Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-26
MADISON IN DEBT
TO MRS. JAMES
Widow of D. Willis James Is
Anonymous Wealthy Resident
Who Offers Boulevard.
Special to the Evening Star.

| MADISON, Sept. 26.-Madison is
again indebted to the James family
| for what promises to be one of the
greatest Improvements that could be-
| fall this town. 1t was made public
yesterday that Mrs. d. Willis James
| Is the wealthy resident" who Of
fered to provide the means of making
Kings road into a boulevard and a
fitting approach to the new Lacka-
wanna depot.
The plan for the new boulevard
embodies the moving of the D., L..
and w. tracks fifteen feet to the
westward and the acquiring of a
portion of all property bordering on
Kings road in order to make that
street sixty feet wide. The cost of all
this improvement to Madison will be
insignificant, If anything, which Is
not likely. Madison avenue will be
closed at the tracks and diverted
across James Park, through an arch
bridge and come out on Park avenue
shortly above the park fountain.
Ridgedale avenue will be diverted
and pass under the same bridge as
Madison avenue.
AS viewed by Madisonians, this
offer of Mrs. James was not only of
great value to this town on account
of the vast Improvement to be eff
fected, but 1t furnished a means of
bringing the railroad and Madison to-
gether on an agreeable ordinance
What is now James Park was at one
time collection of shanties, with a
jail in the foreground, and a small
swamp in the background The late
d. Willis James bought this property
and converted 1t into a park, of
which any community might well be
proud. In addition to this he built
and dedicated to the town the Pub
lie Library and built the James
building and Assembly Hall, con-
sisting of stores, the borough offices
and other offices for the support of
tho library.
With the closing of the. present
Madison avenue crossing between the
tracks and Main street there will be
a continuous park from the library
to Ridgedale avenue, with q public
road running through it so that all
who pass may see this Improvement.
There Is every indication that the
night of October IL will come as a
happy conclusion to all the strife that
there has been between the railroad
authorities and Madison. All council
men are in favor of the ordinance,
which was put on first reading last
| Monday, as are also the lawyers and
| engineers of the railroad. At no time
| during the proceedings would either
party have been as we'll off as they
will be at the passage of the present
| ordinance. Madison gets a big i'm
provement, which will also add much
to the general layout of the railroad
station, and the railroad is paying
| $4,000 toward the work. Madison
will have to divide the damages
equally, but 1t is estimated that the
cost to the town will not exceed
$4,000, the limitation that many
wished to put into the ordinance
sometime ago.
| The consensus of opinion is that
| the contract Is a fair one and ought
to pass. 1t Is thought that there may
| be one or two objections to the ordi.
nance at the public hearing on DC.
tober ~, but they will be trivial A
number of people have requested the
councilmen not to pay any attention
to any persons who pound" the rail
road first. last and all the time as
matter of principle.
A great deal of credit is beinf
| given Frederick T. Bulmer for hi.
part in settling the difficulties. H,
| ii was who secured the consent o.
President Truesdale, of the railroad
to reopen negotiations more thar
once, the last time with striking sue
cess. Mr.. Bulmer has also handled
the boulevard proposition in a man
ner worthy of congratulation, hil
position with Mrs. James making hin
one of the chief movers in the effor
to give Madison a foremost place a.
residential borough by the improve
ment contemplated.