Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-04-22

THE MOST ESSENTIAL THING

First-a city plan.
Yes, we have harped on this subject a great deal, but W are going
To harp on it a great deal more until Perth Amboy has a plan drawn UP
by experts, for the future development o. nc en"'
We want parks.
We want a memorial for the soldiers. -,
We want better housing and the development of new residential
sections.
We want an improved harbor with wharves and docking faeii
We want terminals where the rail and water viii meet
We want a new union station and elevated tracks.
We want more industries
The EVENING NEWS stands for all of these things and viii
back movement that gives promise of securing any OF them for
the city.
But frst-a city plan.
whats the use Of having out a park here and park there merely
because someone thinks it would be a good location, without consid-
ering every other feature of municipal development that may nave d
bearing on a park in the futuref Why lay out a park now ohy u mt
chat within ten years 1t IS located IN a spo' 'hae " " s'
over to industriesF
WHY run a belt line trolley line zigzag through the streets of the
city in an aimless sort of fashion merely because we believe that the
city ought to have a belt line9 Why not study the situation first and
then III the trolley line where it viii serve the greatest number oil
people not only now, but in the futuref
In meeting the demand for houses it is not enough to erect
dwellings promiscuously all over the city. The housing, the parks.
and the belt line trolley ought to coordinate; they ought II be con-
structed so that the one will benefit the other.
In improving the harbor and building docks and w1arves it IS
most essential that a definite policy be adopted Harbor develop
ment should be carried on sc that the city will benefit from an lnous-
trial point of view and at the same time, the people should be gwen
every opportunity to enjoy the advantages OF our matchless wafer
front. There are certain sections that are best fitted for commercial
DEVELOPMENT and others are DeSJ Htteu Ir CAeoIo Ah"N
fOz4 must be determined before any real and lasting work can g
done.
Perth Amboy must sooner or later have vastly improved railroad
facilities Grade crossings must be abolished. Whether this is done
by depressing the tracks or by elevation is a matter to be determined
in connection with the development of the city as a whole. 1t would
be a pity to have the tracks elevated only to find later on that I'M pes'
interests of the city would have been served by having the tracks de-
bOressed -Nir<the time comes for aboishlng the grade crossings ne
railroads ar going to do as they please about the matter unless tne
city has a definite plan to offer and is in a position to say just now
i provement is to be made. =,
A union station should be located where it can be easily reached
by every railroad entering the city, yet so as to be convenient TO ai
sections of the city. Careful planning will determine all this.
Every progressive city wants industries, but there are rights
,ybicb even the industries must respect as far as the residents are con-
cerned There must be certain limitations as to location, railroad SD
incs and terminals, all of which are established and definitely liked
through a city plan.
Perth Amboy should have a civic center with a plaza ana features
that give a real metropolitan appearance. These things come gradu-
ally, but a step by step is taken we must see to it that we do o 90
something that will interfere later on and will necessitate undolng
what has already been done at great expense.
The only way to know what we are about in developing the city is
to have a real city plan to work by.
Other progressive cities have such plans made why % reren
Amboy9 ;,
It will eos a few thousand dollars, of course, but it will be worth
the money. We will then know what we dong. Ihe people can
then watch the city grow and develop along definite lines; they can
see it taking shape, growing year by year into the great metropolis we
all believe it is destined to be.
But we must stop spending money in a haphazard manner. We
must undo some of the things already done and guard against making
further mistakes of the same kind. The only way to be sure, Is to nave
q plan to guide us.
Before any other big municipal improvement is made, before any
permanent buildings are erected; before any trolley line is laid out;
before any parks are established Perth Amboy should have a city
plan.
We cannot work inteigently without one.