The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-03
SITES PURCHASED.
Mayor Hoos Approves the
Four Plots of Land Se-
lected for Schools.
ADMIRABLE SELECTIONS MADE.
Prices Are Matter of Opinion
But His Honor Thinks
Them Very Fair.

oi tiie 4 inance Boaro purchasing fou.
tracts of land in various parts of the city
ea uhich it is proposed to raise new
school houses. The Mayor signed the
resolution yesterday afternoon
The Board of Finance met last night
and His Honor sent to it the following
communication on the school site ques-
tom
After careful personal investigation
both by myself and by competent real
estate owners, citizens and taxpayers who
understand the value of real estate, and
whose integrity and honesty cannot be
questioned and who have the welfare of
the city at heart, l have approved the
resolution concerning the new school sites
Board on May % is lss9 T. The pa LOCATION eorap5e Of
the sites is excellent and l believe viii
relieve the necessity for schools which
fot the price, it is a difficult matter to
get at the true value. The assessed
value OF property in itself does not fur
nish fair criterion. Uninproved prop
erty receives the same protection as inn
proved property and in many instances
should be assessed much higher than it
is, both to compel improvement, to pay
a fairer proportion of the taxes, to re-
neve. the heavy tax on improved property
and to benefit the city at large. The fact,
too, that the city needs not one but sew
eral lots, and that almost necessarily
more than one owner Is to be considered
in purchasing these lots, is also an ele-
firmly believe that the city is paying a
fair price and no more.
The sites purchased and prices paid
were as follows:- p
From the Real Estate Trusts Co., site
on the west side of Storm avenue, which
extends through to Fairmount avenue,
for $4,000.
From the Real Etate Trusts Co.,
site on the northwest corner of the Boule-
ward and Graham street, for $4,000.
From the Real Etate Trusts Co.. a
site on the northeast corner of Johnston
and Manning avenues for $500.
From Emil Steger, a site on the west
side of Palisade avenue, running through
from Prospect street to Reservoir avenue,
for $l6,800.
Those sites which We're purchased from
the ResssA Estate Trusts Co. will be ac-
quired without any difficulty and it is
probable title will be passed before the
end OF the week With the Steger site,
trouble is anticipated, as there are two
owners, one having stepped in since the
city concluded to buy. The new owner
is inclined to hold out for more money.
To meet such an emergency the Finance
Board passed resolution instructing the
City Attorney to institute at once con-
demnation proceedings against the owner
or owners of any of the tracts agreed
upon if he or they refuse to accept the
prices offered by the city
The purchases from the Real Estate
Trusts Co. and Mr.. Steger are merely
formal each being merely the agent
through which the city gained options on
the property from the actual owners.
Mr. Frank Stey ems of the Real Estate
Trusts Company today gave out the fol-
lowing statement regarding the Sites
My attention has been called to a num-
ber of public statements made within the
last week referring to the prices to be
by the city. as being absurd In refer
ence to their locations, convenience and
esirability there does not not seem to se be
history of their requirement is as fol-
lows
Some four months ago the Board of
Sites, with the Superintendent of Schools,
requested Mr.. James G.. Young to look
various requirements, such as size, limit
of territory, ETC., in which it was seem
ingly necessary from the records at hand
to place schools and the convenience. Of
location to the greatest number of chill
dren that 1t was necessary to accommo-
date From three to four different sites
In each particular location were sug-
gestedS from among which, one III each
location was selected by the Site Commit
Tee LOr lLS sparIlCllarly desirable situation
its area in square feet, consistent with
requirements for space, for light and for
air. it's convenience of location and its
special desirability generally, these all
being features apparent to those who
were expert in the qualities wanted.
Everything 8 considered, ID, as well as the
We're viewed by the entire Board of Edu-
cation with one or two exceptions, and
approval The Board of Education then
recommended to the Board of Finance
their preference. Before taking any final
nance personally visited all of the sug-
gested sites and after carefully consider
ing their different advantages, bearing in
making thorough inquiry as to whether
the prices were fair, everything consider
ed. they acquiesced in the sites selected,
and ordered their purchase. Every detail
and particular had been thoroughly gone
over and this before final selection was
determined upon. No one site had been
given any special preference over another
until the final selection was made Then
an option was obtained at the very lowest
owners would SELL
take great pleasure in giving my opin-
ion as to the various prices being fair
and unhesitatingly make the statement
that the figures for the Sixth, Ninth and
Twelfth ward sites are very reasonable
The Eleventh ward site Mr.. Emile Steger
considered.
west corner of Johnston and Manning
avenues. 200 feet front on Johnston ave-
nue.. by 50 feet about on the average in s
depth. and 50 feet front adjoining ON
Manning avenue, by 10 feet about the
average in depth. total area about q, 500
square feet, all vacant when purchased
The site is particularly well situated for
the purpose, is in the exact location in
which a school is wanted, is on a choice
corner and both streets are severed
Johnston avenue is paved and Manning
avenue is now being paved. This is a
very convenient loca ton to means Of
transit or otherwise. Is off the direct line
OF the cars, but is In a central accessible
and quiet section. It has been said that
this land cost the owner 81. AS a matters
of fact. the land has cost the owner as
much, if not more. with no improvements
laid as the land is noWs to be sold for
with nearly all the improvements laid.
lon on this plot, putting the Johnston
avenue at 500. The latter figure was in
tended, no doubt. as the price cf one lot,
but there are two, and the figure should
have read $1,400. making his total APP
praisement for this plot 5000, for which
the city Is to pay only SS 500 Admitting
this appraisement, $500 IS certainly no
absurd price for this plot estimate this
Mot of vacant dots, situated as it Is, in
Guiding the corner with all its other adj
vantages, to be worth at fair valuation
$ghQ0
The city should always pay the full
fair value for property it acquires. but it
Generally pays much more. These are
sases ia everyone Of which they pay less.