Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-01
ANY LACK
Of COOPERATION
So. AmbOy Answers Charge Of
State Highway Body

By Special Correspondent.
SOUTH ANuBOY, March City Of
ficials absolutely deny any lack of CO.
operation between them and the
State Highway Commission. In fact
they profess absolute ignorance as to
what the commission base their claim
of non-cooperation.
Mayor Gordon said It might have
been the fact that on Thursday he
would not grant permission to blast
a section of lower Main street.
This permission was denied for
two reasons" said the Mayor.
I'm the first place the people have
not yet fully recovered from the
shock of the Morgan explosion and
without suitable notice. any such dis
%turbance would throw the people in a
fit of Mysteries.
In the second place we intend blast
ing on a portion Of city property that
has not been released to the State
Highway Commission. Neither have
they applied for 1t.
The maps which were offered at
the time bids were called for on this
road show hat It is their intention
to take over one half of the roadway
OF Main street. This would cave the
residents Of Main street below Broad
way with twenty-eight feet from fence
line to the proposed retaining wall.
Out of this would be taken a thirteen
foot sidewalk thus leaving insufficient
road for traffic.
This matter was brought to the
attention of the state commission by
City Engineer A. L. McMichales. They
acknowledge their mistake in not
making formal application and prom
Used to do so. This was on January
8th and todate nothing has been re-
ceived by the common council"
Yesterday afternoon the street COM
missioner was ordered to stop all ex-
~cuvation on this street and was In
structed to arrest all parties who tried
to continue the work against his or
ders. Mayor Gordon explained that
even were the officials willing to re-
lease this strip of territory they could
not do SO without first adopting an
ordinance ordering the vacation OF
the street and give the property own
ers adjoining an opportunity to voice
their opinion.
This might be what they termed
Jack of cooperation" stated Mayor
Gordon, but 1t does not apply to Bor-
dentown emu He recalled a con-
ference some time ago at which time
| representatives of the State Highway
Commission, the Jersey Central Trac-
ton Company and the Public Service
Railway Company met with the city
council. At this conference Col. I'LL
| more of the Public Service suggested
hat they be given permission to va
Tcate their tracks on Bordentown ave
| nue. and install a "Y' at the orner OF
Broadway and Bordentown avenue
Immediately the Jersey Central Trac-
ton company described to use the
tracks now on Pine venue continuing
! down this street till they meet their
tracks near the Morgan plant. They
| would thus abandon the tracks on Eel
tus street. At this time the council
could not see their way clear to take
any action on the matter 81 the high
way commission agreed to take the
| matter up with the railway company.
At the present time the council has
adopted resolutions stating the inten-
ton of the city to cooperate with
the County Board Of Freeholders in
| paving the street with w~arrenite or
other asphalt pavement. Under the
| plans of the highway commission the
block between Stevens and Pin ave-
nue. must be of concrete. No advance
ments have been made to the council
| on this matter.
City Solicitor Coan stated that the
city intended to stand on their right
| and would not be "~bulldoZed or brow
| beaten" into the matter. At the pres
| ent time work on the grades have been
completed as agreed. Sewers have
been installed and other work of a
! similar nature completed.