Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-11-15
HILL IS
STRONG IN FAVOR
OF MEADOW PLAN
Association Indorses Mayor
HaussIing's Reclamation Pro-
gram and Urges EARLY Action.

Mayor Haussling's meadow-reclama-
ton proposition was Endorsed at the
meeting of the Clinton Hill Improve
ment Association last night. Former
Street and Water Commissioner Frank
J.. Book urged that the city should
waste no time in putting into action
the meadow plan. The association also
adopted resolutions calling upon the
Board of Education to Immediately
select the site for h new South Side
High School and to m the erec-
ton of the building without further de-
lay. Three sites-Johnson avenue,
Avon avenue and Clinton avenue-are
under discussion.
The meadow question was brought
before the meeting by DR.. William
Buermann, president Of the orsani-
cation. He said that the people
had voted to expend 81 900. 900 on
the project and he believed that some
action should be taken In the matter,
as next to the Passaic Valley sewer
the meadows was the largest project.
and he believed that the whole matter
should be placed in the hands OF a
separate commission.
FreIinghuysen Avenue Canal.
]. C. McCurdy wanted to know how
the city intended to dredge the pro-
posed canal from the bay to Freling-
huysen avenue, as planned.
Former Commissioner Book said that
there appeared to be a misconception
of the whole project, and that 1t should
not be approached in a petty way.
"It is a big movement" he said. land
the matter Of digging the ship canal is
a small one"
He said hat when he was In the
Common Council he opposed the pro-
position when 1t was first suggested.
but later when he had read where such
things were being carried out with big
financial success in other cities he in
vestigated and found that 1t would be
a big paying investment for Newark
There appears to be In the mind OF
some," he said, that a few were IN
for their wi personal gains,
but I want to say right here that 1t Is
absolutely untrue"
He then went on to tell that when
the scheme was first devised Commits
sioner Denman, with himself, Engineer
sherrerd and Chanler ". Riker. were
the only ones who knew about the pro-
posed ship canal. The plan had been
approved by government engineers,
found hat the canal was an en-
tirely feasible one. and then the Leg
was asked to pass a law to be
adopted by a referendum vote which
was lone and the people voted for 1t.
Then the ownership of the land was
into the matter, which," he
said, was ridiculous, because some
body had to buy the land when 1t was
offered for sale by the Martin act COM
missioners.
Ship Canal Dredsins.
"The ship canal" he said, could be
dredgea out to the depth of thirty
feet and the mud and clay sucked out
could be used to fill in the land owned
by the city, which would make first
class dockage property. Streets could
be laid out and the property improved
could be assessed to pay for the entire
outlay, and private owners would have
to improve their land" He was asked
what the value of the property would
be If that plan was carried out.
about SIS, 900 an acre, probably more
but at least that" he replied. But you
want to zeal In mind the value of the
land that the city would get. The city
could not sell it, as the law h a was
adopted by the people prohibits the
sale of any Of it and provides only for
leasing. The rental values would be
at least s35O,o0O a year. 1t Is certainly
a big project and one that h city
should not lose a minute In getting
busy in going to work on
when 1 say that the rentals to the
city would be about $4,000 0 a veal
that does not for a minute include thu
increased values Of property in thai
part of the city, as factories would bt
built on the property, improving rea
estate in all directions. Our city would
then be a city.
Mind you, the natural increase ir
the running expenses Of our city will
demand hat something like the rec
lamation Of the meadows be carriet
out, If we want more schools, better
streets and a lot of other improve
ments. / believe in a separate body
having charge of the work, and in M
opinion they should be elected and no
appointed"