The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-03
ATTACK ON THE PALISADES.
MOCK HOUSE POINT MAY ne
HLASTED AVN.

way which stretches from the Kill van Null
through Hudson county 10 the Bergen
county line, was laid out, the engineers,
desiring 20 preserve what they believed
TO be the finest viewpoint on the Palisades
In New Jersey, planned loop in the Wood
cliff section OF North Bergen, running east
along Thirtieth street 10 Block House Point,
a famous historical bluff, and curving along
the edge OF the Palisades TO Thirty-fourth
street.
Block House Point, standing 200 feet
or more above the river, commands a mag
nihcent view Of the Hudson as far north
a. Yonkers and south TO the NaTrows, while
the city Of New York lies 10 the east.
The Woodclih Land Company which
owned much Of the land traversed by the
loop some years ago. leased q tract Of land
lying along the river front north Of the
point 10 the Clinton Point Stone Company,
which is now blasting away the Palisades
for the purpose Of getting crushed trap rock
and TO make room along the river edge Tor
wharves and railroad purposes.
The quarrying operations have been
carried on TO such an extent below the loop
that the retaining wall has given way in
several places and portions Of the drive
way have slid down the declivity, doing
damage which can not be repaired, 1t is
said, for less than $4,000,
Tho Board Of FreeholdeTs, for some
reason best known TO the members, has never
been greatly exercised over the destruction
Of a section Of the 5000, 900 Boulevard and
has never taken any measures 70 preserve
what still remains OF the loop.
Just now the freeholders are Wreet ling
over a petition filed by the Woodclth Land
Improvement Company for change In the
course Of the loop between Ihirtieth and
ThiTty-hfth streets by moving back 10
make a straight road between these two
points instead OF the winding road that
now exists The company, through its
president, Joseph Meeka, says in its petition
that the relocation OF the loop. would be TO
the best interests, not only OF the company
but Of the county az well, but where the
county will be benefited II the change Is
made the freeholders haven't figured out;
The company generously Offers to stand
all the expense OF building the. proposed
short cut and doing away with the piotur-
esQue curve on the edge OF the blum.
Il Il generally understood that the oom-
pany desires 20 continue the operations OF
despoilinR the Palisades until the greater
Part of the land encircled by the loop be-
tween Thirtieth and Thirty-fouHh streets
has been removed 70 make room Tor pro
jected improvements along the water
front. The Meeks estate, which controls
The land company, has received no returns
for years for all the taxes paid on the prop
eTty and Il seeB an opportunity, u u sald'
Of converting land OF not much money
value now 70 property which will be worth
a great deal Tor shipping and other pur-
Up on the Palisades persons who were
attracted TO the spot by the wonderful
beauty Of the scenery are up In arms over
the despoiling Of the Boulevard, the proPo-
"a a. NJ loon. the
dangerous blasting operations, and the
threatened wiping OF the map OF old BLOCK
House Point.
Some Of these property owners requested
the Board Of Freeholders TO give them q
chance 70 appear before that body and
protest against the Woodclih Land Improve
ment Company's petition. OF course the
Committee on Public and County Roads
20 which the petition was referred was only
too glad 70 hear all sides OF such an I'M
portant question and fixed yesterday morn
Ing at 10 o'clock, at the freeholders' office
In Jersey City, as the time and place where
they would hear all who objected TO the
proposed change. Notices we're sent Out
10 Woodclih citizens and some were de-
livered as early as $50 o'clock on Monday
night. This gave the citizens one night TO
I sleep over the proposition and no time
In which to arrange their affairs In the morn
ing 30 they could take day on and catch
a trolley car bound for jersey City.
n
holders office at 10 O'Clock waiting for, a
chance to register their objections with the
committee, but the hearing didn't start
until IL O'Clock. Freebooter Alexander
Clements presided.
r. b. Meyers, who bought property at
the Bulls Ferry road and Thirty-seoond
street, because Of the beautiful view, asked
that the hearing be postponed until such
time as the folks OF Woodclih could be
notified that the committee would receive
them. He considered the notice snort
beyond reason and explained that he
didn't know that the hearing had been
soheduled until $50 O'Clock on Monday
night, and then be learned the time through
a notice sent 10 Mr.. Sullivan. He explained
that he had requested that Mr.. Sullivan and
he should receive notice when the oom-
mittee intended 10 meet.
James Lyons Of los Thirty second street,
Woodolih, made a few remarks about the
damage done by blasting In the quarry
under the Palisades. He said he had 70
put in new ceiling 70 replace the one
Jared out by blasts and also related that b Q
was obliged to shunt OF the Boulevard
into the lots with his horse one day year
ago 20 escape from a shower OF rock which
was dropped on the driveway, after a sec
tion Of the Palisades was blown away
lawyer Horace l.. Allen, representing
the Hoboken Land and Improvement
Company, registered a formal protest
against The proposed change in the Boule-
ward line. He said:
The company considers that the Board
OF Freeholdes exercised good judgment
In selecting the site Of the Boulevard. Be
yond that, II has a trust 20 maintain in
seeing that the road end the scenery should
be protected"
Mr.. Alien said he thought the freeholders
might be affected by a decision Of the courts
! in the case Of Allen versus Monmouth
county freeholders in the matter Of the
selection Of a site for a bridge over the
Navesink River. The court, he said, held
that having selected the terminals OF the
| bridge, the freeholders couldn't change
thom. The decision, he suggested, might
pre- vent the board from changing the route
OF the boulevard.
The hearing was adjourned until next
Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock and the
| citizens promised there would be a big
| delegation on hand TO protest against the
spelling Of the Boulevard by the quarry
men and the proposed change in the line
| OF the road.
Block House Point which Is in danger
| Of being blasted away n the Boulevard
Is straightened out, was the headquarters
| OF a band Of British refugees commanded
| by Col. Cuyler 125 years ago. They COM
| mitted many depredRtions In Hudson and
| Bergen counties and built a block house
| on the point jutting far out toward the
| Hudson. Gen. Washington who was then
up the Ramapo Valley, heard Of the action
| OF the refugees and sent Gen. Wayne after
them The British had the advantage Of