The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-05-21
MERCHANTS RACE:
OVER STREETS
Torn Up Condition of the
Thoroughfares of the City
Disgqsts Everybody
OFFICIALS HEAR PROTESTS
DECLARE THE STATE OF THINGS
TO BE UNPRECEDENTED IN
MUNICIPAL HISTORY

The condition of Jersey City'e streets
is enough to frighten would-be resident.
One would thing an earthquake had rag
ed here. On Newark avenue, from War
ren to Brunswick street, tagging and
paving blocks are piled up so that only
one side Of the street can be used for
vehicles. On a day when there is the
least bit of wind the dust from the street
is blown into the faces of pedestrians and
into the open doors of the stores.
Newark avenue is the main street of
the city, and merchants complain that
the condition Of the thoroughfare is not
only disgrace but a detriment to
their business. Some of them complain
of the inactivity of the municipal au-
thorities and charge that the Public Ser
vice Corporation, which is responsible for
the condition of the street. has hyp-
motto influence over them.
This corporati ton, it seems, does prac-
tically as it pleases. More than year
ago the city authorities at the urgent
request oe. the merchants decided to
put asphalt pavement on Newark ave-
nue., between Warren street and Bruns-
wick street. Consent was given to the
! Public Service Corporation to raise the
grade and relay it's tracks. This work
is being done at the leisure of the cor
poration, and it is because of the de
lay on its part sthat the street is al
most impossible. The asphalt cannot be
laid until the grade has been raised and
the tracks put down.
From Warren street to- Brunswick
street is a. distance of about three
quarters of a mile. This is the centre
of the shopping district, and of the two
or three hundred merchants there is not
one who has not suffered a loss OF busi-
ness because of the bad condition of New
ark avenue.
81 am wondering how long this condi-
ton Of affairs is going to last" said
Joseph Perlmutter. at is shame that
we should be subjected to such incon-
venience. I know of dozen Of my
patrons whose clothes have been ruined
by the dirt and dust on Newark avenue.
I am pleased that the press is going to
take up this matter. 1t is about time
either the municipal authorities or the
Public Service Cooperation We're brought
to their senses and made to understand
that the people have some rights"
Former Me- ror Edward HI. HoDs said
that he had never in all his experience
seen a street in such deplorable con-
dition as Newark avenue is at present.
sssSome one is to blame" he said. "It
is a disgraceful condition and should not
be tolerated much longer"
Frank Mullins, Of the firm of John
Mullins s. Sons, said:
tsNewark avenue is certainly in an
awful condition. Business is being ruined
because of the dirt and dust. Merchants
and patrons-in fact, every person who
has occasion to use this thoroughfare-
is finding fault and wondering who is re-
sponsible for its present condition"
There are other streets besides New
ark avenue that need attention. All over
the city citizens complain of the dust
that is being blown into their faces. The
annual appropriation for street cleaning
purposes is $4,000, which is less than
half the amount that it costs the cSty of
Newark, with only three miles more of
streets, for the same purpose. Con-
tractor Henry Byrne says he is doing the
best he can for the amount of money
at his disposal and the municipal author
ltiSS Nv lhOt 0CAAJ lAADs 'FhSAO otASSSS
should be cleaned every day, or at least
every other day. they are gone over once
a week.
The street cleaning problem has given
the municipal authorities much concern.
The only way It can be solved to the
satisfaction of the people is for the Board
of Finance to set aside money enough
to have the streets cleaned every day in
the week.
This morning a conference on the sub
ject was held between number of lead
ing merchants on Newark avenue, the
members of the Street and Water Board,
Col Hine, Of the Public Service Cor
poration, Chit Engineer Van Keuren, of
the city, and Engineer Grayson, Of the
contracting asphalt company. Among
the merchants who attended the confer
ence were Frank Mullins, representing
the firm of Mullins & Sons Furniture
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