
proceedings. This would make the prop
erty cost much more than the estimates
'drhe Smith tract, however, can be had
now at the estimates, and Hudson county
| can never get park cheaper, or locate it
| in a more advantageous situation"