The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-27

A handful Of Newark expressmen ana
manufacturers, who do a great deal OF
Trucking between that city and New YORK.
have been conducting an agitation for
some weeks past over the charter of the
Plank Road Company, whose initial
period has recently expired. They de-
mand that the road be thrown open free
to traffic. and that it be maintained at
the public expense for the use of the
public.
This looks specious, but in reality it Is
an outrageous scheme to place a heavy
load on the taxpayers of Hudson county
for the benefit ofssEsgex industries.
The road Is practically of no use to
Hudson. There is no settlement upon 1t,
and there is almost no trucking by Jersey
City firms in the Newark direction.
Ninefy-fve per cent. of the traffic of the
road is Newark traffic, a fact which would
be proven-if proof were necessary-by
the fact that all4thes agitation over the
charter and the .tolisyis in that city.
But if the road is used by Newark
manufacturers and expressmen and other
shippers. it ipnly fight and just that
Newark should pay for its maintenance.
1t is farcieai to claim that Hudson county
should be saddled with such a burden as
this road would be, purely for the accom-
mediation of residents and taxpayers Of a
8oreign city.
But, of course, If the road were made
q public highway, Hudson would have to
foot all the bills. The road is entirely
within the limits of Hudson county, and,
naturally, Essex would refuse to con-
tribute one cent towards its expenses, ex-
rept the one-half cost of the Passaic
s Bridge, which the law would compel it
% bear.
fhe present status is absolutely fair and
equitable. Those who use the road pay
for lta If the burden falls heaviest upon
certain people in Newark, 1t is because
they are the principal benefeiaries by the
road. Hudson has already done all h
ran be demanded in throwing open the
turnpike. This, also, is used by Essex
more than by Hudson traffic, though. of
course, we get more out of it than we
would out of the Plank Road, as its west
nrn terminus is in the populous and busy
West Hudson townships. But we main-
tain that road and one bridge and half
the expense of another out of our tax
levy. and our people would certainly rise
in revolt If any further burden were to
be placed upon them, especially when
Essex interests alone would be benefited.
The mere requirement of this road
would be very expensive. The Company
owns the two bridges, and it holds all
the land over which the road runs In
zee simple. It could not be deprived OF
this property without compensation, and
II is likely the amount which should be
said to It would far exceed half a million
Of dollars. OF this, the entire amount
would have to be raised by Hudson, ex-
cept one-half of the valuation set on the
passaic Bridge. straining every pros
pect to the utmost, it is certain that
Hudson County would have to furnish
eyer 100000. to less. h 100000 by
Essex.
The preservation Of the road would
also be an enormous expense. Running,
as II does, through unstable marsh lands
it would cost as much as the Boulevard
annually to Keep IT IN order. and of this
amount Essex would not contribute one
dollar. And, as we lave shown already,
Hudson would practically get no return
for her money; on the contrary, she
would foster fhe worst nuisance that be.
sets Jersey city's streets. theSheavy, slow
moving truck traffic from Newark, which
wears out our: paving, blocks our cat
1,., Farriae and 0enardIif