The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-24

SOUTH COVE SEIZED
Sheriff 1offey Formally
Puts Mayor Wanser in
Possession.
ABANDONED BY THE CENTRAL
How Mrs. Pierce Gave Up the Fort
She Held So Long as a
I squatter.
ABANDONED BY THE CENTRAL


Iof the tract of land south of Grand street
known as the South Cove grant. It ts
more than twenty years ago since this
tract, which comprises about ten acres
OF valuable land and wafer front pro-
perty was given to the city by the Legis-
lature. During that time the city has
fought the Central Railroad CompanE
successfully in all the courts of the State
and the United States for title to the pro-
perty.
At noon today small procession set
cut from the Mayors office In 1t were
Mayor Wanser, Corporation Counsel
John A. Blair. William D. Edwards, En-
gineer Frank Earle, Street and Water
Commissioners Kaiser and Brown. Sheriff
Toffey and MS deputy John Erwin and
Frank Mitchell. Two policemen from
| Headquarters brought UP the rear. The
procession moved to the foot of Hender-
| son street and crossed the canal. There
were some In the tnrong who were not
acquainted with the status quo walked
over the bridge apprshensive that the
Railroad Company would show fight and
someone would get hurt. But their fears
were groundless. The company showed no
| fight, nor did they show anything else.
It had surrendered as gracefully as pos
sfble and abandoned the spot. All its cars
| were hauled off the property yesterday
and it's freight yard moved to the foot
| of Jersey avenue, where 1t was doing busi-
| ness today. Somehow everything had been
arranged amicably beforehand and the
| company had one of It's officials, Track
master Higgins, on hand to accept service
! of any papers the Sheriff might have for
| that purpose. The city's line, beginning
! at Grove street, runs east through the
centre depot at Henderson street to the
| Morris Canal towpath, to the centre of
4 Van Worst street produced, which it fol-
lows southerly to line about two hum
dred feet north of the present line of the
basin familiarly known as Broadway,
along which it runs westerly to Grove
/ street Within these lines are situated
! the pockets of the Wadell Coal Company
and several squatters living on canalhoats
4 When the party reached the northern
/ lime across Henderson street, Sheriff
Toffey turned to Mr.. Higgins and show
ing him formidable looking document
bearing the siclzly yellow seal of tbs
New Jersey Supreme Court, told him thai
he had writ of the Supreme Court OIL
New Jersey commanding him to place
the city of Jersey City in possession OF
that tract, at the same time pointing oui
the lines. Phen the Sheriff turned K
Mayor Wanser and formally put him il
possession of the property
The Mayor then called up g party OF
lafborers from the Street and Water De
partmeflt and ordered them to build s
fence on the line, with a gate across tht
streets. Then the two policemen wers
stationed at the gate and told to stol
all who attempted to drive or walk pas
and tell them that the land was tht
private property of the city and the.
We're permitted to pass over it with ths
city's permission Anyone who disputes
4 I'm ma IN y;
turned back, but all who recognized tlls
corporations right to the land wers
to be allowed free ingress and egress.
The Sheriff was also directed to ejec
all the people living on the boats. Their,
M was one woman in particular whom tll
city was anxious to get out. She i
Elizabeth Pierce and she has lived 70
several years in low, runbling shed OF
the west side of Henderson street jus
south of the freight station Next to tn
shanty she lived in is a stable and righ
the shanty is a chicken coop, which, tfi
morning, was in possession of an oil,
black hen and a brood of fine chickens
In front of and all around, almost com
& pletely hiding the shanty, are heaps o
wood, iron Of every description, an,
the general fotsam and jetsam of bi,
, river. This old lady has held ller for
there for several years and all the at
her have proved Intellectual 1t wa
therefore thought that the old lad,
would give trouble. and it was witt
trepidation that John Erwin went owe
TO order her cut.
Much 20 every ones surprise the ok
lady was tractable. She recognized tn
cttys right at once and wanted tim
:, How much time will you want2" aske
the Mayor.
Three months at least said the oil
lady
Il She. was told at once that that wouldn'
i dc, she would have to get out at once
She declared that she would be unabl
to get all the stuff away in that time
and thought she ought to be given longer
i've held the fort for you 80 long
{ that ( think | am entitled to some con
! | sideration
AS the object of the city was to obtai
|. / recognition of the tiIle it was finalf
agreed that if Mrs Pierce would sign
lease of the property from the city sh
| could remain there one month for s.
She consented and 'gned the documer
this afternoon. Every one on the Ian
: will be given reasonable time in whic
for the utilization of the property. the de
9 tails of which ne IS not prepared vet t
- make public.
The citws trouble in connection with tl,
: property Is not over yet. While the Raj
: road Company was in possession of tn
: land IS lt.zIlllsfsa Il in about two hundred fee
probably be some litigation over that.
sHoBoKBNS WATER BOARD
The regular monthly meeting of the He