The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-25
THEY Want SEWERS.
West Side Citizens Organize
For the Purpose Of
Getting Them.

West Side citizens turned out in large
numbers last night to the meeting Of the
West Side Impro yement League. Their
experiences the past week demonstrated
more than ever before the necessity of
the Improvements the league is fighting
for. Most Of those present live on the
West side with their families, but ute
q number were property owners who
live IN the city aud out Of town, and were
there in the interests of their property
and tenants. The recent rains lave
soaked through the ground and flooded
nearly evcrY cellar on the West Side.
The water has thoroughly saturated the
ground, and it will take all wtntar to i ~
ont the collars. Property owners can't
rents their houses while such Il state Of
things exists. or IL they do manage to
rent them they have TO do 1t az a loss.
No person will pay the regular rate of
rents for q house whero their health Is In
meeting last night had to tramp
through seas Of mud to reach
the hall. II there were sewers
there would be less mud. as the
water would run of Inst cad Of soakiug
into the ground. GIVE us sewers Is
FIX u tI4b Wa9 u = ~ AQW 0kV
by q few thinking men Of West Bergen;
aud give us sewers" is the CRY that Ia
being echoed today by every man and
woman from Marion to the Plank Road.
The meeting last night was held ip u.
Williams Hail, Nos. 403 and 405 West
Sid avenue. 1t wa called to order by
President Adams, and the minutes of the
last meeting were read by Tn0lnss B..
O'Neill, Secretary pro tom. Mr.. Cook.
the regular Secretary, WAS absent. Re-
ports were then received on the petit
lions. Those holding be iitions reported lii
tie opposition TO the movement and many
Who were inclined to hold ont against
it cans voluntarily TO the meeting aud
signed for all Jue properly they own .ssIhe
greatest trouble Ia expsrien cell IN reach
Ing the owners of vacnut lots. many Of
whom live out Of town, aud many more
~ticularly trus of West Side avenue. q
large part of which is not built mp owing
TO the lack of savers.
PETITIONS N~UMERDU5Ly SIGNED.
Mr.. O'Neill repissed aaviac secured
!, 100 feet Oh Glt wool avenue, with =
promise of about five hundred feet more,
making all but two lots of the entire
properly from West Side avenue to the
Boulevard. President Adams. who has
the West Side petition from Broadway,
Marion, to Fairmount avenue, reports
l,407 feet'on that t~horoughtare. He has
had great trouble with vacant property,
but all the owners whom he has ssan or
written to have said they Will gladly help
the movement along. Mr.. Snedeker.
who is canvassing Fairmount avenue. re-
ported 300 feet, and says hs has trouble
with people being away, Mr. Campbell
was not present to report on M~ontgamerY
street. Mr. D~epenbrock reported 765 feet
Oh Dekalb avenue. which 10 more Than .
majority.
After the reports had baan received,
Mr.. Thomas O'Nsill tuok the door aud
made the only speech Of the evening,
although there were lots OF indignant
~utterances at intervals throuG hout the
entire meeting. Mr.. OsNsill said ia part:
"Gentlotnen the reports OF the commit
tees show that the experience OF this past
week has brought people TO their senses
and that hereafter we will meet with no
opposition. We are, hampsred, however,
by people who own vacant property aud
live out of town. I wish TO God that
these Ieopl, had had TO live GU the West
Side during the recent raius. Heretofore
we have only been skirmishing, but
now we must got down to hard
work. Now, gentlemen. dou's leave ali
the worK for a few men to dc.
You all have much TO gain and you shoulu
each do what You can TO help the move
msnt. II will step toAIhs front and
doyour little bit. IL Will make 1t much
easier 10 attain success. Ycu all have
friends who own propsrty ana iL Is your
hcunGeu duty to get those friends 10 sigu
the petitions. 1t is little thanks that the
holders of petitions get from some of the
property owners, and if you can reacn
where they can't get 1t 10 Your duty TO do
so. AS an organization we are lot organ
lied In the propar manner. We ave no
roll of membership. notices of meetings are
not sent out until the dHv on which they
occur, auG we have no bylaws to govern
US. 10 make this thing 4 success, Wa
should organize property. II we fail now
and the thing should be brought up again
in a year, I for one would be 10th to ap-
preach the men again, whose signatures
I have already gained. My benefit will
be in the improve uents and so will yours,
80 come co the trout aud doyour share of
the work.
WHAT IMPROVEMENTS MEAN.
1T is a hRme that three or four men
have to do so much, We cannot do with
Il the sewers. Look at the condition
of our roads during the past week. They
have been sheets of water. Look at our
cellars. flooded aud filed with stagnant
water that will endanger the health of
our families. ] hope you will sach of you
volunteer tonight to 40 what you can.
We will be able in two weeks to present
The. petition TO the authorities In such
shape that they won't dare refuse us the
sewers. We have no stores on West
Side avenue. They are a necessity, aud
II we get sewers stores will spring up,
business will increase and rents will De
better"
After Mr.. O'Neill's speeoh a motion
was made and carried that the meeting
night be changed from Thursday to
Friday, and that hereafter the meetings
bs held in Williams Hall.
a small assessment was made on the
members present for tho cost of printing,
stationary n other necessary expenses.
The meeting then adjourned.