The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-03
SOUTH COVE
GRANT.
City May Lease the Lands
for Building Docks and
Wharves.
CORPORATION COUASEL's OPINION
Board of Street and Water
Commissioners to Adver-
tiss for Bids to Pro-
posals.

Some weeks ago the Street and Wafer
Commissioners decided to do somethihe
with the South Cove grant. They Were
anxious to improve it, but precisely Wnal
overs they had so far as leasing 1t 70
any corporation for any period, LOT sAs
purpose of filling in to build wharves' 1he
Commissioners were in doubt. II was
decided that they should ask Corporation
Counsel Allan L. McDermott to give them
an opinion on their powers in the prem
ises. that opinion reached the BOARD
yesterday. afternoon and is in ful as
follows
Jersey City, Aug. 2. 1899.
ITO the Honorable thee Board OF Street
and Water Commissioners
ssGentlemen-Your resolution OF INQUIRY
Asks for submission of my opinion as 10
the power of your Board to solicit pro-
posals and make award for the improve
ment and occupancy, for a term OF years
of the South Cove grant. said proposals
to be so solicited that individuals or cor
norations NAV submit plans in accordance
with which they will agree to pay annu-
ally for the whole or partial use OF me
same.
saThe act under which title was obtained
to the South Cove is entitled An Act %
cede to the Mayor and Common councll
of Jersey City certain lands of the State
now and heretofore under the tide waters
of C-ommunipaw Bay, and to estapiish
a tide water basin adjacent thereto.
1.-The preamble to the Act recites that
the attention of the Legislature had been
called. by the Riparian Commissioners, to
the fact that Jersey City was without
public docks, and that the Commissioners
had recommended that a part of a large
basin, laid out BY the Commissioners in
1864, be conveyed to the city, for public
uses.
THE first section of the act conveys to
the city in fee simple, 80 much and
such parts of the lands which are now
under tide water, or were heretofore un-
der tide water of said Communipaw
Bay. commencing at a point in the centre
of van Worst street, if extended souther-
". and distant thirteen hundred feet
southerly from the southerly line of
Grand street, Jersey City. and from thence
running westerly and parallel with
Grand street, Jersey City, and from thence
running westerly and parallel with
Grand street, one thousand and ninety
AtSt -H- LHcAlJ al tAShI d1SiCS
with Grand street, eight hundred and
ten feet to the centre of Morris street, if
extended westerly; thence easterly and
parallel with Grand street to the present
high water mark. on the southwesterly
SIDE of the Morris Canal; thence souther-
~ along said high water mark to the CEN
tire Of Van Worst street; thence souther-
ly through the centre of Van Worst
street; thence southerIy through the cen
ire of Var Worst street, if extended
southerly, to the place of beginning
Fer the Improvement of the land grant
ed to the city two methods were provid-
ed. The first is found in section two of
the act, which enacts that the Mayor
and Aldermen. by their appropriate
Board. shall have full control and regula-
ton Of the basin and wharves and land
conveyed to them, and they shall be and
are hereby required to improve the same
with all convenient despatch in such
manner that, at least. one-third of the
area of said lands shall be flowed by the
tide water and made n~avigable for such
vessels as the citizens or inhabitants of
said city, or persons doing business there
in, may, under the control and regulation
OF said Board, desire to use said basin.'
"The second plan is found in Section 4.
which provides that the said city NAV
fill up. reclaim and make wharves Of NOT
exceeding two-thirds of the area Of said
lands. and may charge dockage and
wharfage for the use of said basin and
wharves; provided. said charges are rea-
sonable. or they may lease the whole or
any part of the said lands for a term Of
years. to be improved in the manner pre-
scribed in this section,
1T viii be seen that the direction of the
act is that the city improve the grant or
lease the same. to be improved in accord
ance with the specifications or Section
4. therefore. respectfully advise Won
tnat you may solicit proposals to lease
the land granted, or any part thereof for
q term of years. the lessee to s.fll IN ~
claim and make wharves of not exceeding
two-thirds of the area of said lands,
Respectfully,
eSasneo ALLAN L. M'DERMOTT
Corporation Counsel.n
In view of this opinion. at the newt
meeting OF the Board a motion win nre-
van directing Nh. Bouton to prepare the
required advertisement and as soon as
possiDle nave the matter before the nrb-
nc. Ihere are several corporations. II is
said, eager to be lessees Of the city on
the south Cove grant. and if a long lease
Is granted the city will have a very sub
stantial income from the lands.
some OF the Commissioners think that
a long term would be undesirable.
PRESIDENT Smith and Commissioner A
Hauek think, however, that no company
VIII think of sinking money In building
wharves and warehouses on a lease of
q short tenure, seeing that at the expIra-
tion Of the lease the buildings would be
the property of Jersey City. That matter
VIII pc discussed when the bids come in.