The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-01
The HARRISON BRIDGE
Hudson Freeho1ders Scotch
Extravagant Essex
Jobbery.
MORE JOURNAL DISHONESTY
Republicans Responsible for the
$4,000 Madison Street
zig-zag Crossing.
MORE "JOURNAL' DISHONESTY

The proposed new bridge between
Harrison and Newark will extend from
Fourth street. Harrison, to Jackson
street, Newark. or it will not be built
at ALL" said Director Heller of the
Board OF Freeholders with emphasis this
morning. Il will veto any resolution
looking to any other location. I have
held all the time that jackson street in
Newark was the point to touch, not
w~fthstanding the efforts of a certain
newspaper and some individuals to make
it appear that the credit for the change
from Madison street to Jackson street is
due to the Republican Freeholders of
Essex.
A a matter4off fact the Hudson Demo-
cratic Freeholders have kept economy in
view in this project and so have proven
a big obstacle in the path of the Essex
Freeholders. I favor the construction of
the bridge and so do all the members Of
the Hudson Board; but while / am Di-
rector I can assure the taxpayers that
Hudson's burden will not exceed $50, 900.
I fixed that sun as the limit at the out
set and / have not changed my mind yet.
By crossing to Jackson street we avoid
spending large sums of money in con.
demning property held by corporations,
and again / say the crossing will be from
Fourth to Jackson streets or not at all"
Since the construction of a bridge was
first agitated the Evening Journal has
endeavored to defeat it. 1t is said by
Freebooter Riordan of Harrison, who
6 + a ,sta1 4bo n o;4o+;ou 4l.L MIL 49,
born, when he was in charge of the
Journal told him that the Journal
would defeat the project. It's failure to
accomplish that result is responsible, the
Freeholders believe, for the a~ntagonism
of h paper at this time. Since the
question of fixing the location of the
bridge has arisen, the journal" has in
obliged in abuse of the Hudson Free
holders, which those gentlemen resent
and declare Is not in any particular sup
ported by facts.
i The Board of Freeholders of Essex is
a Republican body. and this fact may, it
is thought, have something to do with
the unfair stand taken by the journal"
The Essex men from the start, it is sand,
insisted upon having the bridge run from
Fourth street to Madison street, Newark
To cross at this point necessitated the
acquisition of lands owned by the local
gas company and the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. The land required has an assessed
valuation of $700, but the purchase price
during the agitation of the local question
jumped to no less formidable figures than
$50, 900.
Director Heller, Freebooter Riordan OF
Harrison and Freeholders McNally and
Dietz at once objected because of the
unnecessary expense which would be in
volved. Another objection was that the
bridge would nave TO be built at an am
gle to reach Madison street. Why the
Essex Freeholders held out for such a
point of crossing no one knew but every
one imagined.
Jackson street is directly opposite
Fourth street, and the Hudson men
would hear of no other crossing. While
the Hudson Freeholders We're in fact
blocking every scheme of the Republican
Freeholders from Essex, the Journal
was pounding them and lauding the Es-
sex men for. their actions in preventing
the consummation of any scheme. While
the Journal was abusing the Hudson
Democrats the Newark Daily Adver-
tiser," one eff Colonel Phelps trust
papers. which he has not got in smooth
running order with the policy of the
Journal yet, was praising Director Hell
Ter and his Democratic colleagues and
publishing the truth concerning the po-
sitions assumed by the Democratic and
Republican Freeholders. representing the
TWO Boards. The following, taken from
the Newark Daily Advertiser" shows to
some extent which county's representa-
tives were guarding the interests of the
people of this county
Monday the Hudson members of
the Joint committee Informed the Essex
members that they wanted the Harrison
end of the bridge to touch at Fourth
street. To open a new street from Fourth
and Henry Young streets to a point on
they found, would neoessitate too great
an expenditure. The gas works and the
Pennsylvania Railroad. which owned the
worthless lots that were needed for the
the assessed valuation is but $500.
nThe Hudson members further informed
the Essex members that the bridge would
lave to. span the river between Fourth
and Jackson streets, or not at ell. When
the Freeholders came to look at the river
front and Jackson street yesterday after
noon, they found it much better for the
purpose of an approach than they be-
lieved. The plan of the engineers was to
raise the. bridge approach fourteen feet
done the approach would extend on Jack
son street, nearly to Market, and a num-
Der of properties would AVE to be cor
demned. =
st was furthermore perceived that b,
resting the Newark end at Jackson street
not SO much ground would have to- be
condemned as at Madison street. To
build the bridge from Madison street to
Fourth street, Harrison. would entail a
cost greater by at least $40, 900 than from
Jackson street to Fourth street.,
The Newark papers. particularly the
Advertiser, have given us the credit
hat is due aid Freebooter Riordan
today Why the journal which is
owned by the same man who owns the
ADVERTISER should assaiI US | cannot
understand. That paper has endeavored
to- make 1T appear that the Hudson men
are opposed to the bridge. / know better
and so do the taxpayers of Harrison. i
have worked hard for this bridge, be.
cause ! believe it will be beneficial to
Harrison. | must say also that Director
Heller and all the other embe of the
Board had showed a friendly disposition
in this matter. Director Heller has vigor
ously opposed any movement looking TO
the expenditure of more than St00. 600
for the bridge, and in this respect / have
supported him.
The property owners of Harrison
know that it is the Hudson men who arc.
holding down the cost and so does every
one else who has k occasion to look
into the subject. The only reason the
Journal can possibly have in criticising
the Hudson Board is that it is a Demo
cratic body while Essex has a epubIf
can body. That criticism is unjust and
statements are untrue The fact that
the bridge is to touch at jackson street
is due entirely to the determined stand
taken by the Hudson men just as the
Newark Advertiser, a Republican paper,
admits"
Rev, John Reid, Jr., Of n AF A