Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-02

such pavement, should, at the same
time. invite proposals for other suit
able but unpatented pavements, the
effect would be, | believe. a lower
price tendency for the former. Even
| If this should not result, the prop
erty-owners would have a chance to
change their minds, provided the pro-
ceedings should be taken under the
Jersey City act, so-called.
"Of course. when a main thorough
| fare is to be paved. an entirely diff
| ferent question is presented. The
property-owners in such case,
| though entitled to be heard, should
not be allowed to dictate the laying
of a pavement. which would be hurt
full to the interests of the whole COM
munity.
There Is a good prospect that the
scheme for reclaiming the meadows
and providing, in that region, ship
ping facilities by rail and water will
take definite form shortly so that
actual WORK may be speedily begun.
As I have urged several times since
the inception of the scheme, it is
necessary that definite plan be
adopted formally. and had we begun
work as soon as possible after the
proposition was adopted by the vote
of the people, the community would
now be reaping a considerable bene-
fit, even granting that some errors
in matters of detail had been made.
Ship Canal Project.
1.-THE question whether or not the
| improvement shall provide for the
so-called ship canal, of greater or
lesser length, is still a matter of con-
troversy. 1t may be necessary for
me to state again that the ship canal
met favor chiefly because it was
recommended as the quickest and
cheapest way of providing the filling
material for the area of meadow land
to be treated. Such 1t was announced
to be by every expert who was Of
ficially connected with the prepara-
ton or examination of the plans.
These experts also held that the ship
canal would also have a valuable
commercial use. | have regarded the
problem as one of meadow reclama-
ton primarily, leaving the COM
mercial development to be determined
later. My mind is open on the sub
iect however, and If can be con-
WINGED that any other means than
the ship canal is better for the gen.
eral purpose of the scheme, | am
perfectly willing to accept it.
after several months of consider
alton and negotiation, the city and
the trolley company came together
during the year upon proposition
involving some practically new lines,
number of extensions and a central
trolley transfer station. The several
franchises involved will become eff
fective, If approved by the Public
Utilities Commission, and the city
has the promise that in such an
event the trolley company will do
the physical work necessary with all
expedition.
Extensive as this scheme of inn
provement is, I can regard 1T as meet
ing merely present needs. or the needs
| of the next few years only. There
| is no question in my mind that at
present not only are thousands OF our
neighbors in the immediate suburbs
discouraged from coming here to shop,
but that q great many of our own
people visit the business centre as
rarely as is possible because of the
tremendous rush hour congestion on
the street car lines. | still feel that
permanent solution of the local
transportation can only be reached by
the building of subways which shall
remove trolley cars from the surface
I, therefore, renew the suggestion that
the bill to permit the city to con-
struct such works, upon terms which
WILL at least, pay interest and sinking
| fund charges, be re-introduced In the
Legislature, and strongly pressed for
passage 1t may not be necessary to
use the power conferred by this bill
for some years, but it is a power
which the city should have at all
| times.
City Planning Report.
within short time, / am inform
ed the City Planning Commission will
present reports making suggestions
| for Important changes in the street
| layout, principally in the heart of the
city. These suggested changes have
been given most careful and deliberate
consideration, and they should receive
the best attention of the administra-
tive and financial bodies. 1t will
probably be found necessary, however
before attempting to carry out any
changes, however desirable, to secure
an amendment to the law limiting the
expenditure for such purpose in any
one year to 81 100000. The city has
sought to have the law changed sc
that unexpended balances of one year
might be carried over to the next
making it possible, without exceeding
an average of $1,000,000 year, to com.
plete improvements that might in.
volve somewhat greater sums. But
the Legislature, in its wisdom, has sc
far denied this common-sense appeal
of the city.
Recent statutory enactments place
municipal corporations in the same
category as private employers with
respect to liability for damages fol-
injury or death of certain classes OF
employees. To insure against such
risks in liability companies would
cost the city very large sums Of
money yearly, and vet it does moi
seem proper that no provision in I'd.
vance should be made in such mat
ter 1t seems to me that the city
could not do better than to add this
class of insurance to the scope of thu
; Insurance Fund Commission, which
| now handles the fire insurance bust.
ness Of the municipality. The com
mission, by fixing fair charges fol
such business, could add largely tt
, its revenues, and at the same time
it's usefulness as an adjunct in city
!. financing would be measurably ex,
, tended. | recommend that Legislation
to this end be sought
instruction in all phases of infant
hygiene is now being given under the