Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-02-13
CAMP RAR|TAN PROPERTY
OWNERS LIKELY TO Be PAID
Result Of Action Taken by Chas.
A. Bloomfield
BILL PASSES The SENATE
Only Two of Almost 800 Prop
erty Owners Have Been Paid
by Government for Land

AS the result Of a long and hard
fight which necessitated several trips
TO Washington, D. c., conferences with
United States senators and congress-
men-and even the secretary of war
Charles A. Bloomfie- d, of Metuchen
has finally succeeded in having the
bill, which calls for the payment to
property owners at Camp Raritan,
Bonhamtown. by the government for
the property which was taken from
them when the large arsenal was
built, passed in the Senate at Wash
ington. The bill Is now before the
committee on military affairs for con-
sideration and should be acted on in
the House within day or two. Its
passage is predicted by Mr.. Bloom
field.
In reply inquiries made of him this
morning as to just what steps had
been taken by him to secure the pas
sage of the bill, whereby the 200 or
800 persons to whom money is due
from the government as the result
of their seizing the property at Camp
Raritan as a site for an arsenal, Mr..
Bloomfield gave a short outline of the
things that had transpired since he
began the fight.
The war department, Mr.. Bloom
field said, had claimed that owing to
the passage of the appropriations bill
on July II, of last year, 1t could not
pay for the property seized from pri-
vate owners-between 200 and 500 In
number-in order that Camp Raritan
might be built. Certain lawyers how
ever claimed that the government
could make such payment.
In September of last year Bill No.
1919 was introduced by Chairman
Kahn of the Committee ON Military
Affairs which covered the payment OF
everything except the property ow-
ners involved in the Camp Raritan
transaction.
When this was brought to the at
tention of the officials at Washington
"another BILL known as No. 9144 was
introduced which covered the payment
Of the Camp Raritan property owners
alone.
In November Mr.. Bloomfield went
to Washington to see what action was
being taken on Bill 9144. He found
that nothing was being done with it.
He began to work in favor Of 1t and in
December made another trip to Wash
ington. This time he was assured that
Bill 1919 would be so amended in the
House that it would include the pro-
visions of Bill 9144 with reference to
Camp Raritan. The amendment was
o. killed In the House., however ~.
Intent that either both of these bills
or neither should be passed, another
trip in January was made to the capi-
toll by Mr.. Bloomfield.
On this visit he placed the matter
before Senator Joseph s. Frelinghuy-
sen of New Jersey, as he had decided
that Bill 1919 must be amended in
the senate II there were any hopes
Of 1t going through, Mr.. Bloomfield
feeling that the House, after their
action on the amendment, would
again kill it If it came UP.
Mr.. Bloomfield was then requested
to appear before the Committee on
Military Affairs and before that body
he told the story Of the establish
ment of Camp Rartan and Of the
many poor people who had all their
earthly possessions taken from them
without receiving anything for them,
when the government seized the land
Following this meeting. the bill was
amended and one week ago last
Wednesday passed in the senate
while last Saturday it was referred
to the House. On Monday the COM
mittee on military affairs of the
House held q conference at which
time 1t was to come before them for
action. Favorable action by the
House Is now anticipated.
erable property which was taken over
by the government, stated this morn
ing that of all the persons vino lost
ground in this manner-somewhere
between 200 and 300-only two had
been paid by the U. s. government.
Owing to the fact that many were
poor and had lost their homes by this
transaction, Mr.. Bloomfield had as
sumed the initiative In getting from
the government the necessary reim-
bursement.