The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-01-20

kept in repair by them ever since. The
advantages Of these roads were SO appar-
ent that the towns and townships through
which they were built were inspired to I'M
prove their local roads, until at the pres
ent time there are not less than two hum
dred miles of we'll graded macadamized
roads in Essex county. In 1895 the State
passed a law known as the State Aid
Road Law, and this aggressive county of
Essex, with apparently a surplus of good
roads already, was foremost in seizing
upon the benefits of the law. The law pro-
vides for an appropriation of 100000 an
nually, to be distributed among such
| counties applying for it as shall build
properly constructed roads, two thirds of
the cost thereof to be paid by the counIies
and one third by the State. This appro-
priation was increased in 1899 to $780, ,Oc0.
During the five years in which the law
has been in force Essex county has re-
ceived from the State $53, ,63S, and has
built in compliance with the law thirty
seven miles of county roads, which, added
to these previously built. gives to that
county eighty miles of completed county
| roads. The State has already donated
applying for it, not one dollar of which
has come to Hudson, because we have
not asked for it, although Hudson stands
second in Importance as indicated in the
ratable list of the twentyone counties.
How can Hudson county wisely and ad-
vantageously expend its share of the
! State money and its own, in the improve
ment and construction of county roads?
This is the question which we will attempt
no county roads The new Boulevard pro-
vides for all necessary travel north and
south. and only the west is left for ex-
! ploitation.
| The first of the existing roads leading
| toward the west for our notice is the
| Newark Plank Road The enormous traffic
of this road Is almost wholly for the bene-
fit of Newark merchants. manufacturers
and brewers, who very properly pay tolls
for maintaining it.
/ If the thing could be legally accom-
plished. it would be quite within the
bounds of equity for Jersey City to erect
a toll gate across Communipaw avenue or
Grand street and collect tolls from the
| through travel between Newark and New
York for maintenance of those streets.
The conversion of the Plank Road into
"a free public highway, part of which
4 must be maintained by Hudson county
would be positive curse and that subject
may be dismissed from our consideration
Next in order is the Newark turnpike, so
called, which constitutes a connection
with our own people in Harrison and East
Newark and is the shortest route to the
central point of Newark At present this
road is anything but attractive. AS, how
ever, the State Aid law contemplates
| improvements on existing roads equally
with new roads to be built, let us in
1 quire how the money of the State in
| connection with that of the county can
/ be best expended on this line.
| Imagine the abattoir and manure heaps
along the line abolished, the road widen
| ed to double its& present width with the
l ~,
broad thoroughfare on each side one for
/ easterly the other for westerly travel,
/ with four rows of shade trees, one row
on either side of the two roadways, and
we have an avenue to please the most
fastidious.
| 1t would attract for pleasure driving
! and bicycle riding the numerous devo-
| tees of such recreation in our city, and
| would become a cementing bond of
| friendship between the eastern and west
| ern portions of our county instead of the
repulsive barrier that it now is.
This is the ideal to which our Board
Of Freeholders should direct their thought
and effort, and when it becomes real
will be all we need to bring US in close
touch with the citizens of Harrison, East
1 Newark and Newark.
j But the best and crowning achieve
ment of the Board win be consummated
when we can easily and pleasantly reach
the rural region toward the northwest
without traversing miles of rough and
stone paved streets in the city of New
ark For that purpose the Belleville
Bridge is the only gateway at present
open to US.
At that point we are in immediate con-
nection with the splendid country roads
extending in every direction through
j diversiful scenery where we have the
companionship Of nature and rural at
fractions. That region has been called
the paradise of Wheelmen,' class who
have become powerful factor Of society
and must be respected. Our citizens who
4 delight in pleasure driving can bowl
along through that region over smooth
\ roads without breaking trot, until by