The Jersey City news., 1901-04-04
Improvement Associations
Ask Finance Board to
Take Advantage Of
Wharf Act.
TWO HUNDRED PETITIONERS
Piers on Hackensack River
Front Strongly Urged
Mullins Is Opposed.

ing to a slight indiSpoSltIon. Commissioner
Ringle presided. Several delegations called
upon the Board. Each was interested in
some proposed Improvement. The dele
cations were large and each was compos-
ed of representative property owners
They over1owed the spacious meeting
room of the Board and it was found NEG
essary to slide back the double doors con-
Meeting with the Mayors rear office.
Both rooms were filled. Each delegation
was given attentive hearing.
Mayor Heos was also present. He occu-
pied seat near the head of the table
Street and Water Commissioners Heintze
Nolan, Hauck and Sullivan found places
not far from the Commissioners table.
The largest delegation was that COM
posed principally of West Side property
owners with g. petition submitted some
time ago, signed by about two hundred
property owners, asking for the improve
ment of the foot of Duncan avenue and
the building of one or more piers at that
point on the Hackensack River frent
This delegation was composed of Walter
Condiet, Boulevard Commissioner Daniel
Y Lewis, John P Landrine, Alderman
Stell, Assemblyman George Tenant and
a dozen others.
The joint park site committee of the
Hudson City and Twelfth Ward Improve
ment Associations. accompanied by other
members of both associations called to
urge an appropriation for the conversion
of the old abandoned reservoir site at
Central, Manhattan and Summit avenues
into play or recreation ground, if not
park. The new station house committee
of the Twelfth Ward Improvement AS
soeiation, was also present to urge the
necessity of an early appropriation of the
money necessary to erect a new police
station for the Hudson City section
law having been passed by the last Leg
islature authorizing the city to issue
bonds for this purpose. OF the Hudson
City Improvement Association there were
present Robert Muir, Carl Lampe, August
Bodler, H. C. Reese and Mr.. Flaacke. The
Twelfth Ward Improvement Association
was represented by President George
Hoehl, Vice President George Prigge, Ben
jamin Diller, L. w. Spitznagel and Val
entine Mehl
The West Side property owners were
given the first hearing. The petition sub
mitted asks the Board, under an act
passed in 1888, authorizing cities in this
State to purchase land for the erection of
and to construct public docks, wharves
and piers, and to purchase and improve
rights of way leading thereto, so as to
make said lands, docks and wharves and
piers accessible" to purchase lands bor-
derng on the Hackensack River at the
foot of Duncan avenue and contiguous
thereto. sufficient for the construction and
erection and maintenance of one or more
public docks.
Another law passed by the last Legisla-
ture gives even greater power. Among
the two hundred signers of the petition
.are:-E. f. {. Young, E. w. Kingsland,
]. w. Hardenbergh, Oscar Gubelman, w.
ID. Edwards, DR.. John D. McGill, w.
Jackson and John Casey.
Walter Condict was the first speaker.
He urged the Importance of Immediately
taking steps to improve the Hackensaek
water front. Essex County, he said, had
already applied to the Government to
have the river dredged and it would not
be wise to allow her to get ahead of
Hudson in the matter of building piers,
etc., on her side of the river. He read a
document showing the mistake Jersey
City made thirty-six years ago when the
population was but $4,000, in neglecting to
take advantage of her opportunities to
develop the North River front. AS a re-
suit Jersey City had now but one wharf
(foot of Morgan street,. Thirty-six years
from now, Mr.. Condict maintained, the
population of the city, according to the
present rate of increase, would be
1,2OO. 900. If the city We're not careful
corporations would acquire all the Hack
ensack River front as they have mono
lized the North River front. Mr. Condict
said he could give no expert opinion as
to the actual cost of the proposed i'm
provement at the foot of Duncan ave-
nue.. He suggested that the Chief En-
gineer of the city submit an estimate of
the cost.
Assemblyman Tenant, who secured the
passage of the bill giving the city greater
authority in the matter, said he was
greatly interested in the proposed i'm
provements, although he did not frame
the bill recently passed. He said it was
drawn by City Attorney Queen and Mr..
Condict. He said it gave the city an OPP
portunity to do something for itself. It
was not merely to benefit property owners
in Johnstown, but the petition and the
delegation present showed that progress
sive men in other sections of the city
were interested. The Improvements aimed
at, he said would increase Jersey City's
ratables. 'This is very important
movement for the city, he said in con-
clusson. 1.-THE Mayor has his oppor-
tunity 1t is a crisis in the city's affairs,
and should be acted upon at once Mr..
Tenant was heartily applauded by the
delegation.
Daniel Y. Lewis was also applauded as
he arose to speak. He pointed out the
large number of interested property own
ers present and said he wanted to go on
record as one deeply interested. Large
tracts along the river front that are now
taxed by the acre, he said, can soon be
taxed by the city lot. The Boulevard had
proved paying Investment and the pro-
posed Improvement would prove equally
so. He pointed out the fact that wagons
were constantly seen bringing manu-
featured goods from factories on the Pas
sale at Newark and returning with raw
material. He said he didn't believe any
practical man would build factory on
the Passaic IL he could secure proper
facilities nearer New York
"can you give Us any definite idea Of