The Sunday morning news., 1891-11-15

the historians test, must conform to sani-
tary laws
The shakesperian line describes Jersey
City equally as well as 1t describes
woman moved:"-
Muddy, ill-seeming, thick. bereft of beauty"
To overlook or ignore so plain and I'M
perative duty, as is involved IN the ques-
rion of clean streets, is certainly snort
sighted policy. Nay more; 1t is crime
against society. Those officials who are
burdeued with public Office must be de-
relict in their duty, indeed. who disrs-
gard a question of such vital I'M
portance as the health and convenience OF
a crowded city. The streets are neglected
in a double sense; besides being filthy,
the pavements are vile-quite behind the
age. Perhaps / am piliDg it on a little
too thick, to use homely phrase. he
monstrances of this kind come with
Door grace, it will be said. from New
Yorker. Ii is another instance Of Satan
rebuking sin. To this it can be urged that
the argument applies with equal force to
New York, If the conditions be the same,
the grievance as urgent; or to any other
city similarly ill-favored But two
wrongs never make a right; and Jersey
City is quite enough of subject to
handle just at present.
Plain truths may be told in plain lam
guage without offense to any one. Inc
part of candid friend is never gracious
or popular one; and, perhaps, later on,
occasion may be found to say something
that will be more pleasing to the writer
ana the reader For l come not TO bury
Caesar, but would much prefer to praise
him.
THE cITY's SITE FAvoRABLY LOCATED.
When Henry Hudson, sailing master
of the Half Moon, stout Dutch craft,
first cast his eyes on the waters OF our
noble harbor, dotted with the swift gliding
canoes of the Indians, strange emotions
must have stirred within his breast Was
there any premonition or presentiment or
the dazzling destiuv in store for that mar
row island, then inhabited by the tribe OF
Manhatas, as the intrepid navigator sailed
his vessel on that magnificent river that
now bears his name? Surely, there was
something prophetic in his triumphant
tones, as he exclaimed:-"It is a good
land to fall in with, and pleasant land
to see."
Came in due season those venturesome
and hardy Batavian pioneers; came later
the all-conquering British. and in time
John Bull also got his walking papers. For
over two and half centuries the sister
cities have grown up side bv slde-Jersey
City, the Cinderella: New York city, the
princess. No fairy godmother seems to
have held watch and ward over this
neglected and long suffering Cinderella,
and the lost slipper. who shall restore 1T;
or has it passed away beyond recall?
AS site for great commercial city,
why should your city acknowledge In
ferioritys 1t possesses splendid and far
reaching water front. The land is f1a5
and suitable for building purposes. there
being no ROCKS to blast or inequalities of
surface to smooth over, 1t is a level plain,
much like what one is accustomed to see
on the prairie. OF course, Manhattan
Island possesses superior advantages OF
location, inasmuch as two noble rivers
ar sstn rl,f Il
merce generally. But the conformation
OF the island was the reverse of inviting
Sudden activities and projecting crags
were originally intermingled with ponds
and marshes. The land was rocky along
the central ridge, extending from the
Battery all the wav northward to Harlem
river, while the tide in some places pene-
trated nearly to the middle of the island.
A more forbidding spot on which to erect
a great city has seldom been seen. On
rearing a city on such II foundation the
builders mad combined the arts of the
stonecutters of ancient Petrea aud the
anphibious labors OF the founders OF
Verice and St. Petersburg.
But what will not energy and enter
prise accomplish? At first, by slow de-
grees, the city was added TO bit by BIZ.
until the entire panorama was unfolded,
revealing the most beautiful and sub
stautial city in the world, while its over
cluster of suburban sister cities
Making all due allowance for early diff
culties in the way of Jersey CiJy's pros
perity, difficulties growing out OF COM
binatlon of circumstances too complex and
numerous to relate; stiii we are at loss
to understand now so ancient md honor
able city could be content to play the
swine-herd and struggle along like the
mule, if it be not mixing metaphors
.'without pride of ancestry or hope for
posterity."
THE ASSOCIATES OF JERSEY CITY.
So far as eau be determined. without
going into any lengthy disqustion to
weigh evidence or sift Icts, the loss of
the water front. the surrender of that in
estimable treasure and source OF commeE-s
cial prosperity, to q private corporation,
was fatal blow to the future prestige
and progress of the city. AS was said of
the Roman people in the case of Pompey
the Great,
The time shall come when you shall late de-
plore
Sogreat a power confidsd to such hands.
Inis Was an lrrepara0le loss, not 60 be
compensated for by anv subsequent in
stallment or modicum of restitution by
way of the development Of traffic and
trade.
AS far back as 1904, long before Jersey
City was incorporated, Richard Varick,
jacob Radcllff and Anthony Dey, by Dur-
chase, became proprietors of Pawle's
Hook. The original Jersey City, as in
corporated in 1920. was co-extensive with
Paulus Hook. 1t was bounded on the
east by Hudson river, on The north by
Harsmus Bay, and on the west by
creek; thereby forming an island, In
shape like heart, the narrower part and
sides following the trend of the river.
The purchase was made from Cornelius
VanVorst, and the terms of the sale were
that he was to receive an annuity of six
Thousand dollars. If the purchase had
ended there there would not have been so
MANY tears to shed, but, unfortunately, it
didn't. The title reads: Together with
the righJ of ferry from the sad tract or
parcel OF land across hudson River, aud
elsewhere, and the right aud title OF SAID
Cornelius Vtn Worst, under the water Of
the Hudson River and the bay afore-
said"
The incorporators were mDowered to
make and lay out all streets and squares,
to erect aud build docks. wharves and
piers, opposite to an adjoining said
premises in the Hudson River aud the
bays thereof.
Inc incorporators, in the manner
stated became the virtual and legal
owners of The site of what nature and
destiny had intended to be great city
IA metropolis rivalling New York city
for the advantages and opportunities
were hardly inferior. Henceforth there
was to be Il dragon at the citv's gates;
like the passage in Ezekiel: 'the great.
dragon that lieth in the midst OF his
Ixr ,.it ic5 mn