Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1915-06-12
VIII be Made at "HoIe-In-the-
Wall" and Approach to the
Bridge - Stratton Explains
the Work Contemplated.


ton, entailing the expenditure of a
bringing down on Middlesex county
and the city of South Amboy the stig-
ma of statewide ridicule and criticism
because of deplorable road conditions,
the notorious "hole in the wall'' and
the Pennsylvania right of way at the
south approach to the county bridge
are about to be relegated to the scrap
heap of past mistakes. This is to be
brought about through the medium of
extensive improvements by the Penn
sylvania railroad, which has offered,
through Councilman at Large Collin
4tratton, proposition that will most
certainly be accepted by the city of
South Amboy. The proposed improve
ments, which may be made with lit
tie cooperation on the part of the city,
may involve the expenditure of over
100000 by the Pennsylvania COM
pany.
What Railroad Offers.
Here is what the railroad offers, ac
cording to information that has been
cleaned from reliable source:
I. To widen the 'hole in the wall"
now eighteen feet, to forty feet.
9. To macadamize Ridgeway ave-
nue, the thoroughfare leading through
the fhole' as far as the county line.
8. To keep the wtdened .'hole IN
the wall'' properly lighted and guard
ed.
4. To build storm sewer through
Conover street to the river to take
care of the drainage.
5. To improve the right of way lead
ing to the bridge by laying a stable
foundation Of Nos. 1, 2 or 8 crushed
stone, paving the road with bitulithic,
Belgian block, or any suitable material
selected by the city of South Amboy.
8. To improve the appearance Of
the Broadway entrance to the right of
way by terracing the banks at the
sides Of the hill and constructing re-
tanning wall.
What the railroad wants the city Of
South Amboy to do:
/. To take title to the right of way
upon the completion of the improve
: ments and to maintain 1t In the future.
At Tuesday nights meeting of the
common council, Collin j. Stratton,
who is now serving his second term
as councilman -at-large, offered a
resolution designed to place the city's
stamp of approval upon the proposi-
ton. objection was made to the
phraseology of the resolution and it
was tabled. 1t has been learned
that the wording Of the resolution is
to be changed SO as to make the i'm
proyement of the "hole-in-the-walI
come first, and when the change is
made the resolution will probably go
through the council without opposi-
ton. After it's adoption the council
men will likely confer with Super
visor Stewart of the Trenton division
of the Pennsylvania railroad, and
after the road submits It's plans and
specifications for the improvements,
the council intends to call public
meeting to secure the sentiment OF
South Amboy's residents on the
proposition, which certainly appears
to be a generous one on the part of
the railroad.
Councilman Stratton, whose ef-
forts have been largely responsible
for bringing to head the problem
that has long confronted the city and
county, was inclined to be reticent
about the matter when first seen by
an EVENING NEWS representative
last night, but he finally said:
No Obligation to Him.
81 may as well tell you just what
I know about the matter, for 1t is all
clean, open and above board. I want
to state right at the start that my
being in the employ of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad has not, and can not,
influence me to take any stand that
would prove detrimental to the city.
The railroad is nnder no obligation
to me and l am under no obligation
to the railroad Why" Councilman
Stratton laughed, "all the Pennsyl-
vanfa company has done for me Is to
give me a job, and believe he, it's
a blame poor one at that. | hon
estly think / have the poorest run
on the railroad, with my old drill en-
gfne."
II had a conference not long ago
with Supervisor Stewart, and at that
time an outline of proposed improve
ments was mapped out. Now, the
road intended to make improvements /
near the hole in the wall for its own
use, and I readily saw where they |
could be turned to the advantage of !
the city by bringing about the greatly |
desired improvements.
Continued on page A.