The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-27

OF view. were worth at least ten times
what they seemed to be. 1t may be that
their true value is so great that pur-
chasers cannot be found; but the fact is
that the occupied properties average less
than one to every mile of the Palisades.
and that Of these several appear to be
accessibility of the property, or to the
fact that there is a scanty covering OF
earth upon the assured surface re OF wd the
ward from the face of the cliff, and
which retains the rain water which falls
upon asg it. IMampy much sed Of dif the fri To- d Maier
cannot now be determined; but the fact
remains that ever the charming views
permanent residents. although piles OF
clam shells and other remains of picnic
parties attest the frequent visiting OF the
DUTY OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
The duty imposed upon the Commls-
sioners is specifically defined in the law
Simply TO secure action ~ the United
States Government for the acquisition
of the Palisades, to be set apart as a
reservation or for the purpose of forti-
fcstion. !.
If a recent decision of a Justice of
the United States CIRCUIT Court in Penn.
of the United States has not the right
to institute proceedings for taking this
property under the right of eminent
domain; but there has not so far ap-
| peared any constitutional prohibition
| against the purchase by the Government
of this property, with the consent OF its
owners, more particularly if the title to
| the property should all be vested in
the State of New Jersey. The State
unquestionably has the right to set
apart any portion of its territory as a
public place, and to acquire title. to the
| same by condemnation, and 1t is dlfil-
cult to understand why the United States
should not then have as much right
to purchase that property from the State
of New Jersey. with its consent, and
set it apart as a public reservation, as
owners mountainous tracts in the Far
| West and then reserve portions of them
for public parks and pleasure grounds;
term is a pretty broad one. and its APP
plication to the Palisades of the Hudson
is liable to misunderstanding:
PURPOSES OF FORTIFTGATION.
AS Offering an opportunity for de
fensive operations against an attacking
foe. the Palisades would be of no use
enemy could be reached by artillery
| mounted on these cliffs. New York would
be in ashes and New Jersey would be
overrun with invading troops. While the
suggestion of mounting defensive bat
teries on the Palisades is not at all a
practical one, as a location for a military
and material of war, the erection of bar
racks, and the creation of In attractive
military ~headouarters, such as the city
of New York ought to nave in its vi
cinity and such as has been recently
provided near the city of Chicago. no fit
ter site could be found than the summit
of the Palisades near this State line.
The construction of a proper approach
to the Post would AFFORD a reasonable
excuse for the acquisition of the water
front from Fort Lee to Sneden's Land
ing. and for the construction of a mill
tary road near the edge of the cliff.
Surprising such a road to be construct
ed within so to 100 feet of the bluff. and
the intervening space between that and
the river to be reserved against multi
alton, the area of land required to pre-
serve the Palisades and make a Military
Post would be about 1900 acres. at least
thr~ee-fourths of which would be an in
accessible rocky mass, while the prop
critics fronting on the west side of the
road would be given what they now do
made accessible. and from their being
freed from nsalaria1 by the drainage
which the construction of the road would
furnish,