The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-29
THE CITY HALL SITE.
Commissioners Complete Their Tour
Of lnspection-0h, Those
Golden Figures.

At about three O'Clock yesterday after
noon City Hall Commissioners Pearson
and Burke, Corporation Counsel Edwards
and Real Estate Expert John Craven con-
tinued their work Of investigating the
property to be taken for the new City
Hall site. The greater part Of the prop
erty on Montgomery street to be taken is
owned by Mr.. George r. Mckenzie. Mr..
Mckenzie was not Ia town. but bis agent,
Robert McAndrew, accompanied the
Commissioners.
The property owned by Mr.. Mckenzie
was purchased at low figure, and until
two years ago the houses were rickety
frame structures, scarcely tenantable. At
the present. time, however, four-story
frame tenement houses stand on the
property. This property is classed as
front auu rears" 1he tenement houses
stand on the building line OF Montgom-
cry street, and the houses are about
forty feet deep. In the rear of all the
houses there are tumble-down frame
structures occupied in most cases by poor
families.
Nos. 17s, $50 and 1se Montgomery street
were Until within the last two years old
frame structures. Mr.. Mckenzie secured
a permit to make some impr ovements
upon them and converted them into four
story tenements. These three houses are
assessed for $500 each. This assess
ment also covers the houses in the rear.
The adjoining house, No. 1S4 Mont
gomery street, Is owned BY Hugh Miller,
aud is assessed for "a. 600. Miller's house
| is In fair condition.
No. lss Montgomery street is also
owned by George Il. Mckenzie. 1t Is
| four story double tenement and is as
sessed FOR $4,000. The house is IN the
best Of order.
The last piece of property on Montgom-
cry street which is included In the site is
owned oy John BiedstroD, and is assessed
CHANGE OF HEART.
The Tax Commissioners have had fire.
| quent complaints about the high assess
ments levied upon nearly ali the property
| included in the site, but now the owners
are OF the opinion that their property is
worth about three times the amount 1t IS
assessed sor. The property was purchased
by its present owners at or about the time
| OF the panic Of 1878. Property in the vi
cinity has increased in value cousidera-
bly, within the past few years. but no
such snms will be paid by the city as are
| at present. demanded.
| With but few exceptions, the proper
" with all have to be acquired by con-
demnatlon proceedings
SOLID SOIL.
The howl raised by some people that
property in the vicinity OF Henderson
street was marshy is without foundation.
| The Commissioners were particular to
make inquiry as to whether water was in
any Of the cellars and IL was found that
water never bothered any of the resi-
dents.
The proposition Of the City Hall Com
missioners to make the plot 200 feet square
| Is meeting with approval on every side.
II this is done Nos. 1874 and 1876 Montgom-
apu ar hu 4
sessed for 81, 900 each and NJ. 1872 Mont
gomerv street, owned by Horace FL. Far
rfer. aud assessed for s., 900. will be taken.
On Mercer street, fifty feet owned by
| August FinRarGo, will be acquired.
| II the amounts asked Dy property
owners were paid by the City Hall Com
missioners the property alone would cost
more than S225, 900. The Commissioners
have decided not to expend more than
$4,000 in acquiring it. Tomorrow the
City Hall Commissioners will sit to hear
all objections from property owners.