The times., 1901-04-26
TO BUY THE PALISADES.
A Move to Preserve the Hudson's
PictureSque Landmarks.

f'icFUreSFue Landmarks
NEW YORK, April 25.-Encouraged by
the response of the. Legislature of this
State to the popular demand for the pres
ervation Of the Hudson River Palisades,
the Interstate commissioners to whom
New Jersey aud New York have contided
the interests sof the people in the pic
turesque river bank meet this afternoon
to plan the work made possible by New
York's 100000, appropriation The com
missioners. George w. Perkins, Abram 5.
Hewitt, Edwin A. Stevens. d. McNeely
Stauffer, Franklin w. Hopkins, Ralph
Trautmann, William a. Linn, Abram De
Ronde. Nathan f. Barrett, and j. Du
Pratt White hoped before they convened
today that they would hear that Governor
Odell had signed the appropriation bill,
but they have worked on faith for year
and they were prepared not to be both
cred by little matter like a delayed sig
nature to message that the Governor
was known to approve. They have spent
money in the confidence that plenty more
was coming.
They have even made arrangements 10
take title Immediately to some OF the
lands which will go to make up the IN
terstate park and one of the biggest par
cells in point of value will be bought to-
morrow This is the quarry OF the Car
penter Brothers below Englewood Cliffs.
The men who operated this blew up IN
dian Head two years since.
Mr.. White, the secretary of the COM
mission, was up to his eyes in papers re
lating to the Palisades properties when
he was asked today what the commits
sioners proposed to do now that they had
the money for which they had asked. He
said:
Our plans have been pretty well formu-
lated in a general way during the past
year Put briefly what we have to do
now is to acquire title to all the land be-
tween the top of the Palisades and the
waters edge from Fort Lee Landing to
Piermont Creek and then to build a boule-
ward along the base of the cliffs The
face of the Palisades is in most cases to
be given to the commission by the prop
erty owners and the land to be bought
is about 1,116 acres at an average price
of $500 an acre. 1t lies in a strip whose
length is roughly fifteen miles, and whose
mean width is $50 feet. There are be-
tween 275 and 800 titles to be passed and
the work of searching and closing these
will take our time for a good while tocome.
These papers that ] have here now re-
late to titles TO be acquired and / am
Strengthening them out for this after
moons meeting. Condemnation proceed
ings will have 10 be instituted in some
cases. As for the boulevard, when We get
to that we expect 10 connect il with the
east side of the river by numerous fer
ries and with the top Of the cliffs at
favorable intervals by rOadways. There
are country roads now running along the
river an eighth Of Il mile or so back OF
the cliffs and these side rOadways can
connect the boulevard with them. OF
course, we could not build road on top
OF the clins for that would destroy too
many valuable property rights. We think
the boulevard proposed may be built FOR
$1,000 a mile.
Our assets in the way of appropria-
uOns and contributions should cover all
the expenses OF acquisition. We decided
to devote the s5,0t1 appropriated by New
Jersey year ago TO searches of title and
maps of property and the $4,000 New
y Jrk appropriation of 1900 was used in ac-
curing options on the quarries where
blasting was going on. We stopped the
blasting from last Christmas Eve to June
l next. a number of men In this city
subscribed sl22, 900 ITO buy these quarries
In order that the option might not be
lost, the only condition being that the
two States interested should appropriate
enough money to carry the work of ac
uufSition to completion. That condition
has been satisfied by New Jerseys appro-
priation of $4,000 and New York's of $780,
vv". i HIlSHl say ny way OI INdl
New Jersey has also ceded its riparian
rights in the property involved, rights
valued at $l.300,00o. The commission has
spent none of the money received for
Office rent. clerk hire. or incidental ex-
penses. Title TO the land will be vested
in the respective States In which the par
GELS lie"
BY pursuing conciliatory policy, in
stead of emphasizing its power to obtain
land by condemnation, the commission
believes that ii has saved considerable
money. There is still some opposition on
the part of property owners, but not
enough 10 give trouble. In general, prop
erty owners along or near the proposed
reservation are alive to the boom in real
estate which will follow the construction
of the park, and where sentimental con-
siderations do not avail the argument of
enhanced values is sufficiently conYinc
ing.
The commission holds it's meetings in
Mr.. Perkins office at 346 Broadway. II
is said that 10 Mr.. Perkins. more than
to any other one man, the progress and
success Of the project for the preserya-
tion of the Palisades is due.