New-York tribune., 1900-03-15
S4TING FHE PALISADES.
A PLAN PROMISING GOOD RESULTS AT
SMALL. EXPENSE

The destruction OF the Palisades and the dis
cussion OF ways and Of stopping that
destruction keeping. even step. Colonel Sweet
ing Miles, of Bergen County, in speaking of the
park project recently. objected to the plan on the
ground Of expense, and thought less costly way
OF saving the cliffs could be adopted. He said:
There seems to be considerable anxiety in the
minds of the Legislators of the State of New York
ence TO the preservation of the Palisades of the
Hudson. and the idea seems TO prevail that there
is no way accomplish this except by making a
park of all that land under the Palisades from
Fort Lee to the STATE line on on the north New
York has less than two. Under the bills be-
fore the Legislatures New-Jersey is to have five
1t seems though New-Jersey should have "a rep
resentation IN such an important matter OF at
least three 10 one when you consider the terri
tory proposed to be taken But it does not seem
possible that such OliL can ever pass the New
Jersey Legislature, when YOU take into con-
fIyeIy and 0ne-baif miles are tEe avaraTa 4fp
Of that territory is five hundred feet from the
an angle of 10 degrees, and covered with rocks OF
The rtpari1n rights along that line are worth 20
the State a,Jo0Go; and are growing In value. That
these rights 90 for the support of our schools:
and when you add 70 this the loss on taxation OF
the territory for township. county and State pur-
poses. it Is surely great price TO pay for the
qualification Of aesthetic taste, bur probably
too much II the Palisades could not be preserved
without such enormous sacrifice.
The river should be kept open for commerce on
the NeW-Jersey side as well as on the New-YOrk
1t is needed for the development of great cities
Now, suggest a simple. easy, practical and eco
nomical way or preserving the Palisades from auy
further destruction by the work of man Let the
Governor OF New-JerSey appoint one Commits
sioner lone is good hve), to serve WtthOnt
pay except actual expenses incurred with Dower
10 call out condemnation commissioners to take
the land. when he has money I'm hand TO paw for
IT, as follows: To condemn hundred feet IN
width from the face Of the Palisades where the
talus or debris begins, such land as IS not now
protected-there only and One-haIf miles
unprotected, because nine miles Of river front are
in the hands of the Riparian Commission and the
law passed some five years ago compeIs il 10
puf in each lease grant q proviso that no
destruction or injury 10 the Palisades shall be
done Then. sthere Is about one mile protected bv
public roads and = small park on the top leaving
scarcely two and one-half miles unprotected one
hundred feet In width in two and a half miles will
involve thirty acres of land, at 800 an acre
winch IS considered an eXorbttaut price-wOuId be
M3SO There Is only one business 10 be enioined
or destroyed, and II would though SI25 900
Snould cover the whole amount needed and thus
leave everything in its natural grandeur and
beauty This can be accomplished BY New-Tersev
alone. II the one hundred feet in width is CON
deTnned for a State road. can throw anv-
thing Gown from the top on ii or take away much
from the lower side without building retaining
wall to protect the States property I hone this
Is sun1cientIy clear 70 be understood by those not
familiar with the place W