The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-22
HOW TO GET ACROSS
SWampy Land in Greenvil1e
That Grew Suddenly
Valuable.
BUT A RAILROAD WANTED IT
Conference Between officials and
Citizens Who Have OBJ
jections.


marshy tract of land, the beauties of
which consist of water frontage and
garbage, tin cans and other rubbish
which has been dumped there with the
hope of rendering the land valuable for
factory purposes. The beauties of the
place. however, never appealed to the
residents of Greenville until the West
Side Connecting Railroad came along
and prepared to lay it's tracks along
the shore front. The news that the rail-
road was going to cross Danforth ave-
nue. at grade had a SURPRISING effect In
the eyes of the property owners the
beauties ~ of the place were suddenly
improved The swamp land became
property which in point of value could
not be equalied in GreenvilIe, and a
protest against crossing the street at
grade was promptly fled with the Street
and Water Board. The petition came up
at the meeting of the Board on Monday
evening and the commissioners desiring
to act fairly in the matter agreed to
meet tie Greenville citizens at the land
which the railroad wanted to cross and
examine carefully into the ietaiis. The
time agreed LFon ,or Meeting was half
past nine o'clock this morning and
promptly at that hour, Reuben Simpson,
President of the Board of Aldermen,
Michael Schultz. Sr, Jonn Morren and
Christian Blidner, put in an appearance
at the place of meeting but the Com
missioners were not in sight.
This looks promising" said Uncle
John Morrell, 'are they going to dissap-
point us?"
.Oh L guess they'll be here all right"
replied Mr.. Simpson, looking in the di-
rection of the New County Road. Here
they come now,'' he added a few mo-
ments later, as he spied four men COM
ing down the thoroughfare. jumping
about like toads to avoid the pools of
water which predominant in that sec
ton.
MEN WITH GUNS.
AS the men approached, Uncle John"
began to brow pale. ALook there he
cried, They've got guns" The rest of
the party turned quickly, Mr. Simpson
at the same time verifying Uncle Johns
assertion The men had guns sure
enough, bIt who were they and what
were they after These questions agita-
ted the minds of the property owners 70
no small extent until one of the party
approached near enough to be recognized
as ex-sergeant of Police Seal Wau-
ters.
Don't be alarmed. gentlemen were
the words of salutation with which ''Seal'
greeted the now pacifed property own
ers. We're only after snipe," he adj
ded, but if you want any assistance
cali on us"
II guess we won't need you.'' answered
eleva ted
Well if you want to elevate any of
the railroad people or the commission
ers We are prepared to send their souls
Heavenward in sort ORDER iocularly
replied Wauters, tapping the butt end
of his gun.
and when the weIl-puilt form of Presi-
dent Macarthur of the Street and Water
Board, followed by tne other members
Of the board, was seen in the distance
climbing the hills in West bergen, Mr.
Simpson hastened to meet them.
In the party besides President Near
thur were Commissioners Hooker, Hard
sioner Lahey, Counsellor William D.
Edwards, the representative of the rail-
road, and a representative of the Cen
trail Railroad of New Jersey.
After the formalities of the greeting
had been gone through Mr.. Simpson adj
dressed President Macarthur IF you al
low this railroad to cross here at grade
began Mr.. Simpson, you gentlemen will
be politically damned"
wen be damned anyway" interposed
Commissioner Cone.
'.Mr. Simpson" said Commissioner Nc
Arthur, addressing the excited President
of the Board of -Aldermen, I'VE came
here to look this matter over SO that
we might decide fairly. Now it isn't
fair for you TO talk that way. Whether
we'll be politically damned or not has
nothing to do with the case
well, we want to get an outlet to the
Bay and we don't want our path OBJ
structed bv any railroad " snapped back
WHAT ELEVATION MEANS.
your path will be obstructed if you
elevate the tracks of the road" said
Counsellor Edwards. THE State law
will require you to erect your bridge
above the canal tow path and will not
permit you to build it on a level with
athe path. Now If the tracks are close to
the canal and if they are raised to thir-
the canal, which will have to be on an
incline will be put seven feet under the
tracks. This will block traffic effectu-
ally and the property owners here know
it. The property owners want a rail-
road because this land will remain un-
improved until one is built along here.
This land has lain unused since the
flood. and will lie unused until the sec
ond advent, unless railroad is built.
1t lies all with you, gentlemen, whether
this property will be filed with factories
or not. We all have interests here and
we want to see our vacant houses oc-
cupied. It lies with you whether they
are occupied or not"
ut isn't question of filing houses"
retorted Mr.. Simpson, ''it is a question
of whether you cross at grade or above
grade"
I'VE both agree on high elevation"
replied Mr.. Edwards, but if you want
this property improved, You must bring
the railroad down to grade"
well. the property owners don't want
the railroad anyway interposed Mr..
Morrell" Taking him at his word, Mr..
Edwards asked, Would you rather have
the railroad or no railroad?' but Mr..
Morrrel took shelter behind the reply,
"Oh, we're not considering that"
How about a sewer" asked Mr.. Chris
tian Blidner? Mr.. Edwards replied:
''The railroad agrees to build a sewer
under its tracks for you, and will give
lit to you absolutely. This is more than
you can secure from anybody else. Even
your own property-owners here wouldn't
do it for you. We have an agreement
already signed and filed by which the
railroad binds itself to build a sewer
1000 feet in length east of the railroad
build up to it, This satisfied Mr.. Bid
ner and he retired, willing TO give his
consent to a grade crossing.
Now, Mr. Simpson" " said Mr.. Edwards,
again addressing the Alderman. ''as /
understand it, the property-owners have
that it will improve the land, and Sec
ond that it will obstruet the sewer?
How about this?'' Mr.. Simpson made no
reply, but said that he would like to
discuss the matter further. Mr.. Ed
wards and President Macarthur replied
that they would be willing to hold an
other conference, and, at Mr.. Simpsons
Suggestion, Saturday afternoon at two
O. clock, and Bamber Hall. Greenville, al
the time and place, were chosen.