The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-03-28
Applications to the Riparian
Board for Grants on
the Hackensack
Water Front.
VALUATIONS ON THE PROPERTY
John M. Jones Says Owners
Pay Taxes on Property
Unimproved for Over
Two Centuries.

this morning when several applications
were made to the State Board of Riparian
Commissioners by property owners on the
west side for State grants of lands under
water for the purpose of building docks
and wharves.
The applicants were the First National
Bank. Mr.. John M. Jones and Lawyer
Isaac S. Romaine. These We're all laid
over in order to give the Commissioners
time to personally inspect that part of the
Jersey City water front on the river ex-
tending north from Communipaw avenue.
Governor Forster M. Voorhees, presided
and when the maps had been spread on
the table showing the location of the
grants sought for. he remarked that it
was highly important matter demand
ing careful attention by the Board, where
upon Commissioner Willard c. Fisk sus-
sested a visit to the place.
How can We get there?" asked the
Governor.
'Oh," said Mr.. Fisk, 1--WE can go down
to Communipaw bridge and Secretary
Payne here can get one of those fiat
bottomed skiffs and row us up there"
The secretary laughed with the rest
but shrugged his shoulders at the task
after weighing up the probable boatload
Mr.. John M. Jones started the discus
sion by presenting four applications for
grants. the property lying between the
Newark Plank Road bridge and that of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He
wanted a frontage of 973 feet in ALL
The land which he owned, he said, was
at present inaccessible to the water front
and he made the Board stare when he
a,.fxr frn ha
same condition now as it was two nun
dred and fifty years ago.
sWhat?" said the Governor, finging
away the butt of his cigarette.
Yes, sir" replied Mr.. Jones, 1.-THE titles
for property there run back as far as
two hundred and fifty years. and al
though the owners have been paying
taxes since then, they have never derived
any benefit from it. Some years ago we
did get little salt hay from the lands,
but not now
Il can verify that statement said
Commissioner Fisk.
Mr.. Jones said that if he secured the
grants he intended to build wharves. AS
to the price of the property there had
been sales at from 500 to $500 an acre, but
never beyond the latter sum.
..It's got to be developed said Commits
sioner Fisk, ''for it's valuable property"
One of the Commissioners was of opin-
ion that it would pay the Board to make
no grants at present, but hold the prop
erty. He asked Mr.. Fisk what the sales
for some time back had been made by the
Board.
'In 1888 there was a sale of SO cents a
foot south of the canal, and in 1891 $5 was
charged south of the railroad track
What is your idea of the price, Mr.
Jones?''
Mr.. Jones said that about 50 to IS was
reasonable, but the Commissioners shook
their heads. Some reference being made
to the Plank Road and the value of lands
adjoining it, Commissioner Fisk said
1.-THE plank road has been a costly thing
for Jersey City. There's all the trucking
over Grand street and the cost of repay
ing that street, and yet I'll venture to
say that property on that street has de-
preciated so per cent. The only benefit is
that there are two or three saloons on it
with water troughs and the city doesn't t
get paid even for that. Oaughter.)
A question then arose as to the streets
shown on the may being opened to the
water front or not. Mr.. Jones said that
the streets adjoining his lands had not
been dedicated or opened He was inform
ed that the Riparitn Board could not wipe
out streets, but made it rule to make
grants subjects to the rights of the peo-
pie, and any controversy as to sued de-
duction must be between Mr.. Jones and
Jersey City
Lawyer Isaac J. Romaine presented a
petition for 240 feet of frontage. His
property is bisected diagonally by the
Newark and Hudson Branch of the Erie
r. r. Co. 1t was marsh lands above
Dodge & Co.'s grant. The only access %
it was by water or crossing private prop
erty. If the board, he said, made the
grant his intention was to open the streets
TO the river and make mis- property acces-
sible. His idea of the price to be charged
was 50 a foot.
There being a third application for a
grant from the First National Bank IN
the same vicinity the motion that the
board should first inspect that section was
put by Governor Voorhees, and carried.
The date will be fixed within few days
and owners notified of the visit
The Board then turned its attention to
a petition from j. Macgregor of Newark
to have the lines extended $3.50 feet at
least on the west shore of the tongue
of land at the confluence of the Passaic
and Hackensack Rivers. The present
bulkhead line, the owner pointed out, was
valueless. He couldn't develop his prop
erty because he couldn't reach deep
water.
But what will Uncle Sam say il We
allow you to fill in the stream?' asked
the Governor.
Il thought would ask you first before
running up against him., replied the
owner.
1t was agreed that the Board should
join in Macgregor's petition to the Sec
Tetary of War.
Through Lawye Hughes of Messrs.
Corbfn and Corbin, Mr.. Lucien D. War
ner, president of the international Phos-
phate Company asked for 80 feet Of
grant In the Township of Woodbridge
on the Arthur Kill, between Carteret and
the Railway River. He wants to build a
3,ier to land phosphate and coal for mis-
factory The Board fixed the price at
SO per foot, the same charged for adjoin-
ing grants
Minor matters being disposed Of. the
Board adjourned.