The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-06
DANCEROUSS SPOTS
The News Calls Attention to
Needed Fences Along
the Central Gut.
CHILDREN IN PERIL
Only One of the Railings Is
Safe Others Absolutely
Useless.

The attention of the Mayor was called
to the dangerous condition of the fences
which enclose the property of the Central
Railroad at the Clerk street bridge,
short time ago, and several employees
were Immediately sent to reconstruct the
rotten fences. The work was done in
most stupid manner. Residents living on
Clerk street, south of the bridge, com
planned that thes fences on that side of
the bridge were rotten and they feared
for the safety of their children, who fre-
quently play in that vicinity. These
fences were not repaired, not even
touched, by the workmen, but the fences
and retaining wall on the opposite side
of the cut were repaired
These residents are very indignant over
the way the work was done They are
properly and they will again anppeal to
the Mayor
The fences, or what were fences, along
the railroad property from the Arlington
avenue bridge to the Boulevard Bridge
are in a criminal condition. A reporter
of ''The News visited every one of the
six bridges last evening and found the
rails which run from bridge to bridge in
dangerous shape.
At Arlington avenue the cut is not
steep, and fences Immediately adjoining
the bridge are hardly essential, for per-
sons could not get hurt were they to walk
off the bank. From this bridge to the
Clerk street structure, there is distance
of about one hundred yards. The cut gets
deeper and deeper as one advances to-
ward Newark and is at least one hundred
feet deep at the eBrgen avenue bridge
On the south side of the cut between
these two bridges, there IS no semblance
of a fence. 1t has been knocked down
and carted away long ago. Directly op-
posite the new fence was built short
time ago when complaints were made to
Mayor Hoos.
The retaining wall is piece of botch
work, the smallest stones being used in
its construction. Some of the stones are
not as large as an egg and there is not
a particle Of cement or mortar to hold
the stones in a firm position. On the
same side of the cut, the fence which
was built on the northern end of the
bridge has been partially carried away
already. A big board has been broken
off the bottom.
The fence adjoining the bridge ~
the westerly end is actually falling to
pieces. It is so shaky that a push would
cause it to fall apart. This fence, which
connects to the Ocean avenue bridge, has
fallen in many places and there is noth-
ing to prevent a person from falling into
the cut.
The railing of the Ocean avenue bridge
is also rickety. 1t gives at least two
inches in somep lace when leaned
against. The boards which are used in
the driveway are yer yloose.
About thirty feet of the rude wooden
fence about ten feet from the Jackson
avenue station, on the western side, mas
long since gone to decay. At this point
the embankment is very steep.
At Bergen avenue, the steepest point
on the entire line antiquated wooden
fences appear to be the only protection
from a fall into the cut. About two
years ago a youngster fell at this point
and was cut to pieces by a passing train
new fence was Immediately erected on
the western side This fence the only
| safe one of the four.
| On the same side, on the opposite enc
| of the bridge, the fence is in sorry
| shape. 1t is old and rotten and should be
| replaced with a more substantial struc-
| ture.
| The residents al lalong the line have fire.
quently complained about the miserable
condition Of these fences. Some are de-
/ termined to push the matter until the
evil is remedied.