The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1904-11-29

While the railroad companies and sub
sidiary corporations have created and inn
proved lands to the extent of TIP acres,
valued in part for assessment, by the
State, at over $4,000 600 and in part by
the local authorities at over $4,000 a
total of over 81. 100000, and paying to
Jersey City annually in taxes, $4,000,
private owners and citizens of Jersey
City in the whole history Of the City,
have only reclaimed and improved SO
acres.
In addition to this, Railroad Compan-
les and subsidiary corporations have pur-
chased from the State. and now hold,
lands never before within the taxable
ratabless and under water. to the extent
of about 1,09S acres, calculated to the
line for solid filling, valued for taxation
locally at S3.577, 900, or at a rate of
$500 per acre, and paying annual taxes
over $1OS,OoO. These lands are now be-
ing rapidly improved, and as completed
and put into railroad uses. will undoubt
edly be much more valuable.
Is it any ground Of complaint that they
have been taken from the untaxable
holdings of the State?
There are 536 acres of similar lands
acquired frepa the State, in the hands of
individuals, and only partially improved,
assessed at a value of $1,228,O00, or at
the rate of $500 per acre. No taxes
have been collected against these lands
for many years. They have not been
designated for any permanent purpose or
use, and are held mainly as a specula-
tion.
Since 1884 the railroad holdings used
for railroad purposes, other than main
stem. in Jersey City, haye increased
by only 249.9 acres, assessed at 81, $780,
$50, and these lands, with improvements,
are now paying at the rate of - per
cent. upon the State Boards valuation,
much more in taxes to the city than they
ever paid before.
OF this 249.9 acres, 55.15 acres, valued
at Ss4s. .25ts, is made up Of lands created
and improved by railroad companies or
by subsidiary corporations from State
lands.
Forty-seven and fve-tenths acres,
valued at $25T, 800, is land brought
within the assessed limits by change in
the exterior line for solid filing, and is
all under lie waters of New York Bay.
One hundred twenty-eight thousand
dollars in value is bulkhead front at
foot of Exchange place and Pavonia
avenue, never before assessed by city or
STATE.
+ This leaves 147.25 acres valued for
land only by the State Board at ST.
800, 40, or six per cent. of the whole
second class real estate as the net area
taken from local ratables in twenty
years.
In the same time 1856 acres have been
taken into the main stem class, of which
27.56 acres is land reclaimed by the rail-
road companies or subsidiary corpora
tions.
The greater portion Of the lands taken
into the railroad class in the past twenty
years consists of lands acquired by the
Lehigh Valley Railroad for their new
terminal roads.
| OF these lands there are S0.61 acres
in the new main stem of the Lehigh
| Valley lines, valued for assessment al
the average value per acre of S1S,0S5
| 81. .457 ,S37. These S0.61 acres were as
sessed locally before purchase by the
railroad companies at an average oi
| $500 per acre, or a total of $201 ,525
The second class real estate of the
Lehigh Valley Company, amounting ts
1906 acres. outside of the terminal yard
assessed for land only by the State al
S231, ,eS5 was assessed locally before
passing to the railroad at $11105S.
The terminal yard is made up Of part
Of the Morris Canal lands and the Wesi
Line Grant. The first always assessed
by the State, and the other in eonstan1
litigation until the Lehigh Valley Rail
road secured it, and though assessed 10
cally, no taxes were paid except nom
inal sum to clear the title. The assess
ment being mainly useful for the purpos,
of swelling the ratables and keeping the
1 tax rate below $4,000.
Previous to 1898. there was great force
in the complaint that Jersey City paid
more than her just share of State taxes
Within her limits, ther was, and is more
than one half Of the second class railroad
property of the State, and the one halt
half of one per cent. retained by thu