Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-08-30
Harbor Board and Aldermen
Confer on Matter--SpsciaI
Counsel May be Hired.
PROCEED AT ONCE WITH
OTHER STREETS.
Raritan Street Matter Also
Discussed and Steps Taken
for Retaining Thoroughfare

That the city would add to its
properties an area worth one-half
million dollars in prospective value
by the reclaiming of Raritan street,
was the statement made by City En-
gineer Samuel Mason to the Board of
Harbor Commissioners at an ad-
journed meeting of that body last
night. The members of the board
in company with City Attorney c. C.
Hommann and Mr.. Mason appeared
before the Board of Aldermen at
their committee meeting last night
to gain sanction for their tentative
program regarding this thorough
fare which Is now entirely under
water at high tide. The riparian
rights to the foot of Buckingham
avenue and Broad street were also
considered. The ownership of the
end of Buckingham avenue is claim
ed by the Public Service Corpora
ton through subsidiary and
Broad street is claimed by the Perth
Amboy Dry Dock Company; The
commissioners were instructed by the
aldermen to proceed in any manner
they deem expedient in regaining the
above rights and properties to the
city. Permission Was given the
board to employ counsel to assist the
city attorney, If necessary, in the le-
gal fight for these rights which is
inevitable.
The board will Immediately place
the prosecution of establishing these
rights for the city in the city attor-
ney's hands, and instruct him to
| Ill +I,, Il
ment and in the state department
that might bear on the subject The
| harbor board intends to fight for the
city's rights to definite finish.
Nothing but court decision will
stop the commissioners.
Gaining possession of the riparian
rights to Broad street will be hazard
ing many legal complications. Some
contend that the thoroughfare never
officially extended further east than
Front street, and that below this
point has never been dedicated to the
city.
Because Of the complications the
harbor board and the Board of AL
dermen thought 1t best at this time
to secure possession of the undisput-
ed street ends, and let the fight for
the other continue as long as neces-
sary. Accordingly, the council sug-
gested that Sheridan street be added
to the other thirteen street ends rec
commended for purchase by harbor
board in a resolution passed at their
last meeting, and that steps be taken
! to secure these Immediately.
The aldermen desire the rights to
the end of Sheridan street SO that
the water department may lay a wa
| ter main, now at the foot of the
street, within their own riparian
rights. That would obViate the con-
cessions which the city now gives to
certain property owners in that vi
cinity affected by the present loca-
| ton of the water main.
Following the Joint session with
the aldermen the harbor board pass
ed a resolution amending their for
mer recommendation of street ends
for which riparian rights are to be
purchased to include the following
streets: Commerce, Fayette, Market,
Gordon, High, Wisteria, State, Lin
den, Catalpa, Sheridan, Brighton,
Madison, First and Second.
If the city is able to reclaim Rari-
| tan street 1t will give them control of
a wide thoroughfare along the shore,
extending from Linden street to the
| Central railroad, which will be of in
estimable value to Perth Amboy If
the city gets possession of the street
the commissioners believe that much
would invalidate the riparian rights
owned by some six individuals along
the Raritan river on the southerly
shore. They contend that when the
purchase of such rights was made,
the city was not notified of same and
cannot be held responsible under
such conditions for the property own
ers not being aware of the fact that
Raritan street existed, even though
1t is not shown on recent maps. The
commissioners present at the meet
ing were President Richard A. Boil
ger, John C.. Donehue and Peter G.
| Olsen.
Smoke Schwartz's IdeaI-the dis