The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-28
JOHN NJ. JONES.
UVIlN H. OAs IN
president OF the Board of Finance


president OF the Board of Einance)
ssJersey City is growing steadily, notwith-
standing the short sightelness of our people
and the lack of enterprise and proper ap-
probation of the needs of our citizens on the
part of our city and county oifeiSis. IL Is
destined to be soiidly bulls up from the H1d-
son to the Hackensack at some future day.
It's realization depends upon the wisdom and
encoura cement Of the present and future
government, both of city and county. Early
in the history of Jersey City, almost the en-
tire valuable waterfront on the hudson
River was disposed of TO corporations to the
great disadvantage to the growth and pros
perity of our city. The HackensacS water
front, which will also become very valuable
and of vital Importance to the city and
county, could be procured ct the present
time at very low cost ana It lt should ne
secured without delay before the gigantic
railroad corporations, centering here, grasp
it, -
Notwithstanding the fact that very little
attention has been paid to the west side OF
of our city in the way OF improvements
many manufacturing and commercial enter
prises have been located on and near the
Hackensack water front. We have, in this
county, the best material in the world for
road beds the New Jersey Trap Rock. Our
streets on the west side of the Hill from Ton
uele avenue and West Side avenue westerly
should be made county roads, and improved
by cur Board of Freeholders This develop
ment of our highways would give facilities
for heavy traffic, and for the development OF
the west side lands that would repay the out
lay forty fold within i've years Without
some such method being adopted these lands
are likely to lie waste and without Pront to
the owners the municipality and the county
for many, many wears. To wait for such
improvements to DO made by the city under
the present slow and cumbersome process
upon petition, will keep US almost at stand
still for several decades. The State appre-
ciates the importance of and the benefits de-
rived from good county roads, and gives en-
couragement by paying one-third OF the
cost Of improvement in any and all counties
of the State All counties have avalled OF
these advantages excepting Hudson county.
1.-THE principal grievance and the reason
alleged by the people of Harrison and
Kearny for desiring to be annexed TO Essex
County. is that they may have the advan-
tage of better roads under the government
of Essex County.
THE county road macadanlized from
Snake Hill to and through Tonnelle avenue,
in Jersey City shows what can be done.
4 ne effect is already shown in the improve
ments and establishing OF business in that
section of Jersey City between Tonnele aye
nue. and the river front, where already sew
eral lumber wards, brick and stone yards
and many other commercial and manufac-
ing enterprises are carried on. Ii West Side
avenue, Broadway, Sip avenue and Duncan
avenue were made county roads, and inn
proved with lnacadam pavements, within
five wears the desert between the Pennsyl
vania Railroad and the Newark Plank Road
would be teeming with life and industry.
ssA few wears ago an act was passed by the
Legislature authorizing the authorizes OF
Jersey City to secure water fronts on the
Hackensack River for public docks. No
action has ever been taken towards securing
a single dock for Jersey City. Unless action
be taken very soon, there is no doubt that
the opportunity will be lost The chances
are that before many years this valuable
water front and water way Will be IN the
hands Of railroad corporations. Ii Jersey
CITY would look to its own interests In this
direction secure water fronts and get the
county to improve roads, as suggested, this
fostering care on the part OF the city and
county would lead to a business on that
splendid water way, the Hackensack hlyer,
that could not be equaled iu any city OF its
size in the world. If the natural advantages
of this river and front were In any other
city. it would be alive with tugs and crafts
of every description conveying the raw
materials to the manufacturers and carrying
away the products OF the establishments Ihat
would line its banks.
Zone great drawback to Jersey City as a
place of residence and of business is the lack
of good driving roads or streets.
.sThe effect Of this in retarding the growth
of the city is more than is commonly sup
posed.
..A1,nosb the first luxury which successful
men acquire is driving, and we have no
place for the enjoyment of this healthful and
pleasing recreation This operates not only
TO drive away desirable citizens whose busi-
ness is in New York but it prevents many
men from coming here to establish nanufac-
turing business They wish to be near their
l. ~ " n
and the bad roads cut off one of their chief
pleasures. Jersey City ought TO have the best
roads of any city III the State. The natural
| advantages of the city for making roads
cheaply seem to have been entirely over
! looked. In the first place it has in its own
limits and in the county possessions at Snake
Hill an inexhaustible supply of trap rock
stone. which engineers pronounce the finest
road making material IN the whole world
Through its representation on the Board OF
Freeholders the city could cause the macad-
amizing of its streets, especially on the west
other cities pay The Ipng-term prisoners at
Snake Hill could be kept as now,ab break
ing the stone. and the large Number of pris-
! oners at the County Jailsat present main
tanned in idleness, could be made to perform
the labor incident TO the construction of the
or practice, being excavation OF
dirt, grading and laying Of stone.
The prisoners could be marched
| in gangs to the street selected for improve
rnent and there kept at work under the
guard OF the keepers 1t would be a great
gain to the city and much better for the
convicts than idleness This plan would not
encounter the hostility Of tho labor unions,
for it would not interfere with any estab
lished industry It would simply be using
the convicts in performing work which
would not otherwise be done. The employ
| ment of prisoners in building roads Is the
/ am informed that the Freeholders can