The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-10
PICKH7ING City GROUND
"A Force Of Men Protecting
the City Grant in
the Cove.
LEHIGH VALLEYS AGGRESSION.
The Attempt to Remove the Hem
derson Street Bridge Arouses
the Authorities.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad Company
received a temporary set back yesterday
morning in its attempt to erect draws
bridge in the place Of the bridge now
in use at the Henderson, street crossing Of
the canal
At about eight O'Clock yesterday morn~
ing about fifty workmen arrived at the
bridge, and after placing pile driver ii
position commenced work driving piles.
The unusual spectacle soon attracted
throng, and the news reached the ears Of
Street Commissioner Tumulty, who was
soon on the scene. He ordered the fore
man to direct his men to stop work as
they were blocking up public thorough
fare. The foreman exhibited permit
signed by Street Commissioner Duqan
and refused to stop work. Tumulty
would not recognize the permit, and re-
pairing to the First Precinct Police Sta
tion asked the services of the police.
An officer was dispatched TO the scene.
In the meanwhile the foreman had con-
suited with some higher authorities and
had been instructed by them to obey the
order of Commissioner Tumulty. 1t is
understood that the railroad authorities
are sanguine of accomplishing their pur-
pose. They claim that what they propose
doing will be of ineStimable benefit to the
city, and on the head of this they claim
they think they will have no trouble III
accomplishing what they desire. Accord
ing to their statement it is their intention
to demolish the old bridge that is now
there and build q drawbridge on a level
with their recently erected tracks on the
south side of the canal This, of course.
would change the grade of the street, but
they urge that it would be great irn-
proyement on the unslghtly bridge now
there.
Before the workmen ceased their labors
two piles had been driven and blocked
the bridge to certain extent All day
yesterday policeman was stationed pn
the bridge with orders to arrest anybody
who attempted to work, and the scene dG
operations was visited by large crowds.
WHAT WAS THE PERMIT?
When the officers were detailed to the
scene of operations yesterday the fore
man of the gang was summoned to- Po-
lice Headquarters. He there produced 81
permit given Messrs. Ross e. Sanford, the
railroad contractors, by Commissioner
Dugan of the Street and Water Board, to
reconstruct (according to Inspector
Lange) the bridge in question Others,
however, claims permission was merely
given to repair.
Street Superintendent Tumulty, who
notified the police and who, Inspector
Lange says, saw the permit, could not re-
call whether the permit read ssreeone
strnct'' or repair. Any member Of the
NIT to ''repair.' The company own the
bridge but have no power to change its
grade without permission of the Street
and Water Board.
The grade cannot be changed SO as to
allow a box car to pass beneath without
making it too steep for horse to climb
with wagon without encroaching upon
city property, and by some it is claimed
that the company evidently intended to
convert it into a drawbridge.
The company's alleged reason for work
ing on Sunday was that there was so
much traffic over the bridge duri ng the
week.
is THE GRANT IN PERIL?
The city authorities have become
alarmed at the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company'S mysterious operations along
the Morris Canal The effort on the
part of the company to convert the
Henderson street bridge into g
rise to the suspicion that the railroad
company proposed to hem in
| the land on the other side of the canal
and usurp possession of grant of filed
in land 1,090xS00 feet, commencing at
| the Morris street centre line and
eAtouulHk SuutuWdIu. DOtu biAC
| Lehigh Valley and the Central
| companies have already encroached upon
| this property. The Central company have
| a line of track rnnning along one side,
and the Lehigh Valley Company's ele-
waited coal trestle partially extends upon
| this grant.
| A POSSIBLE CONFLICT.
| The Street and Water Board at one
/ o'clock today dispatched force of fifty
| laborers to fence off the city's property,
/ and have one hundred men standing
| ready to lend assistance should it be
| deemed necessary.
The work of fence building Is being
! rapidly executed under the personal di-
| rection of President Somers, Commits
| sioner Dugan and Street superintendent
| Tunulty. The railroad companies are
supposed to be in blissful ignorance OF
| the operations of the city authorities and
the appearance of a force of railroad em-
ployes Is hourly anticipated.
The authorities will take immediate
steps to GUST the two companies from the
eity's land already appropriated.
During the past week the railroad has
not lain dormant by any MEANS Every
4 day gang of about fifty men have been
employed extending the tracks along the
towpath on the south side of the canal
4 until now they have reached one Of tile
sugar houses of Mathusen & Weiders,
blocking it up entirely. What the ulti-
| mate intention of the company is cannot
be learned and the workmen themselves
do not know, but there is no doubt that
the company will lay their tracks to the
end of the canal.
A BRIDGE OVER THE CANAL.
The freight depot at the corner of Grand
street and Pacific avenue is rapidly ap-
i preaching completion. On Saturday q
I pile-driver made its appearance at point
! on the canal directly south of the new
depot, and workmen were soon busy
4 driving piles for a large .drawbridge This
will form connecting link with the
tracks of the railroad on the south side OF
i the canal.
| 1t is thought highly improbable that
Grand street will be crossed, because 50
I far as can be learned the company has no
apparent pressing necessity for such q
now and do not own any land on the
/ northerly side of Grand street. II IL
thought possible, however, that Pacing
| avenue may be crossed and connection
made by rail along the canal to the
western track of the main line OF the
4 Lehigh Valley railroad. There is no ap-
parent hindrence to the accomplishment
i Of this and the company would be materl-
ally benefited.
Rain and snow Tonight.
| WASHINGTON, March 10, 1890. ~ Weather
IN dinat;nns for. fuventv-fnftr hours for