Telegram-herald., 1890-08-09
DOCK LINE ENcRoAoHMENTs
The Proposed Injunction Against tn
West SiGe River " all.

The Proposed Injunction Against the
West siGe River WALL.
To the Editor OF The TELEGRAx- HERALD.
desire the use Of your columns 10
PROFOUND few questions and sag ges-
tiOns to the mayor and Common Cbun-
Gil, which, when answered, may set
them right in the eyes of the public, in
their recent action ordering an lnjunc-
ton served upon me TO stop the con-
structi0n Of permanent straight line
river wall along the west bank OF the
river, which work commenced IN
good faith, expecting 10 complete 1t
during the present stage OF low water,
and winch | shall eventually complete,
unless CIty Attorney Taylor is able
70 overthrow the many decisions which
have been already rendered by
the higher courts III this and several
other states. In the first place, IN
view OF ali the existing facts and CIR
cumstances, does not this action OF the
Common Council, called by the mayor
IN special session, seem little Tar
fetchedI and does not their acton IN
dlcate Il great desire TO guard the efll-
cacy OF the dock lines on the west side
OF the river, leaving the east side line
unguarded? Ii the action OF the mayor
ana Common Council were solely
prompted by desire to faithfully
MAINTAIN and enforce the dock line law
without regard 10 any other motive,
why have they allowed and overlooked
The many encrochments which have
been made, and are continually being
made beyond the established dock line
on the east side of the river? Why have
not these encroachments been looked
after? IL does not require the services
OF the city surveyor with his chain and
instruments to determine whether en-
croachments have been made or not on
the east SIDE OF the river, the casual OBJ
server with naked eye can see it. The
authorities seem to have been blind to
all such encrOachments on the east side,
| and after their attention had been re-
| peatediy called to the fact, too, and
| wish now To know why this is so. | do
not wish TO be understood as finding
| fault with the mayor and the council
| for their endcaYors TO enforce the laws,
! but do object to being singled out IN
| this matter when / am endeavOrlng 10
! improve the river front, and have them
! let go unnotlced the parties all along
! the east line of the river, who have per-
| sistently encroached beyond the estab-
| lished dock line, by filling IN with re-
| fuse and debris of all kinds, making a
very unsightly appearance and public
| nuisance, which could not have posi-
| bly, escaped the attention of the city
| marshal or the mayor, whenever they
have crossed the bridges, if they have
| been on the alert for dock line en-
| croachments for the purpose of vindi-
| eating the law impartlally.
| II this movement against me j:
prompted only by desire to enforce
the law fearlessly and impartlally, why
not proceed against all the parties who
have enCroached beyond the dock lines
| Would 1t not he good policy, and fol
| the best interests of the cIly, for To,
| mayor, who is a good lawyer, 10 spend
little time IN looking up the law and
/ legal status of tins whole dock line cues
/ tiOn. before piunging the city into NJ
/ expensive law suit? | will gladly fur
/ nish the mayor or city attorney viii
/ references 10 legal decisions bearing
/ upon this GU, ston, which | have oil
tanned through competent attorneys, a
/ cOnsld erable expense, and which vii
| doubtless be of some assistance 10 them II
arrivlngatthei conclusions. as to the ef
fectiveness OF the dock line law. A
| any rate. Mr. Mayor, see TO It that jus
tlce is done, and DO not allow the bes
interests of the west side of the river u
be jeopartized by delaying unneces
sarlly the completion of grand i'm
prOyement along the west side OF tn
| river, when you can better protect tn
| public interests and vindicate the lev
| by prevent II encroachments on tn
! east side Of the river which arc cOntin
uslly being made, and of such 4 natur'
as j. not ornamental to the river front
| or beneficial 70 the best public inter
| ests. Yours most respectfully,
WN. I. POwEI.s.