The Jersey City news., 1899-11-25
T ERIE elevation.
Work throughout Jersey
City Nearing It's Com
pletion.
COST TO CITY $4,000
Sketch of the Fight Made
Against the Company
Streets Affected.


a condition and not theory.
The abolition Of grade crossings in this
city was first accomplished, and it is just |
to remark voluntarily, by the Pennsyl- !
vaia Railroad That great corporation at |
it's own expense raised its tracks and |
now under virtually private contract
the Erie has raised its. but with this |
| difference, that a portion of the cost Of !
doing SO was borne by Jersey City. The |
track elevation will cost the city little |
short Of $40 0O0.
| The history of the Erie's elevation is
an interesting inasmuch as 1t was
| forced on the company by handful Of
citizens. The agitation began under the
| law of 1896 and the pioneer of track ele-
walton was Mr.. Andrew J. Corcoran, once
| president of the Board of Trade. He or
ganized in the Horseshoe an association
and with praIseworthy persistence kept
| at it, until the city officials. under May
or Wanser's regime, took the matter UP
| and negotiations between the city and
railroad began.
Sometime latter under a Democratic ad-
ministratior a definite contract was drawn
up, and to Mr.. Robert Davis, leader of
the Democratic party. all credit IS due for
carefully watching this matter and seeing
| that the city's rights were preserved. He
| insisted that the engineers and lawyers Of
/ the railroad company should confer with
similar officials representing Jersey City,
| and the plans and contract discussed at
length.
| 1--WE must see,n said Mr.. Davis to the
Street and Water Board, that the COM
/ pany shall not depress the streets to be
| crossed in order that their elevation cost
| be benefited. Depressing the streets
| little, I believe. is necessary; but there
must be no fayoring the company as
against the citizens rights"
There came the question of cost and
long and bitter fight took place over that.
1t was taken to the Legislature and Mr..
| Corcoran, having solicited the Board OF
Trade, made long arguments in favor of
compelling the Erie to elevate its tracks.
| An act was passed, but there was a doubt
as to its stability. Concerning 1t Mr..
| George Bouton, clerk of the Street and
| Water Commissioners, says in his report
of 1885,
while that measure was a step in the
right direction, the city soon found that
proceedings taken in accordance with 1t,
would be Aong drawn out and uncertain
I of result and that the company by re-
sorting to a contest in the courts
could postpone the actual elevation
| of its tracks above the streets
across which its road now runs
at grade for a period that could only
|. be determined by the bitterness of its
opposition, the amount of its financial
resources and the ingnuity of its coun-
sell.
The extra statutory negotiations be-
| ~ fo aff fv
| continued after the act of 1896 was pass
| ed and ultimately resulted in the MAX
| ing of a private contract. and in the pro-
visions of that contract Mr.. Davis upheld
the right of the citizens and succeeded in
gaining the best TENS possible under the
existing conditions and preventing inter-
minable litigation and delay.
According to the terms Of that contract
the Erie Company agreed to elevate its
tracks over Monmouth street, Coles
street, Jersey avenue, Erie street, Grove
street and Henderson street, so that there
should be a clear space Of at least twelve
feet over the whole width OF these streets.
The cost of the eaevating, filing, stone
and all bridge work was borne by the |
company, while damages, demands. claims, |
legal actions and suits resulting from the
assumed by the city.
The grades of these streets had to be |
changed at the expense of the city, be-
meath and approaching the tracks. Mon |
mouth and Coles streets were depressed
one and a half feet: Jersey avenue two
feet; Erie street, three and a half feet;
Grove street, about four feet and eight
inches, and Henderson street, more than
five and half feet.
The cost was also charged TO the city
for the changed grades and the work
necessary to restore and rebuild the
streets, according to the new lines; for
paving, curibing and Tagging them, and
for altering sewers, water pipes and con-
dufts.
The city agreed also to vacate 460 feet
In Paterson street. 2So feet in Brunswick
street. s5S feet in Provost street, Io5 feet
in Tenth street, and parts Of McPher-
son place, Terry alley, Perry street, Fleet
street Bevan street, Huron avenue, Skill
man avenue and Germania avenue How
ever. of the streets last mentioned as
partly vacated only one had been In use
by the public, and the company had
agreed to give the city some land on
which to relocate part of street,
The regarding of Henderson street.
Grove street, Erie street, Jersey avenue,
Monmouth street and Coles street was
done by the city only in the roadway. The
sidewalks were allowed to remain as they
had BEEN This was done In order that
the city might escape the responsibility OF
having to pay for new fousasaa tions and
cellars along the regarded parts OF the
streets. This created an Inconvenience
for the property owners by reason Of the
disparity In the grades of the road and
the sidewalk. 1t made delivery Of goods
from wagons difficult, and always left
open the possibility Of accident to people.
perhaps unacquainted with the streets.
VINO might stumble from the sidewalk
to the road.
The latter danger was done away with
by the erection Of guard rails along the
curb PEOPLE. however, had to have coil
and other articles delivered from " gons
and the guard rails would be an opstacle
TO overcome this system Of sliding rails
was arranged, afrording residents q means
of receiving goods without Obstruction
whenever they desired. The city had, of
course. to construct walls q support t1ls
sidewalks.
- 49, fs,f xxre