Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1903-04-29
THREE LAWS PROVIDE
FOR STREET PAVING.
Committee of Chamber Commerce Met Last NO and Tailed
About Improvements EarneStNW Investigate the Laws to
Ascertain Which is the Best for Perth Anboy

Three committees of the Chamber
of Commerce met in the office of the
Pratt-Brown Company last night and
after discussing the subject of streets
and sidewalks for about an hour and
a half, decided to choose one of three
laws which applies to the matter and
see if the improvements cannot be
advanced more rapidly in this city.
The attendance was large and repre-
sented nearly all the interests in this
vicinity. The meeting was unanimous
in favor of better streets but how to
proceed was the problem to receive
attention. Before the discussion had
proceeded very far, it was learned
that there were three laws under
which Perth Amboy could improve
her streets. The law of 1901 seemed
to be the most popular as it was more
liberal in its provisions.
Rev. J. L. Lancaster, rector of St
Peter S Church. seemed to voice the
sentiment of great many when he
said that in his opinion the people OF
Perth Amboy were not opposed to
street improvement, but they were
opposed to the method under which it
was done at present. Under the
system now in vogue, the citizens pay
two-thirds the cost of the improve
ment and the city the other third.
The people are allowed five years in
which to pay their assessment, but if
they take advantage of this they must
pay an interest of seven per cent.
When the city can get money at three
and one half, or four per cent it was
thought to charge the citizens seven
per cent was too much. Mr.. Lancast-
er suggested that if the city would
give the property owners five years in
which to pay the assessment at FIVE
per cent and R
expiration of esE time
not be SO many remonstrances when,
a pavement was petitioned for.
Mr.. Lancaster's remarks were well
received. One of the laws under dis
cussion gives the city permission to
issue bonds. 1t was thought that it
was under this law New Brunswick
was now paving so many of her thor
oughfares.
Alderman at-large Eckert said the
aldermen had given the matter much
consideration, but found their hands
tied in every direction. He said that
if the people in petitioning for street
would not specify any particular kind
of material, there would be no oppor-
tunity for people to demonstrate and
demand other kinds, resulting in the
whole matter being dropped. He said
at the proper time the aldermen could
call the property owners together and
hear their opinions as to the material
and adopt the kind which seemed to
be the most popular.
Postmaster George H. Tice urged
action as soon as possible. He said
that every stranger who came to town
always had something to say about
the streets. He declared that at the
present date of paving, which means
one street every four or five years. it
would be long day before the work
was anywhere near what it ought to
be. He referred to the time when for
several years he had to wander
through a corn field to get anywhere
near lot he had purchased simply
because one property owner refused
to sign a petition to have street
opened. The postmaster showed that
he had been reading some law on the
street paving question and so did some
of the rest who were present.
Edward M Kelly wanted to see the
pavements on the sidewalks made
wider, especially on the the business
thoroughfares. He favored an ordi-
nance providing for the paving of the
sidewalks from the property line to
the curb. The ordinance now pro-
vides for a four-foot flag. This, it
was thought, was entirely too narrow
for Smith and State street. It was
stated that the paving of sidewalks
would have to be fixed by ordinance.
The committees adjourned to meet
in Judge Lyons Office next Tuesday
night. In the meantime the three
laws which apply to street paving are
to be compared and at the meeting
next week it will be decided which
one to adopt. The one selected will
be published in the papers that all the
citizens may see what it's provisions