The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-06-26
ISIT A NUISANCE?
Property Owners Disagree
Over Johnson's Cow
Stables.
HEALTH BOARD HEARS THE FIGHT
Talk About a Much Needed
Sewer Took Up the Rest
of the Evening.
HEALTH BOARD HEARS THE FIGHT

meeting of the Police Board. Both were
concerning nuisances that have been dls
cussed for months past in local ward I'M
provement associations in the Hudson CITY
section.
The Eleventh and Twelfth wards wer5
strongly represented. Members OF the
Eleventh Ward Improvement Association
kicked because people living on the cas-
side of Palisade avenue, south OF Jefferson
street, had no proper sewer connections
and sewage from their houses had to run
out on HIoboken avenue, where 1t wouno
about the foot OF the H:n.
Another delegation, including number
of women, came down from the Twelfth
Ward TO ask for an abatement Of the
nuisance caused by the keeping OF twelve
or fourteen cows in stables by Alex. Jonn-
ston, at No. 205 Hutton street. Complaints
from these cow stables have been dis
cussed for years in meetings of the local
associations. Mr.. Johnston established
them twenty-six years ago on the out
skirts of the old Hudson City section.
That section is rapidly growing, and priv
ate residences and tenement houses have
been built all around them. Two petitions
had been presented to the Board. That
against Mr.. Johnstons stables contained
only half the names of the one signed by
male property owners of the vicinity de-
cIaring that Johnston's cow stables were
not a nuisance.
Former Freeholder Frederick Stuhr re-
presented Mr.. Johnston, and the complain
ants were subjected TO rigid cross-exam-
ination. They complained, but President
AdeGin said the Board was anxious to get
at ha Of he md he al allowed
both sides latitude
I.soeetor Benjamin and other members
of the Health Board declared they had
visited The premises and did not find them
nuisance. All of them declared that
they had found proper sewer connections
between the premises complained of and
the adjacent sewer, and that the premises
were clean and in good order.
The delegation showed ngnr, and sue
ceeded in impressing the members of the
Board, despite the fact that Johnston was
represented by attorney and that the
Health Boards testimony was against
them, with the fact that personal in
vestigation should be made. The matter
was referred to the Committee of the
Whole.
Mr.. NJ. Everson and his wife headed
the delegation. Both declared that they
had lived in the neghborhood for almost
fifteen years and that the nuisance had
become intolerable. 1t was necessary to
keep windows down in hot weather. Mrs.
Everson blamed the condition of her sons
health on Johnson's stables.
Mrs. Jennie Tresouthwick also gave tes-
timony against the COW stables. She had
only lived a few months in the neighbor-
hood She claimed the foul smells eman-
ating from Johnson's cow stables was
detrimental to the health of her children.
Counselor Stuhr piled questions. Despite
the facts that the evidence was against
Johnston he scored an inning. The coun-
selor sarcastically asked Mr.. Everson if
he was afflicted with any other diseases
than those he had enumerated, which
he attributed to the foul smells emanating
from Johnson's COW stables, and Mr..
Everson ironically admitted that he was
afflicted with colds, rheumatism, deafness
and corns of the feet. DR.. McGill was
listening.
ANY other ailments?'' asked the will
lowy former Freeholder, eyeing the COM
plainant through rimless eye glasses,
while he dangled his long crossed legs
from the rim of the reporters table.
Eyes, ulcer of the stomach" declared
Mr. Everson, with a grimace. II had to
go out and throw up my dinner"
"But you have just testified that you
work all day." interpollated the easy go
ing counselor.
And the fiery witness. who disdained
the chair placed at the instance of DR..
McGilI for Mrs. Everson, and climbed up
into the armed witness chair of the First
Criminal Police Court room. which rests
on an elevated platform, replied
eyes, but I'm home on Sundays"
After ascertaining that this act oc-
CURED on a Saturday the counselor asked:
"Do you remember what diseases your
wife is afflicted wfth?'
..she takes care of her own diseases. I
take care of mine.''
But your son?"
.I'm not an expert on theology. We all
have to get up and go out of our homes
ION what dates?"
There's too much verbiage about your
questions
Further testimony was given to show
that after a recent complaint had been
made Johnston and his family and help
were Obliged to hustle to remove the filth
before the anticipated visit of health in
spectors was made. The delegation from
the Hudson City Improvement Association
then arose to go.
President McGill and Commissioner Til
den had listened to both sides attentively
and they will investigate. Members of the
Hudson City delegation said they looked
upon the cow shed business as a farce.
The Commissioners, after listening to both
sides of the controversy, referred the mat
ter for further consideration to the Com
mittee of the Whole.
The members of the delegation from the
Eleventh Ward Improvement Association,
who were principally interested in the
abatement of the nuisance caused by resi-
dents Of the east. side of Paiisade avenue
south of Jefferson street, allowing sewage
from their houses to tester in the hot
summer sun that shines upon Hoboken
avenue or in the triangular or quadrangle
lar sections of the meadows formed by
railway embankments, stated the cause Of
their complaint succinctly President Nc
Gill listened to the various complaints
ard gave the delegation to understand
that the Health Board wanted to help