Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-23
ASK LEGIsLATURENTo KILL CANAL GRAB"

|
outrageous for the State to take from
| it's people living in that municipality
! this splendid opportunity for water
way development, without any con-
siderat ton or benefit of any kind ac-
cruing to those people
! 1T Is suggested by the commission
as a consideration for the grant in
| question to the railroad company that
| the State Is to be released from liza
bility to pay the railroad company
! $4,000, representing $4,000 of prin-
| cipal and $4,000 interest for a deed
made by the riparian commission to
certain rights in the two basins,
which deed was subsequently declared
void We contend that is not a fair
| compensation to the State for he
conveyances sought from it. Grant
ing that the State may be compelled
to repay that sum of money 1t Is
drop in the bucket compared to the
real value of the lands in question.
They are today worth millions of
dollars.
1T Is further suggested that the
railroad company will release the
State from any liability to repay to
it the sum of $900,0 for taxes. That
question has been determined in the
courts of this State against the rail-
road company and really amounts to
no consideration. In addition the
company is to pay to the State one
million dollars in cash. This, of
course, is the only money to be re-
ceived by the State for the granting
of the two basins in question and
some three and a half miles Of canal
property lying between Washington
street and Fiddlers' Elbow. This
property is appraised by the commits
sion as worth over four million dol
10 A g n af nf fupt II iG worth
in the estimate CT competent engi-'
neers, at least ten million dollars.
THE State of New Jersey, If this
transaction goes through. apart from
any consideration of the rights of
the city. would be an absolute finan-
cial loser. and no reason has been
shown in the report of the commits
sion why the railroad company
should be so favored.
state Interests Not Protected.
ut is, therefore, respectfully urged
on behalf of Jersey City that the
bills In question. by which it is in
tended to carry out the recommended
lions of the commission, be not
passed by the House of Assembly. for
the reason that neither the interests
of the State of New Jersey nor the
interests of the inhabitants of Jersey
City are properly protected. nor are
they amply compensated for the
property which the company desires
to receive"
Former Assemblyman John Heck.
of the legislative committee of the
Citizens Federation, who Is some
what familiar with the canal situa-
ton, having participated in the dis
cussions for several years said that
the Godfrey bills were a puzzle. He
doubted if the Atlantic County AS
semblyman understood their full pur-
port. He told Of the efforts that We're
made at the legislative session of 1905
to pass similar bills and how they
were defeated after a scandal had
been produced. Reviewing the sltua-
ton, Mr.. Heck said the Lehigh Valley
Railroad was giving up something 1t
didn't want. The bills, he said, were
too complex to rush through. The
big questions at issue, Mr.. Heck
thought, ought to be left TO the courts
to decide. The canal company, he
declared, was dead so far as its use
funess was concerned. As to the
value of the property, it would be
difficult to tell just how much it is
worth He insisted that Jersey CitY's
rights should be fully protected no
matter what happens.
Nicholas Vreeand, o member of the
Canal Abandonment Association,
made plea in favor of the bills, and
he read "a brief that many present
thought had been prepared by we'll
known local lawyer who was III the
hearing.
Aasemblyman Fisk took decided
stand against the bills, lie said the
corporation was virtually giving up a
white elephant He described the
deliberately gotten up report of the
commission and said 1t contained
many beautiful pictures. He denied
that the canal company controlled
the canal property. He said it merely
was given the right of way and that
the cities should not lose their rights.
Surprise was occaSioned when
Counsellor William ID. Edwards, the
well-known corporation attorney, an
nounced that he was present as the
representative of several members of
the property Interests Association.
He said his clients wanted the canal
abandoned so that manufacturers
could get spurs along the route.
There was u laugh at this, as many
thought Mr.. Edwards was really rep
resenting the canal company. He
said 1t would be good thing to fill
in the canal. and he insisted Jersey
City had no right that should be re-
spected despite statements to the
contrary.
Director of Finance and Revenue
Brensinger disputed Mr.. Edwards's
statement and declared that Jersey
City had not only interests in the
basin, but also in two streets that
cross the basin. Mr., Edwards, in
reply, referred Mr.. Brensinger to the
1873, which, he said, would show that
these streets had been vacated. Mr..
Brenslnger then went back at Mr..
Edwards with the report of the Canal
Abandonment Commission, showing
that Jersey City had interests in the
basin. Mr.. Edwards went into a long
argument to show that 1t would be to
the interest of Jersey City to have the
canal closed
Former Judge Robert Carey fol-
lowed Mr. Edwards, and at the outset
said that it appeared TO him as If
either Mr.. Edwards or his clients had
prepared the Godfrey bills. He de-
clared that the canal company was
losing at the rate of $500, 900 year on
account of the canal Mr.. Edwards
said this was not so, that the loss
was not more than $4,000 u year.
Judge Carey went on to say that the
canal had practically been abandoned
for many years He said that because
of this condition the canal already
reverts to the State, and all that was
necessary was for the authorities to
take the proper action.
He thought the encouragement
ought to proceed TO have the charter
declared void. Discussing the bills,
Mr.. Carey said they had been very
cleverly drawn, and he pointed out
that they take from Jersey City every
vestige of right in the water ter
minals. He was certain the Governor
and the Legislature would protect
Inr.an1. CITY, I,,dc.a Cnrn1z tllrIanll In