The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-18
BOOM FOR JERSEY CITY
Its Advantage as a Manu-
featuring Centre TO Be
Advertised.
BOARD OF TRADES PROJECT
Modest Request of an Oil
Company at Last Nights
Meeting Does Some
Good.

A modest request made by a private
citizen that the Board of Trade should
go into the promoting business for an oil
company was frowned down by the mem
bers at last nights meeting of the
Board, but the request produced one good
result, namely, a determination OF the
Board to promote the interests of Jersey
City.
1t came about in this way: Secretary
w. ]. TAFT read a confidential" letter to
the Board from a New York concern to
the effect that the company wished to TO-
cate in Jersey City new on which
to build a kerosene factory. Any ola
place would do, said the Oil Motor Com
pany, and assured the Board of Trade
that they didn't want any free gifts, and
no rebat of axes. Nothing of the KIND.
This company was a business concern. It
was and only meant to beneht Jersey
City by bringing labor to it. Other cities
like Newark and Paterson were simply at
tempting to rush across the Passaic in
their haste to secure the location OF their
oil company, but it preferred Jersey City.
Now comes the little joker: The company
added that if they located in Jersey City
they NOutu CAPCOl Il PSOP
to take stock in their concern.
THAT settles it," could be plainly read
on every members face when Mr.. TAFT
finished. Mr.. Corcoran then introduced
Mr.. j. A. Mackinnon of this city to throw
further light on the Oil Company's daz-
cling proposal, and that gentleman him
self a member of the Board of Trade,
said that he had purchased a tract of land
on Wilton street, near the c. R. R. tracks
for factory purposes, but could get neither
the street opened to his factory nor tracks
into it. and the result was, although he
had paid taxes to the city for seven years
he hadn't been able to pay a cent. The
oil company mentioned, desired to locate
pu his land, and he had taken $4,000
worth of stock in it, and had sold them
his land at half price. Wouldn't the
Board induce the people of Jersey City TO
nut up s1S5. 900 or whereabouts, to the $780,
600 capital already subscribed, making
$500, COO in all, and take advantage OF this
good thing?
President Myron J. Furst was sus-
picious and asked why the company, II
they had such a good thing, would allow
a small sum to stand between them and
their object. a.,
well" replied Mr.. Mackinnon, t h
company could go to Paterson or newark,
who have subscribed, but they want 10
come to your city It's a good tnlns.
Why, you could afford to give them
water free for five years and exempt
them from taxes for that period as an
inducement."
Mr.. J.. A. Dear, who had been all this
time nursing his objections to keep them
warm. jumped up and jumped on tne
proposition with both feet. The Board,
he said. wasn't going into the promoting
business and under nc consideration
would advise anybody to invest even nve
dollars. As for Mr.. Mackinnon,s ~troupies
with the city. which had issued maps
showing Wilton street opened, why, ne
had been buncoed, that was all.
Mr.. John P. Landrine, not having Sam
my Dickinson or Edward Woolley at
hand to pummel, settled down to real
estate topics. He thought some consid-
Grafton ought to be given to the propo-
sition to give advantages to induce capi-
tai to locate here. In a tone, ch1ld-llke,
innocent and bland, the irrepressibie john
said that politics had hurt this city.
meaning, of course, the Vaccinations of
that wicked Dickinson gang. AT this
the member chuckled.
Yes, that's true" continued the hui
morous Mr. Landrine; there's no lncen.
tive for people to come here because OF
politics. We must get factories here and
make the city attractive. The taxes are
too high"
people ask; it would mean ruin" was
Mr.. Bears reply; but Mr.. Landrine per-
sisting said that the city might give an
exemption of taxes for five years to
manufactures and factories locating in
Jersey City.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL interposed Mr.. W.
E. Drake. who once had something to do
with law making.
"a little matter like unconstitution
atty" replied Mr.. Dear, doesn't bother
some people, (Laughter.)
President Furst then turned the dis
cussion into the channel profitable for
Jersey City by observing that it had been
suggested that a committee of the Board
of Trade should confer with the Board OF
Aldermen to exploit Jersey City as a de-
sirable place for manufactures The
fact. continued Mr.. Furst. that members
of the Board of Trade were connected
with the project was a guaranty of good
faith. The Board could promote private
schemes. but it could and it would pro-
mote the best interests and progress of
Mr.. III w. Carr, who is a firm believer
! in multiplying committees, moved to APP
! point one to look after Mr.. Furst's propo-
4 Mr.. Andrew J. Corcoran thought that
no standing committee on real estate
thould look after the scheme. He was q
sFm believer in having factories here. and
fhen Mr.. Corcoran launched out into an
Eloquent defamation on the. advantages
eff Jersey City. its splendid location and
oailroad facilities. The Board couldn't
rassist too much in making these facts
a.nown to the world.
ITS factories we want continued Mr..
preparing TOT d qis az sgAhe
ono! land we dom care whether they
make tin pals or pianos, provided they
are factories, so that people can spend
money here. (Applause.) The city Off
ing here for business. These officials are
a light, very light. class. having no
training and simply beng intent on things
which run lighter and faster and make
quicker returns. loud laughter.)
The discussion closed with a formal mo-
tion by Mr.. J. p. Landrine that a COM
mittee of the Board of TEade should con-
fer with the Board of Aldermen to. secure,
If possible, an appropriation for the pur..
pose of advertising the advantages OF
Jersey City as a manufacturing centre.
The committee to do This will be::L-Messrs;
Iapdrine, Steffens, Menagh, Eveland and
Niblett. The Board then adjourned