The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-06-03

water opposite to and adjoining PoNles Hook.
The New York Common Council. how
ever. set up claim TO Jurisdiction. On
June 4, ls04. IL adopted resolutions 10 the
wharves between high ADD low water
mark on the west side Of tho Huozon
without the Councils authority. did 50
at their peril. Robert Trout. once
Governor Of New York, however, in q
legal opinion. advised council that Il had
no valid right TO the Land nadef ws5sr on
the New Jersey side OF the Hudson; 5us
that IL had control as far As low water
mark. aud had discretion as 70 tne placas
where wharves should be built.
WAR THREATENED.
On the strength Of this aad other opin-
ions, the Common Council OF New York
issued the following warning
The Board having been informed that sundry
persons have lately undertaken 70 construct
wharves within the bounds OF this city betwee1
R.sfso5s on river without any ~ authority Tor .
doing from the people Of the state OF New
YORK. or from this Board do hereby give pstb &c
notice that such encfoacnments beng made
without their permission or consent must be at
the peril Of the persons concerned
Notwithstanding this warning from the
city OF New York, the proprietors OF
Powles Hook put faith 10 the opinions Of
Hamilton aud Hoffman. and pushed for
ward their enterprise
Although improvements were going
forward, whariing. digging down and
regulating the ground, and extensive
preparations being made for the sale Of
lots, and 10 a few instances contracts OF
sale executed, the title 10 tue property
remained in Narick, Radciin and DeTs
who were known as tue proprietors-
On Novemb Der 10, 1904. an act was passed
by the Legislature of New Jersey, en-
titled "An act to incorporate The Asso-
ciates of the Jersey Company" f" IN whtcn
name all persons who were or should be
come interested in the ownership Of
Powles Hook were constituted a body
corporate. The bill was drawn by Alex
ander Hamilton. and conferred varied
and extensive rights ana powers Their
rights to purchase and bold land was,
however, carefully limited 70 the tract
and premises heretofore purchased from
Van Worst. They had power to make
and lay out streets anu squares, and 70
establish such as were already laid out;
to establish grades to order and regulate
the building of all docks, piers and
wharves, aud store houses and buildings
thereon: to make such bylaws, orders
and regulations touching ali these mat
ters with penalties. The docks, wiarves
and piers which they might build oppn-
site TO and adjoining the premises vera
to extend into Hudson's River and the
bays as far as the Associates might deem
It necessary for the Improvements CT the
premises. or the benefit OF commerce, and
when built they might appropriate them
to their own use
BOOMING THE SETTLEMENT.
The sale Of lots did not wait for grades
to be established and streets 70 be opened
Whether they were sold or not the an
nuity must be paid. To encourage the
members Of the company TO ald IN the
general Improvement, certain advantages
beyond what were given TO thu outside
purchaser were offered
-lu hmt
chaser OF q lot should. within one year
from April LIST, 1905. erect onllding cost
ing not less than $500, five per cent OF the
cost Of the building should be deducted
from the cost of the lot
These were the Inducements held ont to
purchase and build in the new city.
Special terms were offered to Robert
Fulton to purchase IN the town of Jer-
sey.n On November s. 1904, the trustees,
in consideration OF 81 COZ payable In i've
years without interest, resolved TO let
him have one block OF ground for the
vessels. 1t was here he made his first
attempt 10 introduce the use OF steam
power into ferry and other vessels. which
has become so universal around the
world
HARD TIMES.
The Associates took measures in 1905
to erect a hotel in Grand street. This
building was afterwards known as the
Hudson House. 1t is now used as part
Of Colgateis soap factory They ordered
shade trees not exceeding six hundred IN
number to be planted in the streets They
reserved land for shipyard. Ter
churches, a school and a puDlic Market
To encourage purchasers to provide
themselves with pure water, they con-
rrlbuted towards the exDense Of digging
wells John b. Murray applied for lots
on which TO erect distiliery. Abraham
Bell applied for four lots on North Point
on which to erect a steam saw mil, ana
Isaac Edge for lots on which TO erect
grist mill. On August 16. 1916, Colonel
Tarick purchased lots 20. p and q on
the north side of Essex street. and
erected thereon q double brick hous9
fthe first on that street), where he re-
sided until his death Ia 1881 This lo-
cation was known as Prospect Point
The company erected wharves, docks
and piers, and individuals purchased lots
aud built houses. Notwithstanding
these efforts to create prosperity ia fee
affairs of the company, the enterprise
was close upon a failure. CadWailader
D. Golden and Robert Fulton selected
lots. on which the ground rent was
s. COO This turned out TO be fulnOus
speculation. In 1910 the York and Jersey
Steamboat Ferry Company was estao-
lished and took a lease OF the ferry, but
after few years of vicissitude and dis
aster the company failed. In 1871 many
lots were offered for the ground rent only
and not taken. In 1914 block was sold
on the marsh to Robert Fulton on which
he erected frame building, but he died
in 1915 and the property went TO ruin
The ferry seemed TO be a failure, aud IL
was carried on by Mr. Golden at heavy
loss. The affairs Of the Associates were
in a depressed condition. But few lots
were sold. fewer built upon and tins Popa-
lation but slowly increasing Il wns
difficult 10 collect The ground rents, even
where the property was improved. The
failure TO collect these rents and the rent
for the ferry greatly embarrassed the
company They found it beyond their
power 10 paw the annuity aud were
Obliged to call upon John Van Worst,
then the owner OF the mortgage q ven hy
Dey to Cornelius Van Worst. 20 reduea
the annuity for a time In this th ey we're
successful aud thus enabled 10 ousliFa
their difficulties.
TROUBLES AND REMEDIES.
This condition Of things was proaght
about and maintained by several causes.
all ntributing TO prevent ttse sales or
lots and the proper Improvement OF the
place.
%. The state of New York ard the City
of New York did not cease 70 assert their
right of Jurisdiction. Whether we'll
founded or not, these Claims cast a snad-
ow on its most valuable apDurtenances
and prevented purchase and Investment
(94 Many Of the lots on POWieS HOOK