The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-03
WANT A NEW FERRY.
Prospects That the City's Claim
to Thirteenth Street Land
May Be Utilized.

Property owners north Of the Erie Rail-
road tracks are keenly interested in a
move which they expect will give them a
public dock and perhaps a ferry at the
foot of Thirteenth street. It appears that
while the yiaduet was in the course Of
constructor some of the city officials dis
covered that the city has some claim
upon 6 feet of land at the loot of the
street which now forms the water front
The citys claim is disputed by the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Company. The fight for possession was
taken into the courts several years ago.
The company's claim upon the now yalu-
able tract is that the State decided it
10 the company. William A. Lewis. the
former Corporation Counsel, who de-
Tended the city's interests in the suit,
maintained that the State lac no right
to give the p the land. He also
cited the fact that although the ON
pany held that the land had been decided,
no deeds a ever been exhibited. Mr..
Lewis also commended that il the company
had at any time considered its claim a
good one, it would have utilized the and
long ago and built a dock for shipping
purposes. Al a matter of fact the only
dock that is at the foot of the street now
is one which was built by a now defunct
LAND syndicate.
The city's title to the tract is based on
the fact that as far back as 1870 when
the Thirteenth street sewer was built a
right of way for it to the river was ac-
way is sixty feet wide.
The railroad company having learned
that the fight is likely I be
t tSpoTgs t. N eo.,nse SQUIRT has -en0S SAG
that even should the city win the case the
land would be of very little use as there
S not sufficient width to allow the free
and easy handling of vessels. The COM
the disputed tract and it is not likely that
it would surrender al nch to the city
except by condemnation.
Engineers who V been consulted on
the subject say that sixty feet will al
low the construction of a dock or slip
and give plenty of room for h handling
of vessels.
1t is thought that a dock or slip at the
foot of the street would give a boom to
property in that neighborhood that would
be refreshing.
untl the viaduct was built all the
Pavonia section was practically cut off
from communication with the Hill, be-
tween Newark avenue and the Hoboken
line. The viaduct furnishing an outlet
TO the Hfii mas ALREADY caused propert
valuations to jump and the once despised
swamp lots are assuming considerable
value for business purposes.
With the prospects Of a ferry at the
foot Of Thirteenth street the property
holders think that their land would
quickly assume a new value for residen-
tial purposes. A ferry, it is contended,
would also result in the development of
a largeNterrltory on the Hill which is
now sparsely populated.
It Is thought by the interested property
owners that II the city reclaims the land
iii will haug no difficulty in leasing il to
n of the many railroads for ferry pur-
poses The ferry would, the say.
naturally attract the attention of the
Consolidated Traction Company and it Is
considered reasonable that tina company
would only be too glad TO run a line 10
the ferry down though Thirteenth street.
thus affording quick and direct commune
cation with New York. Such a line could
be run over the Hill SO as to connect
with the cornpany's main line in or about
the Five Corners. and in hat way furnish
transportation to all parts of the city
for one fare.
Iiroperty VINE will probably hold
a mass meeting next week to discuss the
subject and then appeal to Mayor Wanser
to have the city's law officers AXE up the
fight at once where it was left of by the
former counsel. William A. Lewis.