The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1904-11-26
MAYOR FACAN
BL-AMES ERIE
He Says the Railroads. Alone
Responsible for the I'm
peding Of It's I'm
proVements.
REPLIES TO MAHAaER STUART
States Again That a Clsh
Compensation Was Of
fered for the Vacation
of Barnum Street
REPLIES TO MANAGER STUART

~'Aets VI a eSdu tAiS aioAu uinH Atp4if- "
last Wednesdays letter Of General
Manager J. c. Stuart of the Erie Rail-
road in connection with the Barnum
street controversy. The Mayor reiterates
what he stated in his veto message of the
Street and Water Boards temporary
permission to lay tracks across the street
that a pecuniary consideration had been
offered for the vacation of the street Mr..
William A. Corbin on behalf of the com
pany denied this.
The Mayors letter follows
November 26th, 1904.
"Mr. J. C. Stuart, General Manager,
Erie Railway Company, No. 21 Cort-
landt street, New York City
Dear Sir-I have read your letter
published on Wednesday. in reference to
the Barnum street vacation. Speaking
for the Erie Railroad Company, you
say in substance that your company de-
sires to make extensive improvements in
Jersey City, but is prevented from doing
50 by the refusal on the part of the City
Government to vacate Barnum street
and certain other streets which the COM
pany desires to incorporate. into its rail-
road property.
The predicament in which your COM
pany finds itself is one of its own
making.
In August last representatives of
your company called upon me and stated
that extensive plans were being con-
sidered for the development of the COM
pany's property and business here,
which when matured would require the
vacation of several streets in Jersey City.
As to these plans the gentlemen in ques-
tion We're not prepared to speak definite
", except as to Barnum street and
part of Ninth street, of which they
applied for the vacation at once. as
sured them that all that l and the then
members of the Street and Water Board
desired was to see the interests of the
city properly protected [ demanded
that the company should withdraw for
the present and until we could take over
our new water plant, its application for
a reduction of water rates, which was
agreed to- / demanded compensation
for the city for any streets which should
be vacated This also was agreed to.
and $4,000 was offered for the vacation
then proposed. Thereupon arranged to
have the Street and Water Commission
ers and myself visit the premises in
question with the representatives of the
company, and day was fixed for this
purpose Before that day arrived the
decision of the Court changed the per-
sonnel of the Street and Water Board;
whereupon your company Cancelled the
appointment already made and abandon
ed all further negotiations with me as
Mayor.
THE next I or the public knew you
made an unlawful attempt at midnight
to lay tracks in Barnum street, which
was stopped by the police. You had a
permit from a member of the Street and
Water Board, but it is fair to assume
you knew it to be Illegal. This high
handed and suspicious proceeding justly
aroused public opinion against you. The
city official who granted the alleged per-
mir is publicly quoted as saying that he
had the consent of all his colleagues,
but such action does not appear upon the
minutes of Street aud Water Board.
Nothing further was done until after
election, which in itself is queer. Then,
without warning, a permit is rushed
through granting your company ninety
(90) day privilege TO lay tracks on this
street, with no conditions insuring the re-
moval of the tracks at the end of said
period This resolution was rescinded
after secret conference between the
Board and your counsel, before my veto
of resolution was taken up. These are
the facts. as you well know.
"Of whom, then, do you complain?
When you conduct business with public
officials in this mysterious and secret
fashion, with such astonishing results,
how can you expect to avoid the distrust
and the resentment of all fair-minded
people? The fact is that there is not
now, and never has been, any opposition
on the part of any honest official of Jer-
sey City, or on the part of the press or
the public, to the carrying out of your
plans for improving your property. All
that is asked is that the matter be treat-
ed on business basis, and that the city
receive fair equivalent for the rights it
I surrenders and the benefits ii confers.
In order that the responsibility for
this business may be placed where it be-
longs. l invite y0u or any other repre-