The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-05-07
FOR A HOBOKEN PARK.
"A Lively Meeting of Five
Hundred Taxpayers
VERY BROAD INSINUATIONS
A Committee Of twenty-five to
Wait Upon the Commissioners.


ken Common Council, mass meeting of
citizens was held in the City Hall last
night. for the purpose of demanding
recognition from the Park Commissioners
for public park to be situated on the
meadow district. Eight clergymen and
fully four hundred representative citizens
were present Among The clergymen
present were the Rev. Father Corrigan,
who frst proposed that the meadows be
turned into county park; the Rev. Mr..
Freund and Mr.. Barnes,
The meeting developed some very SEN
sational charges before 1t closed.
1t was organized by electing Albert
Hoffman, chairman, and James Laverty
secretary. Mr.. Hoffman spoke at length
on the proposed site for a park. He
pictured the benefits which would be de-
rived from it. and said that this project
was In his opinion the most feasible one
which the Commissioners had yet had
offered them.
Ex-Mayor Timken was the Grst speaker
He said that since the Elysian Fields
were now q memory of the past, Hobeken
was without desirable breathing spot.
He said that the city was rather late in
demanding recognition from the Com
missioners. He had examined map of
the city and found that the meadows
running from Eighth to Twelfth streets,
comprising twenty-four blocks, could be
purchased for about SIC, 800. The King
estate would cost $l50,000. He said there
was no Job nor real estate speculation
about this site, but it would be great
public benefit.
Father Corrigan was the next speaker.
He said:--sI feel the need of park in
this locality probably more than a great
many here tonight The place at present
fo
| have suffered great deal. One OF the
arguments people use in refusing to To-
cate in Hoboken is the swamps. They
are q menace to public health If this
nuisance was abated / think that this ar
gument would never again be heard. I
think that If the meadows were trans
formed into public park it would be
great blessing. Anybody who knows
the poor in this section of
the city as well as j do would
not hesitate in expressing himself as fav-
orable to this movement. A park will
enhance the value of real estate in this
vicinity and will prove of inestimable
value to the health of the poor people in
this section. At present it is o God for
saken, desolate place. If park were
located here IL would elevate the moral
of the community, and that is the great
end desired. l went over the ground my
self and found eighteen acres OF barren
W bcb1 Will ndIQly u AdO1bdL1OA Ou IL. Il
think the Commissions favor Hoboken In
the selection of one of the parks. The
other day l met Mr.. Lembeck and asked
him what the Conn niissioners were going
to do for Hoboken in the way of parks.
He said that he was willing to listen to
any request from this CITY. but as vet
none had been offered. / also spoke to
Colonel Stevens. think we should in
sist that we be recognized.
1T BOASTS OF BEER AND SALT MEADOWS.
The Rev. Mr.. Barnes was the next
speaker. He said "On general principle
I am in favor Of parks. believe that
they are conclusive to good health, and
good health is conclusive to good morals.
| go around among the tenements in the
lower part of the city, and know the i'm
portance of this movement. Hoboken is
run down by other cities. It is said that
all it can boast of is beer and salt
meadows, but, gentlemen, we know differ
ent A more prosperous city for its size
can scarcely be found.
The chairman then stated that he had
letter from Colonel Stevens, which he
directed the secretary to read. the letter
was "corker." 1t threw genuine dam
per on the arder of the meeting. Though
couched in very indefinite language it was
plain to be seen that the writer was not
favorable to the meadow site. The letter
stated that the expense of filing in and
improvement necessary to build park on
the meadows would be very great, and
expressed doubt as to whether, after
being improved. the location would be
healthy. The letter stated that a poor
park would be an abomiuation. The let
ter also stated that there was some queS-
tion as to the legality of the act relating
to County Parks. Altogether the letter
was intended to throw a wet blanket on
the meadow project.
John Reid was the next speaker. Mr..
Reid wanted to be protected. He said as
vet no calculation had been made He
wanted to see the northern part of the
county receive park. He said that HO-
boken had one-fourth Of everything that
Jersey City had but the debt.
Councilman Edward r. Stanton was
the next speaker. He said, my views on
this question are well known. Since !
advocated park for the benefit of the
people of the Fourth ward"
Mr.. Thomas was the next speaker. He
related an incident of how some years
ago Mr.. Shippen, of the Hoboken Land
and Improvement Company, of which
Colonel Stevens is president, had pre-
vented him from filing in the mead ows.
The company refused to allow him to run
200 loads of dirt a day into the meadows.
The speaker said that Colonel Stevens
told an untruth when he said that the
cost of filing in the meadows would be
great. The expense would be light. The
speaker finished by saying that he would
be willing to spend 81, 900 in favor of the
meadow Site as in SO doing he would
protract the lives of thousands of suffer
ing women and children.
In introducing Corporation Anthony
Minturn the chairman said he hoped that
the speaker would cover some of the OBJ
jections of Colonel Stevens.
NOT A SCHEME.
Mr.. Minturn said:-"When the COM
missioners come to analyze this move
ment tonight they cannot make it out
scheme of politicians or real estate men.
Mr.. Minturn then tackled the communi-
cation Of Colonel Stevens. He defined
the act of the Legislature appointing the
Commissioners and said that the act was
passed solely for the protection of public
health. He took up one by one the points
raised by Colonel Stevens and showed
how he erred He said the park must
necessarily be local. although the Colonel
seems to have compunctions about max
ing it Hoboken park II located in
Currie's Woods, it would be a 13ayonne
park. If located on the King estate it
would be Weehawken park.
Lawyer w. ID. DAILY made some pretty
broad insinuatious. He said:-'I cannot
understand what prompted Colonel
Stevens to send in suen q communication
tonight, unless he was actuated by mo-
tive to oblige his friend Bonn. Here is a
man closely allied with the interests OF
the city, affiuent. with millions of dollars
at his control, favoring the selection of
the King estate. Gentlemen, | cannot