The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-09
A REAL ROAD NOW.
How the Great County Bou-
levard Is Opened
and Graded.
FOUR MILES COMPLETE.
Splendid Composition for the Sur
face-Figures on Cost and
Work Done.

Sob uO AurtHer JHau LH6 ullnR OIL ma pS
county road which will be one of the
finest driveways in the country and
lasting credit and benefit to the county
is now an assured fact. For a distance
of four miles or little over one quarter
of its proposed length, the road has been
crude shape. 1t is plain to be seen that it
will be the grandest driveway in the
State.
The strip laid out and graded runs
from the Kill Won Kull to the Morris
Canal and through the courtesy of Chief
Engineer Harrison reporter for THE
JERSEY CITY NEWS was taken on tour
of inspection over it on Wednesday.
Mr.. Harrison and the reporter drove
out to the road in the afternoon. On the
way, the Chief Engineer gave many in
terestiDg details of the vast work as far
as it has progressed. These will figure in
the following narrative in their appro-
pirate places.
ON THE GROUND.
The road was entered at point near
Fifty-Seventh street, Bayonne Just be-
fore entering, Mr.. Harrison called atten-
tion to the tearing away of several big
trees in the woods bordering on the line,
and the evident intention of the owners
of the land to build. This was only one
of the instances where property owners,
realizing that the road was an assured
fact, and that there was to be no dilly-
dallying about its completion, had started
TO butld and receive the benefits of the
splendid highway from its very inception.
At Fifty-seventh street, pig gang of
men was at work. They are in the en-
nj nj
Company, which received the contract
for building the first four miles OF the
road. Mr.. Rehill. the President of the
company was on the ground supervising
the work He was assisted by Superin-
tendent P. II. Dolan. Under them there
are employed on an average daily about
$50 men and so teams and carts.
The road, as far as it has gone, is first
class. The work done shows that i5 Is
the intention of Chief Engineer Harrison
to make it road that Hudson County
will feel proud of. Between Fifth-sev-
enth and Sixty-second streets the Lehigh
Valley Railroad crosses the line at an
elevation. There was some question
about the right of way here, and litiga-
tion was begun. But the dispute ended
in victory for the County and the rail
road company was compelled to bear the
expense of constructing the road from
Fifty seventh to Sixty-second street,
THE ROAD BED.
From the Morris Canal TO the Kill Won
Kull, the road has assumed definite shape
Houses have been moved back, and the
drive way widened to the dimensions
contemplated in the plans of the road
These call for sixty feet of roadway and
twenty feet of sidewalk on each side of
the road. The material used, SO far, has
been of the best. and Chief Engineer Har-
rison claims that the combination is
second to none. There Is first layer of
clay, then one of rough sand. The top
dressing is of cow bay sand. The dress
ing is done with this material, and then
the road is rolled and narrowed.
The reporter had chance TO see what
kind of a roadway this made as he drove
along from Fitty-seventh street toward
the Kill Won Kull. Despite the frost ana
rainy weather Of the past few weeks, she
road bed was in excellent condition
There is just enough sand used TO temper
the clay and prevent it from becoming
sticky and making mud. Although the
rollers and harrows had not yeE been
used in many places, the road made good
one for driving, and with the finishing
touches put on, without the macadam
which it is proposed TO use over strip in
the middle of the drive, the surface will
make an excellent road for eight months
in the year.
SPLENDID VIEW.
Down the road the Chief Engineer and
the reporter spun in straight stretch.
Three small houses abutted on the road,
but they will shortly be moved back. A
splendid view of Newark Bay could be
had on the west and the scenery all along
was picturesque. At Thirty-second
street there is pretty turn in the road
from Avenue A to Avenue B. A lamp
post projected in the roadway here.
which the city of Bayonne has
n NM
point on, the road has been roughly
graded and widened 80 the full extent,
with the exception of two blocks from
Ninth to Fourth streets, where several
handsome residences are situated. These
will be moved pack as soon as some little
preliminaries are arranged.
Further down the line crosses the
tracks of the Central Railroad, and then
continues to the waters edge at the
Bergen Point shore front.
VAST LEGAL ENTERPRISE.
Some idea of the work that has been
accomplished already on this vast under
taking, and of what 1t Is expected to ac-
complish, may be gathered from some of
the Chief Engineers figures. The
law allows $1,000.000 to build the
road. The most expensive item
which has been encountered thus far
has been the condemnation proceedings
and awards for land taken for the right
OF way. TheSa condemnation proceed
ings have been on a larger scale than any
ever attempted before in this coun-
try. There have been 1000 pieces OF
property to condemn in which $4,000 peo-
pie have been interested. The title of
every piece had to be searched; descrip-
tions of the property had to be written
and personal notification served on every
person interested, in the State. Outside
of the State. advertising was necessary.
1t Is creditable to the employees of Chief
Engineer Harrison's office and the law
yers employed by the Freeholders. that of
all the descriptions of property only one
had to be rewritten.
Although the Commissioners of APP
praisal appointed by the Circuit Court
have not quite flushed their labors, it is
estimated that the awards will amount
to about $500, 900.
There has been much talk about ex-
pensive legal services. but this item, not
withstanding. has been remarkably low.
To secure the right of way for one mile
through the Currie property cost the Le-
high Valley Railroad Company more In
legal expenses than five miles OF the
country road.
THE PROSPECTIVE RESULT,
Now. as to what the road will be when
completed: 1t will be fourteen miles in
length, running from the Kill Won Kull
to the northern county line. 1t will not
be a straight road. Some cranks wanted
the road to be in astraight line. ANY
lover of driving knows how monotonous
1t Is to drive along Straight road. There
will be many curves and shifts of scenery,
| OF course. there will he one md tvvo-rnil q