The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-10-12
LEWIS STORY.
The Boulevard Commissioner
Tells Why the Big Road
Isn't Ridable.
CONDEMNS The BUILDERS
Says There Are Too Many
Steep Grades $40, 900
Asked.

s + -
yard Commission, related some OF ms 81
nerienees a few lights ago to a News
rerorter. He also told some Iacls fesaAo
ing the maintenance of the big road
.sEaw are aware he said. "of the vast
amo,,nt Of labor attached to the repalrlhs
81 such a roadway. This summer oul
BOARD was subjected to much adverse
cr;ticism and unuuestionably those VINO
saw ft to censure US, thought they "ele
nerfectly justified in taking suen a course,
Hou,ever in spite of the heaps OF ABUSE
b,,rlaa at the Board, I can state Will
much satisfaction that every cent speA'
az rona;rs of that road can be ac-
.o,n4ad for and. further, 1 feel sale IN
stating that not one penny has peen speis
fool;shlv. We got returns for an out
monev one hundred cents worth lof eaoA
dollar paid out an
~ frmlv believe that there is nor an
other road of its size In these o
states that is In so good a state 40
boulevard, which is twenty h is
length. including the loop recently -
over to us by the Board OF Freeno
Take any maeadam street IN the cisy ~
7 win wager that the condrtion
Boulevard is kept forty per cent, So 800
.sWhen the Board took hold OF this
Al was In a most deplorable conolllop'
az the disadvantages we iaporeu -
from the start was the hack OF 1uiius.
anpropriation was thousands Oh oi
less than we asked for. Hampereu = -
respect. the most important OF an "e
that the road could not receive the
Of repairing necessary to put ~ p.opel
rendition from end to end fnae ioau 90
TO be entirely reconstructed. Mans
of it were entirely rebuilt IN the sui,ias
until eur funds ran out. we retalhe" 'u7
enough TO provide for emergencies
maintain hat the work done Was a. :"
times up to the standard.
Snow here is just where the trouble
lies. That road was never properly son-
ntructed. In the first place there are too
many steep grades. Many OF these
have been done away with when the ROAD
wos 4,,3lt The drainage facilities of that
boulevard are so poor that all EFFORTS To-
wera raening the road in its-proper shape
res1aIt In total failures. We realize tnat
nlaces repaired will nave TO be ATTENDED
10 again Almost the entire west side OF
she road is without catch basins or proper
sawerape facilities. Naturally the heavy
rains wash every bit of dressing Off the
road and there is practically nothing LOT
o,,r EFFORTS or our money. This cannot ne
helped with the road in its present state.
n have studied the matter closely ana l
feel convinced that a sewer must ne pullt
the entire length of the road to keep II IN
good shape. This might be built benealh
either sidewalk, but that matter l Will
leave to those who are more expert than
I am in such matters. by such a sewer
the water can be carried off, and the
dressing protected, while now It is at the
mercy Of the heavy rains.
Thousands of complaints are heard
daily by the Commissioners. One class OF
drivers want the road rolled in a man
ner that will make 1t easy for their
horses. II the road is at all soft, the
wall of the bicycle rider is heard. 80
we hear it from day to day. Trenches are
dug along the road in order to make
sewer connections. These are filled in
carelessly and naturally riders register
complaints against this nuisance In
some instances serious accidents result.
Are we to blame for that? The Board
cannot refuse a builder a permit to con-
meet a sewer with his new house. What
would people say If such action were
taken? Therefore, the best we can do is
to have our inspectors look UP those re-
EpOnSlD16 1Or the u6pTeSS4oAS VI ms
whichever they may be, and have the
evil remedied as soon as possible.
Then we hear more complaints from
the owners of roadhouses because we
choose to begin in front of their places
of business to repair the road. They
claim we interfere with their business and
favor others. One may see how utterly
absurd such remarks are. One side of
the road has t be blocked while repairs
are being made. In New York, the en-
tire roadway is shut up. but for our good
intentions we are scored"
The Commissioner was asked regarding
the plans of the Board for next year.
I'VE nave asked for $4,000 for next
year" he stated, and ] think we will
get it. We will go right to work and do
our best with the repairing of the road
and we hope to reconstruct many more
parts.
81 think that in time the electric light
wires will have to go under ground, as
the trees interfere with them at present
The boughs wear off the insulation. caus-
ing the electricity to escape. In many
cases the trees are ruined by this cur
rent. Lamps should be strung alternately
along the road, but this will cause two
lines of poles and two sets of wires. Many
people will certainly object to this pro
cedure. The trees at present obscure the
light and the road is naturally very darl
In some places"