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


Of men OF prominence aud capital hxeu
their eyes IN the early part OF the same
year. Who these gentlemen We're can
only be coajectured from subsequent
facts but Anthony Dey was authorized
by them to negotiate with Cornelius Van
Noorst for the purchase Of the laDd along
with the terry rights. At what time this
negotiation was entered upon is not
known, but il probably began as early as
the movement Of Coles and Stevens. IL
was completed by the execution OF an
agreement on February p. 1894. BY which
Van Noorsf, for an annuity of six thous-
and Spanish nilled dollars secured By an
irredeemabe mortgage covenanted to
convey to Dey the upland and meadow
known as Powles Hook.
The title was examined by Alexander
Hamilton and Josiah Ogden Hoffman,
who charged the nominal fee of one hun
dred dollars. They pronounced Van
Voorst's title satisfactory, and on March
26. 1904 he conveyed the land 70 Dey prac-
ticaiiy according 70 agreement He con-
veyed the upland aud marsh. togesher
with the right OF ferry from the tract
or parcel Of land across Hudson's River
and elsewhere, aud the right and title OF
the said Cornelius Van Worst. under the
water Of Hudson's River, and the bay
aforesaid opposite the said premises as far
as his right TO the same extende.' This
conveyance was made subject to lease
held by Major David Hunt whien would
not expire until the 1st OF May, 1906. On
the 10Th of April, 1904. Hunt agreed 70
surrender his lease for 5000, renewing the
right of ferry and the privilege Of three
days horse racing on the Hook within the
course Of the following month
AN IMMENSE PROJECT.
BY the deed from Van Worst and the
surrender of his lease by Hunt, Dsy was
in the sole possession of the grant. Up
TO this time, and. indeed. mp 10 April ~,
1904. there IS nothing on the record 10
show who Dey's associates in the pur-
chase were Bdt in az editorial In the
New York Euening Post Of April
Il, 1904, we get some light on this subject
'.fhe original proprietors are known TO
be Mr.. Varick, Mr. Rsdcliff and AIR. Dey.
The trustees in New York are Archibald
Oracle, John b. Coles, w. w. Wo0isey
Isaac Hicks, Samuel Boyd, &c; in New
Jersey. Governor Bloomfield, Judge
Pennington, John y. Cumming. William
Halsey. John Rhea, with several other
gentlemen of respectability and wealth,
both ir New YORK and New Jersey"
OLD STREET LIKES
Il will not be forgotten tnat Ia the de-
scription by which Powles Hook was con-
veyed. the only definite line was on the
westerly side OF the tract. That began at
a fixed point and ran certain course
But the map made by Joseph 4. Mangin,
a sworn surveyor Of the city of New York,
and by which the proprieIors now pro-
posed 70 sell, marked the lines definitely.
Ali the streets were laid at right angles.
On the east side was Hudson street,
shown by the map 70 be in the water OF
the river. Only at the foot OF Morris
street did il touch the shore. From Hud-
son fourteen streets were laid on parallel
lines extending 10 the westerly boundary
of the tract. Harsimus (now Firstl street,
marked on the map the north boundary
and South fnow Mason street the south
boundary. The westerly line began where
the westerly line of Van Worst now inter
sects South street. Lhence In straight
line to Harsimus street. inst west OF the
westerly side Of Washington street.
There was less upland in the purchase
than marsh and land under water. The
land with TIE exception of North Point
formed almost y circle. and nowhere ex-
tended more than one hundred and TWEEN
ry-fiYe feet north of Montgomery street.
and one hundret and seyeuty-ave feet
south of Essex stgeet. On the map were
ssziila. sa.S--a 1,2-14 2-4 lets, 74s Of which were
MADE chargeable with ground rent 10
meet the annuity, which was part OF the
purchase price, and sos lots were Tree
from the ground rent.
THE CHAIN OF TITLE.
The title TO the purchase yet remained
IN Dey. On April Is, 1904, he convey ed to
Abraham varick the tract as be pur-
chased il from Van Worst. On April -.
1904, Abraham Va-ick conveyed TO
Richard Varick, Jacob Radciif and
Anthony Dey, blocks or squares numbered
V and VI, each containing thirty-two lots.
with the wharves and the right Of soil
from high 20 low water mark, with the
exclusive right OF ferry from every part OF
PowIes Hook" At that time the ferry
stairs were at the foot Of Grand street and
this conveyance covered the block north
and the block south Of the ferry Ihis
conveyance must have been made for
some purpose relating to the ferry.
On the next day. April %, 1904. Abra-
ham Varicks conveyed 20 Richard Nariek,
Jacob Radciff and Anthony Dey, as
Joint tenants. Powles Hook by the de-
scription of the place in Van Vowt's deed,
excepting what he had conveyed to them
by the deed of the previous day.
As the time set for the sale of lots on
the Hook was approaching May l5) and
as the place was covered by mortgage
70 secure the annuity to Van Worst il
became necessary, If possible, to devise q
scheme which would satisfy purchasers.
Tue Van Worst mortgages was lien on
all the place and no lot could be pur,
chased free from the burden. Cd April
2I. 1904, the proprietors entered into q
covenant with all who should become
purchasers of lots in the tract, that the
proprietors would sell as many lots,
Charging each lot sold with such q
reasonable annual rent, less than its
annual value, as would produce in the
aggregate the annual sum of S. 600, and
that SO much OF said fund as might DC
necessary should in the first instance ot
applied yearly TO the payment OF said
annuity, the surplus to be divided among
the propriet0rs, and when the annuity
should be exsinguished, the whole OF SAID
annual sum to go the proprietors.
DEEP WATER
Another question. however, arose
which gave the proDrietors quite as much
anxiety a the one of satisfying Dur chas-
ers rs 70 the Van Worst mortgage II was
Of the first Importance that they sh oulc
have ownership in the land not only be-
tween high and low water mark, but as
far out into the river as might be neces
sary 10 reach navigable water. They
were about TO erect city. which, instead
of being an inland town, they fondly
hoped would become a commercial city,
from whose wharyes vessels laden with
domestic products would 20 down 70 the
sea, and returning bring hither the pro-
duets OF foreign lands. They entertained
no doubt that the State OF New Jersey
would deal lieerally with them and give
them the right 70 extend their enterprise
out TO deep water IA the Hudson ana ap
propriate 10 their own uset tae land under
water on which their inlprovemeuts ts
might be made, bnt they We're uncertain
what the city and the State Of New 1orE
might do in the premises The claim was
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