The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-07
JERSEY CITY, June 5, 1899.
127 Palisade Avenue.

lows
JERSEY CITY, June s. 1899.
1877 Palisade Avenue.
Hon. Edward Hoos, Mayor of Jersey
| City
| Dear Sir-By decision of the Court a
! few days ago, you no doubt noted the
| fact, the rule is laid down that citizen
| of this State cannot recover damages for
| injuries sustained or damage to his prop
| erty due to the neglect or incompetence
| of those officials who have charge of our
| streets. The decision of the Court seems
| to be one to encourage public officials to
| ''Vanderbilt' the public, draw their sal
aries regularly and leave the sidewalks
and roadways to care for themselves
| At $50 o'clock this evening, while go
| ing from st. PauFs avenue, along Pali-
sade avenue, I was the victim OF the
Street and Water Boards negligence or
| Incompetence. At the southwest corner
of Fleet street and Palisade avenue, the
curb line projects about four inches above
the sidewalk; and further on, a distance
of about ten feet, the tagging of the
sidewalk slopes upward to accommodate
a tree, and the earth, which should have
been packed under the tagging, is absent,
leaving space of about three inches.
AT this point, in turning to the left to
accommodate other pedestrians, | was
caught by this projection and thrown
distance of twelve feet, receiving a se-
we're sprain of the knee joint, which
makes it almost impossible for me to
walk up or down stairs.
Now as the decision of the Court pre-
cludes suing the city for damages, it
seems to me that unless the officials in
charge of the streets attend to their well
paid duties, $1,000 per year, one must
either suffer and be silent or organize
vigilance committee to mete out justice
to the delinquent but well paid officials.
The Street and Water Board is-clothed
with power to order property owners to
put their sidewalks in a condition of pub
lie safety, and then if the property own
ers neglect to obey the order, the city
can do the work and charge it to the
property owners, and if they do not pay
the same the property can be sold after
two years, under the Martin Act. BY
pursuing this course the city could not
only put its sidewalks in repair without
cost, but plenty of men now out of work
would get employment.
There is hardly a main or side street
level sidewalk Every rainstorm shows
the sunken fagstones in the walks; but
the Street and Water Board does moth
ing to remedy the matter. The side
walks of New York live in song but it
would take a vocalist with ruptured
throat to sing accurately of the side
walks of Jersey City.
If the Street and Water Commissioners
have so much other business than their
official duties to attend to, it would seem
only square for them to resign and give
place to someone else who would be will
ing to look after the streets for $1,000 per
year You could no doubt find 500 men
in this city ready and willing to take
their places. I am sorry to burden you
with my complaint while you are so busy
trying to prevent valuable rights being
given away without compensation to the
city, but perhaps my letter may be the
means of the sidewalks being repaired
and others saved from broken Inns.
All last winter while everyone else in
the block on Palisade avenue between
Hokpins and ST. Paul's avenues, cleaned
the snow from their sidewalks, the walk
fronting the one vacant lot in the block
owned by q New Yorker was never
touched, and in consequence everyone
who wished to pass between the two
points above had to take to the roadway
at the vacant lot The police reported this
matter after each heavy snowfall; but the
Street and Water Commissioners never
paid any attention to it.
Trusting you may see your way clear
to enforce the law in regard to safe side
walks and compel the members of the
Street and Water Board to earn their
money or resign
Yours respectfully,
w HOITGHTON