Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1903-05-12


Council Chamber in the City Hall last
night for the purpose of discussing
the Wet Dock property and resolution
recently introduced to authorize the
Board of Aldermen to dispose of the
property, was we'll attended. The
discussion lasted nearly two hours at
the end of which neither side seemed
to have gained any good point to work
on and the meeting was adjourned.
Alderman Cannon acted as chair
man and, upon opening the meeting,
Hon. Cortlandt Parker, OF Newark,
took the floor in the interest OF the
Ramsay heirs, who now occupy the
property in question. In his intro
duction he told of his. early days in
this city where he was born. He re-
called the time when, as boy, he
studied within the walls of the Olty
Hall and said he did not believe that
any person living could take more
interest in the old town than he did.
Mr.. Parker talked for nearly an
hour during which he related the
history of the Wet Dock property from
the time of King Charles up to the
present time. He held that where
lands are dedicated in trust that the
City Council, has power, through the
Chancellor, upon furnishing proof,
and upon his decree, to sell the pro-
property referred to. Mr.. Parker said
that the Jersey rroprietors, in grant
ing the property to Perth Amboy, did
so for the use of the citizens, provided
that North and South Dock streets,
now known as Fayette and Commerce
streets be kept open. The grant also
provided that the property be made
use of. This was dated ITO. Appar-
emily nothing was done with the pro-
perty which was a mere cove In the
sound and at high tide flooded with
water, .until April, 1881. when q
lease for ninety mine years was grant
ed the Perth Amboy Manufacturing
Company. This company, Mr.. Parker
said, at that time bid fair to do well
and although an ordinance was passed
giving them permission to build piers
on the property, the firm went out OF
business four years later.
A concern from Pottsville, Pa, then
known as the .Lehigh and Navigation
Company, took the lease, but in 1S4S
abandoned, and Ezekial Patterson was
about to take it when he died. In
1891 the late Hugh Ramsay got the
property and during his life and mp to
the present time over $18, 900 have been
paid in taxes for the property. Over
100 vessels, not counting the numerous
ones overhauled and repaired, have
been built. During that time 81, 443,
4S9. "a have been paid to tie men ems
ployed. Mr.. Parker told how the
present Perth Amboy Shipbuilding &
Engineering Company, with consider
able capital already invested, is con-
tinually hampered in their operations,
because of the decision of the last
suit, in which the city itself confessed
it had no real title to the lana in
question and he asked that the resolu-
tion be passed that the question of a
title be cleared up and the property
properly disposed of. Mr.. Parker took
his seat amid much applause.
Alderman at large Eckert took ex-
ception to one or two statements of
Mr.. Parker and asked for an explana-
tion. He said on February 8, 1891, or
four months before Mr.. Ramsay had
taken the property, a resolution was
passed ordering the suit which the
city lost, and not at the time Mr..
Parker stated. In answer, Mr.. Parker
did not attempt to explain the mis-
take, if he had made any, but recalled
the time of the suit at New Bruins
wick when he represented Mr.. Ramsay
and recalled some of the evidence as
introduced such as the old proprietor's
map which he had put on exhibition
and on which the court refused to let
the jury decide the case.
Milton A. Edgar, as director of
the shipbuilding company, took the