The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-19

was undergoing secret discussion, nor the
unseemly haste in which it was finally passed.
The hearing for the property owners affected
by the change, which should have been held
before you, was by this haste transferred to
my office. AS you did moi hear their voice,
permit me to inform you that they are a unit
in opposition to the scheme.
For this lack Of publicity | should feel
compelled to veto the resolutions without re-
gard to their substance. ] am not a be-
lever in star chamber methods. But there
are grave objections to the resolutions them
selves.
They provide substantially (1) for the va
cation of Railroad avenue for the block west
of Fremont street; (2) for the lowering Of the
established grade of Wayne street at the pro-
posed crossing eighteen inches, leaving a
clearing oyer the new grade of less than II
feet. They do not provide ~ for any com
pensation to the city for the land, nor ~
any compensation to the AUDITING owners for
change Of grade, nor % any provision to
compensate the city against claims for such
damages. Wayne street is already too low.
This change might make it useless for travel.
How such an agreement can be construed as
for the best interests Of the city is not clear
to my mind. We have already too few
streets leading from the lower city to the
Hill. From the Caven Point Road to the
Hoboken line, a distance of three miles, there
are only Communipaw avenue, Grand street,
Montgomery street, Wayne street, Railroad
avenue and Newark avenue. The residents
of the upper part of the city are clamoring
for additional outlets at Thirteenth and
Seventeenth streets. In my opinion. the
Board should turn its attention rather to in
.x-e.1- al-ro f-os1tk,on tEor y 9o,1tftnnr n4
those we have. 1t may be urged blythe
railroad company that Wayne street and
Mercer street can take the place of Railroad
avenue at this point. While this is true in
measure, YOU should, in my judgment, have
made some arrangement with the company
for the improvement of those streets. AS
the company expects to save many thousands
of dollars in the construction of its railway
by the adoption of this plan. you should have
suggested that the city share this benefit in
some way. You could, among.other things,
have compelled the grading and paving of
Wayne street in good shape to the Hill, the
erection of bridges across Mercer street on
the line of the National Docks Railway Co.
in place OF the impossible trestle now
existing, and the erection Of a suitable bridge
across Mercer street upon the new line.
III
principles must rule or disaster will follow.
The streets of Jersey City belong to the
public and not to the Board of Street and
Water Commissioners, you have charge of
these streets only as their trustees ; you have
no right to barter or give away their property
in any street without compensation to the
public. When your Board vacates a public
street, however insignificant, you must ac-
count to the people for the value thereof in
public benefits. You have no right to give
away the lands of the public from any motive
of personal friendship or private gain. You
must simply apply the sound business
principle OF value for value.
There is no evidence before me that you
have attempted even to apply these principles.
The rights of Jersey City will never be
bartered away with my consent. / can see,
however, that upon the basis of a proper re-
turn to the public and the property in that
vicinity, made after full consultation between
the company and the city in a public manner.
some adjustment could be arrived at bene-
fetal alike to the company and the city. |
have not attempted herein to discuss the de-
tails of such adjustment. That is a matter for
your Board and the Engineering Department.
/ must and shall insist at all times that the
rights of the public are fully preserved. |
therefore veto the whole proceeding.
Respectfully submitted,
PETER f. WANsER, Mayor.
Received and laid over for one week under
the rules.
Jersey Cry, May 81 1893.
To the Honorable Board OF Street and
Water Commissioners
GENTLEMEN II herewith return without
| approval the resolution passed by your Board,
| May 20, 1898. to wit
Resolved, That $141 be paid to S. nj.
Dean for use of team, cleaning sewers, April,
1898. This is a claim similar to those OF
Messrs. Moser & Moran, which were the sub
| iect of a Communication to your Board on
May 10 last, and approval is withheld for the
same reason given at that time.
Very respectfully,
PETER F. WANsER, Mayor.
Received and laid over for one week under
the rules.
Jersey Cry, May 81, 1898.
To the Honorable Board of Street and
Water Commissioners.
GENTLEMEN The resolution passed by
| your Board, May %, 1898, to wit
Resolved, That Thomas Reynolds be and
is hereby appointed Assistant Superintendent
| of pipe layers, is herewith returned without
| approval. am satisfied that there is nc
need of an Assistant Superintendent of pipe
| layers at the present time. MIR. Reynolds
past connection with your department OF the
| city government does not offer any recon-
| ~mendation for his employment. The posi-
| ton requires a certain skill to attain the best
results, which Mr.. Reynolds does not
possess and a previous trial in a like position
is a proof of it.
Very respectfully,
PETER F. WANsER. Mayor.
Received and laid over for one week undel
| the rules.
JERSEY Cry, June 10, 1898.
| The Honorable b. 4 of Street and Water
Commissioners. Z
GENTLEMEN :--I herewith return as ap-
proved the ordinance granting to the Jersey
| City, Hoboken and Rutherford Electric
Railway Company a location for its tracks
within the limits Of Jersey City. ETC., which
was adopted by your Board, May 30, 1893
I made strong objection to the 18th clause o.
the ordinance which gave to the city for the
privilege only 500 per mile annually fol
each single mile of street located in addition
to local taxes. Representatives of the COM
pany called on ME and | repeated my objec
lions to that portion Of the ordinance anc
said that / would veto the same, but that |
the company would state in writing in it
acceptance Of the ordinance in such a name
as to effectually bind the company an agree
ment to file with the city an annual state
ment Of its gross earnings and pay thereon
- = l. 81 z.4.~ -.,,l