Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1910-05-10
JUDGE LYON TELLS
WET DOCK HISTORY
Others Present Views Pro and Con
on Matter at Public Hearing Before
City Council Last Night.
ALDERMEN MAY NOT SELL IT


A public. hearing on the wet
dock property last night in the
council chamber did much to ease
the minds of number Of alarmed
residents who believed the city faith
ers were going to dispose of what
ever interest the city might have In
this valuable tract. The hearing did
much to set at rest the minds of
labor leaders and others interested
In city affairs, for at its conclusion
Alderman-at-Large Voorhees, said 1t
had not been the city's intention to
dispose of the property, so far as he
knew, and that due opportunity will
be offered for another hearing when
the chaneellor's decree is given.
The hearing followed an adjourn
ed meeting of the Board OF Alder
men. Alderman-at-Large Voorhees,
gave the purpose of the hearing, af-
ter which he informed the gathering
that Judge Adrian Lyon would
speak Judge Lyon came prepared
with maps, documents and papers of
various sorts to prove his conten-
tions. He thanked the aldermen for
the opportunity given him to speak
upon the subject, after which he ex-
planned as to exactly what capacity
he was there to speak.
The council chamber was filled
with eager listeners and several who
had come to take hand in defend
ing, as some OF them later stated
"the city's interests" Mr.. Lyon held
his audience for about an hour. He
explained that he is receiver OF the
Perth Amboy Shipbuilding & Engi-
neering Company, having been ap-
pointed In the place of Willard p.
voorhees, last August. He told how
he was instructed to close the affairs
of the company and act according to
his own counsel II represent the
creditors of this company RS receiver
and have no other interest in the
matter" he stated
The judge explained how the for
mer Middlesex County Bank, de-
funct institution, holds a mortgage
OF between $4,000 and $4,000 on
the property and how seven or eight
hundred creditors of both the bank
and shipbuilding concern, mostly
local citizens, would be benefited III
the matter was cleared up and the
city lifted the cloud off the title. The
money that would be received would
be sufficient to pay all the creditors
of both companies and thus about
S150,000, he said, would be spread
among the creditors, and at the
same time permit a good healthy
concern to locate here and employ
hundreds of men. He told of COM
pany willing to make the purchase
and construct plant doing a good
business there. Displaying an old
parchment map that shows the Cove
or wet dock" as the property was
then called, Judge Lyon proceeded
to tell how vastly uncertain is the
city's title to the property in ques-
tion, and OF the improbabillty of the
city having any title to the property
at all.
About 140 years ago the Board Of
thought they had title
to the Cove or Wet Dock, although
1t has been claimed the board never
had title, and consequently could
not make the conveyance they did,
according to Mr. Lyon. Just how
the property was situated at the
time of the conveyance is known by
few, If any. In response to queries
Judge Lyon said the portion the city
is interested in was all water with
no banks surrounding 1t except what
were on the adjoining land. If the
cove was below high water mark,
then the city has no interest at pres
ent The property was, at the time
of it's conveyance, described as
cove, presumed to have been a place
where vessels could come In below
the high water mark. Judge Lyon
to tell how insignificant
the property must have been when
the city officials, at that time, prac-
tically gave 1t away to company
for the sake Of having 1t filled In.
He quoted from Cortlandt Parker,
one of the country's ablest lawyers,
who gave 1t as his opinion that being
as the land was below high water
mark the city has no interest Re-
garding what is presently being done
in the matter, the Judge said that
Special Master Thompson, after a
examination, said: 81
think the city's interest in that prop
erty is almost nothing"
On April IL, 1910, the Board OF
passed a resolution or
dering the city to open its streets at
This property. Them there was no
action taken regarding the property
until May 21, 1902, when the board
issued warrant directing the sur
yeyor general to make preparations
for conveying the property and a
portion of Market street to the city
In trust for the use of the inhabi-
tants OF the city forever, providing
they should not ALLEVIATE the same.
Then the matter rested for twenty
one years. In 1928 a survey was
made and a map produced. There
for, as fifty-three years elapsed from
the time the property was first taken
notice of until some action was TAX
en- to do something with 1t, the judge
to show its unimport-
ance and worthlessness.
The property was conveyed to
Andrew Bell, James Parker and John
Ratoon, and, in trust, for use on
condition that streets were opened.
In 1881 a ninety-nine-year lease was
given to the Perth Amboy Manufac-
turing Company. The effect of that
document was to lease with covenant
and for perpetually renewing it. The
terms being that the Perth Amboy
Manufacturing Company fill up the
land with two feet of good dirt. The
lease carried with it the proyiso that
he city could retain the property at
he end Of any OF the ninety-nine-
year terms by paying for all improve
meDts made on the land to date, the