The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-26
BOARD OF FINANCE.
ToFF1c1AL PROCEEDINGS.

BOARD OF FINANCE.
[OFFICIAL P~ROCEEDINGS.1
Regular meeting OF the Board of FL
nance. held at the CITY, Hall. Tuesday,
February 16, 1892, at s O'Clock p. M.
Present-President Edelstein, Messrs.
Allen, Hitler and Kenny.
Absent-Mr. Peterson.
On motion the reading of the minutes
was dispensed with and they were ap-
proved as printed.
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS N CoMMU-
NICATIONS.
Petition of Richard Reddy for return of
taxes paid in error.
Received and referred to the Committee
on Finance.
PRESENTATION OF CLAIMS.
Claim of the American District Tele-
graph Company of S31. IS for messenger
service, December, 1891.
Claim of the American District Tele-
graph Company of S25.51 for messenger
service.
Claim of Michael Couraln Of 5000 81 for
repairs to City Hall.
Claim of the Jersey City News Of $50
for printing manuals.
Claim Of the Jersey City Electric Light
Company Of $25. 33. lighting Mayors
office.
oOihPohy Va Vcs~Vs
office.
Claim of the Electric Light Company Of
S23. SO, lighting Collectors office.
Claim of H. E. Jones of sos. Is, repairs
to City Hall:
Claim Of F. Appropriateness Sons Of
1882 for lithographing,
The above were received and referred
to the Committee on Printing. Stationery
and Supplies.
The following communication from the
Corporation Counsel was received and or
dered spread upon the minutes
JERSEY CITY, February 4, 1892.
To the Hon. Board of Finance. Jersey
City:
GENTLEMEN--My attention has been
called to a voluminous resolution passed
by the Honorable Board of Aldermen.
reciting some of the phases of the history
of the grant on the South Cove to Jersey
City. and its seizure by the Central Rail
road Company of New Jersey. under
color Of a grant by the Riparian Commits
sioners, and calling upon Your Board to
employ additional ounsel in the progress
of the litigation connected Herewith. So
far as it goes the resolution correctly re-
cites the history of the matter. but if the
proposer of the resolution had known the
steps which had been taken by the law
yers for the city. and the present s1tua-
tion of the litigation, the Board of Alder
men would not have made this request.
When 1 was appointed Corporation
causes undetermined the ejectment suit
brought by the Mayor and Alder
American Dock and Improvement
Company, a sub corporation of the Gen.
trail Railroad Company of New JERSEY for
the possession of the South Cove. Tnis
suit had been instituted in May, 1886. by
my predecessor in office, but had not
been urgently pushed to trial. l i'm
mediately began a thorough investiga-
ton into all questions, records and facts
bearing on the case, and prepared tne
suit for trial; it was noticed for the Sep
TENDER and December terms in 1889, and
in both Instances was continued upon APP
plication of the other side. In April,
1890, the trial was held before Justice
Dixon of the Supreme Court, sitting with
out a jury. Mr.. Gilbert Collins. who. by
reason of his connection with kindred
suits in the case, was we'll acquainted
with the facts in controversy, was at my
suggestion retained by your honorable
body to aid in the trial Of the cause. h
case was most deliberately presented
upon both sides, aud upon conclusion
taken into consideration by the Justice.
During the GUNNER of 1890 Judge
Dixon found a verdict for the plaintiffs,
subject to the opinion of the Supreme
Court upon the special case which was
brought for the purpose or a writ OF error
and might turn into a special verdict or
finding; this was u victory for the city.
Immediately thereafter the special case
was prepared; this was a difficult task.
but finally obtained the approval Of the
Judge. The case was noticed for trial at
several terms of the Supreme Court sit
ting at Trenton. but was not reached.
Finally in November, 1891, the case came
up for hearing before the main court OF
fhn Cnnpnron rCnnrf nnnQiCfinO Of l,h1Pf
Justice Beasley and Justices Depue.
| Van SyckelEand Scudder. The court
| gave extra time to both sides, and the
matter was fully argued by Gov. Bedle
and ex-Chancellor Williamson on the
| part of the railroad company, and Mr.
Collins and myself on the part of the
| city. AS in all such cases the Judgment
| of The court was held until the next term;
| therefore expect a decision in the Su-
preme Court ON opinion day, which will
be the 18th of this month. This decision
the counsel for the city confidently ex-
pect will sustain the judgment below
aud uphold the title of the city to the
valuable Il in question.
Throughout this whole litigation His
Honor, Mayor Cleveland. has taken great
interest in the controversy, and has been
constantly informed as to the progress Of
While 1t is true that during the past
three years u great many extra duties
have devolved upon the law officers of the
city through various causes, among them
a. the new charter and the necessity for
frequent opinions and construction there
of: (2) the act creating the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners and the many
questions arising upon the transference
of powers of other Boards to that body;
(3) the service of notices under the Martin
act for property purchased by the city;
(4) the City Hall Commission and the ac-
qulrement of land for its site. Still, l
submit that these multifarious duties, to-
gether with the ordinary routine of the
office, have not worked to the injury of
the city on the South Cove litigation.
There are fewer cases undetermined n
unse' tied against the city at present than
for many years past.
"There seems to be some misapprehen-
sion IN the minds of some people as to the
attitude of the city in the South Cove
matter, and l think that this is a proper
time to s~traighen that matter out By the
act of 1879 the lands were coded to Jersey