New-York tribune., 1894-10-14
TO SAVE THE PALISADES.
NEW-JERSEY PEOPLE PLANNING ACliON'


The spirit which prompts the demolition OF olu
,,,rd,,gs pboso associations are historic In order
N make room for great commercial towers "h'c"
throws the glare of electric lamp OH TIC ~
and along the asles Of ancient churches' anu pU'
a modern hydraulic pump where the o'u 20 ~.
bucket used TO be-this same spirit mas iaiu 10
hand on the Palisades and threatens to oolterate
tho ciant wall often referred to as the Hucsoh
chierest beauty For years the fishermen along tne
rvor who are sauatters, and whose cam 10 tne
rocky strip between Fort Lee ana the o'a'e i"e "
rarely disputed have employed their spare '''he AZ
cutting paving blocks from the stone AT the ioo.
of tho cliffs There was never any objection raised
on that score though John Smock, STATE seoios's'
OF New-Jersey is quoted as saying on tha' po'n'
"I have been watching the Palisades FOR seVersi
wears | even regretted when the bouiders at '"e
base of the rocks were carried away for dock pur-
poses: It took away part OF the ruggeuHeS' '""'
formed part Of their picturesque beauty
But Of late blasting has been carried o" a' wv
points on the Palisades. stone crushers "ie ~
st,ntlv at work large gangs Of men are empioye''
and with these and the liberal use or dynamite ''e
great west wall of the Hudson Is peihs eo"'e
into practical 'stone for building ana pa'i"b pun
noses" and those who object are put uo"h W
some Of the New-Jersey residents as seh'i"eh.ai-
isis They do not all favor the destruction OF .he
Palisades however as Is evlnced by the fact tnat d
snec,al committee has been appointed by the man
ayers OF the Geological Survey for the puiP''e vi
securing facts and deyising Recommendations 'o
LEGISLATION in the matter The committee cohs's.s
Of the Rev Samuel Il. Dodd, Hoboken; Wehdeh r.
corrison Orange ~ j.; and Colonel W. H. wheel
er Hackensack . .,.s
ono NJ the knot,y questions which confront those
who by LEGISLATION or purchase would preserve 'he
Palisades Is that OF ownership. IL appears .'
the deeds Of the land on top OF the preclpice sho"
Ownership 10 the edge of the chh' whiie 'ho'e
,vbo own or have souatted along the shore claim
,fI. tn
sades While the question of ownership OF '''e idoe
~ tho rock remains unsettled, the blasting goes on
and thousands of tons Of the rock nave a''e""' ~
displa ced reduced and carted away
The point nearest this city where oastihg Is ',o"
xo,no ON Is about two miles north of the Fort Lee
go -, IN. pronertv owned by William o. Eli
son Englewood y. j. The blasting Is peihs uo"e
oy the Carnenter Brothers, OF whose WORN o''e '
said to a Tribune reporter:
.I'hey have taken great chunks out OF 'he So 80
hills and looscned at one blast some time ago ''V'
,ona An So-ton blast is rot looked upon as i"rse
,,,,so d,,,a,nite IS used in great quantities
There IS another quarry opposite Riverdaie' "nere
a station Island concern is blasting away anu uo-
ing its share in the work of destruction
while those who are interested in the question
zoe with regret this beautiful scenic feature Vi '
loyyer Hudson despoied and depore the prospect oi
IFS total destruction or dlshsurement' Tue o""'''
Of prorerty in the vicinity OF Fort Lee iook upon
tho oneratlons with bodily fear. The blasts are
craving greater and more powerful e"oi i''"o
ouantItes Of blasting material are being used' anu
all are in dread of the destruction OF private prop
erty. - .... J.,
But the contractor gives assurance 'hat ,'e''
no danger that the adjacent property ana the nat
,,r,i ho,u,v OF the Palisades will not be ahectei
h,. tho blasting although he who hears the de-
tonaton and sees the mammoth pouiuet' 'opF,e
over leaving great crevasses IN the ledse' i7'
less sure these points
''If New-York city is anxious that the ra"9d'es
sb,u ne preserved" said prominent resident OF
Xev-Iersey to New-York newspaper man re-
c,,,iv "then New-York should buy them ana con-
,.or tho e,rc,ch 81 river say from Fort Lee up 10
the state line into a park. There IS no reaso" vi
earth why New-Jersey should 20 TO 'le eNp"s
~, making p purchase which will simply appeal 10
tho aesthetic taste OF the people Of an adjoining
state II is the bold front OF the faIsaucS "'''0
is beautiful We can't the front.
A,o,bcr New-Jersey view OF the Palisades ques-
,,o, was EXPRESSED TO a Tribune reporter by man
who lives within sight OF the blasting ope'""0"''
hut whose business takes him to New-fo'N uA,!.
"Whv OF course they should continue 'he WIN
he said and II had my way theyd never sup
,ul the hull darneI mountain was down lhe'e q"
stands doing nobody any earthly gooa' ih'e'is'l'e
with our communication with New-horK' anu .ne
i,. ,,,,lo who want the there are the
scenery lovers. o. ,,, -,
This prosaic view. though It may be indorscd ov
many people Is certainly not shared py "'' VIM
some hish in the councils Of ne S9te are psaGas al
lv Interested In the preservation Oh ''r "''
,r,urb mo, cant see the front. as the sceher!
lovers Among these * Mtorney-General "'o'N-
ton. who is reported as having said recently
In the ease OF the Palisades think ina, tnerS s%rS
u .n ITO " %s,urful scenery should be preserved
for future generations. and the fa.isa''s trx bad
come The property OF the state after jury hiu
,s.cssed IT'S value and reimbursed the owners,
law was passed in s'i through me au'7T"Sy bn nes,
hos,
on the blun making it msdemfamIGr, 10 o he an
pam, on ~, AMI il is nov suggested have this
lew so amended as to reach the eN's''"s '0"D'
The Palisades covered with sewing macnine. ,:
courh Insurance and baking powder adVer'se,'Mem'' eli
would certainty be pretersso'c 10 NO we're Voted nul-
sancc s, thor" should be no difficulty In procuring
Ior,sl,,ion Iar.il s;ainst the blasting. -.
Nan The residents and propertyowners on the
burs who deeply INTEREST," q 'ne Zoe General
sirykcr j. cleveland cady Wam nsna s oPdiyne; iSnTy
j + Lamb. charles Tordhon Wpnans g pssn estste the
sisters Of Peace Abrarn s Hewitt anh Frederic s'
Il C1uder' and It has been susseseSu I,n c IN IN the
socnton be formed to take concerted action IN 'ne
The report OF Mr. smoek Which he says say W Gon
;an some information applicable 10 te h rSnn
has not been sent to the 9vsrnIT pl. h hand
Of destruction may be- looked for. - ,.,.
Frederick Law Olmsicaa is quoted , as SAYING ,tIs
ougbt 70 be held by the public. because In time u
vii become OF extreme value reter 70 the Ia rai-
Lrt in tha broader sense they are a part OF New
York At present they are being rum rum" ~ ~ PVs"x
fTritcans arshte,- OF the Park Department has
called fnt9n a ,b cnty IG 10Y of NewYork which the
H., ehomid have free access to. and which should
be Sss"ssSd by pacc Of great masncenee
WIZ T IN ou t,' do"n The Narrows from there is really
s9mehns %9"fSpU ,he city grows further northward
the need Of the Palisades being set apart WI! pe
cone , more apparent The blasting should be
e,cnned M once"