The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-28
THAT SOUTH cove JOB.
Commissioner Dugan Says
1t Can't Be
Worked.
NO EXTRA COUNSEL NEE DED
The Matter Is Already in Competent
Hands-Mr. Edwards Says the
City Will Win.
0 EXTRA COUNSEL NEE DED

The introduction of the resolution
reviving the South Cove grant by Alder
man O'Neill at Tuesday evenings meet
ing of the Board of Aldermen has caused
considerable comment in political circles
and more especially among city
officials. The comments are un-
favorable in every instance and the
act is looked upon with suspicious eyes.
The matter of reclaiming South Cove is
now in the Courts. and the outlook is that
the city will win the finals. having easily
won the preliminary suits.
Corporation Counsel Edwards has the
Counsel, ex-Mayor Gilbert Collins, who,
like Mr.. Edwards, is we'll posted upon
every branch of the question.
Street and Water Commissioner Dugan
was interviewed this morning by JER-
sEY CITY NEWS reporter and he gave
the Aldermen a severe rebuke.
THE Introduction of this ordinance at
such late date" said he, sis all bun
combe. The city's interests in the South
Cove matter are being well looked after.
That resolution, If intended to have a
tendency to secure for the Aldermen
some of the power which was at one time
vested in them, will prove a dismal
by the people and found wanting.
RATHER LOW ESTIMATE.
individually or collectively they are
not worth counterfeit money. 1t strikes
| me as being a very peculiar thing that
the Aldermen at this time should bob up
they have such an interest in the
city's welfare. For years the Aldermen
were vested with the power to bring this
matter to a head Did they do itf No;
they folded their arms and did nothing
When the Street and Water Com
the power to secure a settlement
OF the matter they lost no time, but set
sail for the railway company, and it must
still be freshsin the minds of the public
that they called out the police to protect
the city's interest in the South Cove
matter.
1--WE realized the value of that property
and determined to get it, and think
with such able counsel as Messrs. Ed
wards and Collins we will get it. The
Street and Water Commissioners went so
| far i'll the matter that they narrowly es-
capped getting into court for contempt.
NO POWER GIVEN THE COMPANY.
"We have, as body. delegated no
powers to the Central. Railway Company
to lay or operate tracks in South Cove, but
on an ironclad agreement between ourCor-
alton Counsel and Counsellor Williams,
for the Central Railway. the company
were, pending the settlement of the mat
ter in Court, permitted to use one track,
which is laid on some of the disputed
property, to reach their coal pockets.
"That Al6ermanic resolution is al bum
combe and is too far fetched. That sec
tion of it referring to the need of extra
counsel is all rot. We have Corpora
tion Counsel, and we also have Mr.. Col
lius, and the city's interests will be well
on ad hv fhaca Oppt1Qman
IF the resolution is intended to make a
place for some one it won't go. We have
our Counsel and want no more. We are
satisfied and will accept no one else.
81 am well aware of the fact that we
could, under the law, have extra counsel
for this Board, but we are not going to
take advantage of it. That law is in
tended to apply to Newark. The street
and Water Board of that city is Demo-
cratic and the City Counsel is RepupIi-
can.
"When this Board began to take action
in the South Cove matter. remember we
held n meeting in Mr.. Edwards office
One Of the Aldermen who is taking an
active part in the matter now. happened
to drop in at that meeting. He learned
what was going on. and in moment
later wheeled around and remarked
This does not interest me- and de-
parted.
ut is very funny indeed what a pecu-
liar turn affairs have taken. If the Alder
men had guarded the city's interests as
zealously when it was their duty to do SO
as they are trying now they would have
been better off. They have had their
turn; they have been tried and now it is
too late We will look after this matter
and recover for the city that property,
which is valued at about five million dol
lars"
'Will the city build docks there If the
property is recovereds" asked.
"That is matter" replied Mr.. Dugan,
that we will attend to when the suits are
settled. The property is valuable and
is desired by the Central Railway Com
papy. 1t is not at all improbable but
that the property will be leased to the
railway company, as handsome income
would be received in this manner"
do you think the value of the prop
erty is deprecated by filing it in, as the
railway company is doing?"
"That is all rot; as everyone knows
thot it would increase the value of that
land. This whole matter is all buncom he,
and that resolution of Alderman O'NeiIPs
is not worth the paper it was written
on"
MR.. EDWARDS VIEWS.
Corporation Counsel Edwards, when
seen about the matter this morning, init
mated that the passage of the resolution
by the Aldermen bordered on the ridicu-
lous.
81 will communicate with Mr.. O'Neill
OH the subject" he SAID. 'The matter
is in court and will probably be settled in
February. The city has won the prelim-
mary suits and the prospects are that
the final suit will be decided in our
favor.
why extra counsel should be engaged
do not understand. There is certainly
no need of another mans services. and
doubt very much if another counsel is
appointed. | do not think the Alder
men understand just how this matter
stands"
Richard Bell's Funeral.
The funeral of Richard Bell, of 24S
Grove street. took place this morning from
Ct patar,s Chnrch Ii Mas larnalu nttanh