The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1904-11-21
ONLY TEMPORARY
SAYS The BOARD
Street and Water Commis-
sioners Say the Tracks
on Barnun Street Were
Not Permanent.
T0BE REMOVED IN 100 DAYS
People Wonder, However,
Why the Erie Erects a
Building Useless With
out the Street.
T0B REMOVED IN 80 DAYS

Ehe wide publicity given the Barnum
stre% matter caused many people on
Pavohia avenue yesterday to stop and
take a look at the little stretch of use
less roadway which hitherto they had
passed without noticing or. if so. giving
it more than a momentary thought 1t
is about go feet long and backs up on
the fenced off yard of the Erie Railroad
Company. The only possible use is its
connection with portion of Ninth street,
seldom used until the recent agitation
over the. alleged giving away of the
street to the Erie Railroad Company
Now fhe truckmen who hitherto pursued
the more or less even tenor of their way.
up and down wide Pavonia avenue and
want to see the city get something for
the street have suddenly discovered that
the narrow Ninth street route is prefer
able to Pavonia avenue. and Ninth
street is absolutely worthless without the
little strip of Barnum street as an in
gress or egress Ninth street has, in
deed. become quite truck traffic thor
oughfare.
The Street and Water Board denies
that it has ever practically given Barnum
street away. The members point to a
cast iron agreement that the permission
granted by resolution to the Erie Rail-
road to lay tracks across Barnum street
is only temporary and that the tracks
must be removed before the expiration
Of ninety days. 1t is said that the TEN
porary permission to cross the street was
granted merely to allow the railroad to
carry on a scheme of extensive improve
ments. The company has just completed
the erection of big milk depot to the
east of Barnum- street Recently the
outlines of big structure just west of
Barnum street commenced to loom up.
The Barnum street fences were down,
laborers were continually on the scene,
and everything has for some days been
in readiness to lay tracks across the
street Several efforts TO cross were
stopped BY the police, who are constantly
Oh guard
The building just alluded to on the
west of Barnum street has developed so
far as TO leave no doubt of its being a
'sround'' house. even though it is nearly
square. It will accommodate thirteen loco
motives at once. Yesterday a force of
worklnen were engaged digging and con-
structing ash pits beneath the shed-like
structure, which is sheathed in corrugat-
ing iron. The natural query Of every
body acquainted with the situation and
who takes a glance at the surroundings
is why the company should build such
structure which is of no use unless it can.
be. reached by crossing Barlum street, if
it intends 10 take up the tracks at the
expiration Of ninety days.
Another force of men weres.at work
yesterday in front of This round house
digging a circular trench which looked as
fhopgl it was 10 be tgench for turn
table.
Everybody comedies that the strip Of
Barnunl street in question is of no value
to the city, but many residents. especial
II Of the Horseshoe knowing the value
of the strip to the raiIroad company de-
mand that the city shonld be fairly COM
pensated for the strip of it is to be va
cafed entirely Mr.. John Casey. of the
wealthy saloon keeper Of Thirteenth and
Grove streets and one Of the most exten-
sive property owners in the Horseshoe,
has offered $4,000 for fiie street This
was not at FIRST treated seriously, but
Mr.. Casey vent down 10 the Mayors
Office and showed the "eon, and said
it would be forthcoming as soon as the
city gave him deed for the properly
Eaem then il was said that ANDREW 3
Coreoran and other wealthy members Of
the Second Wafd Improvement Associa-
tion had made up the amount to be used
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