Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-09
SOUTH A|NbOY
ROAD LAND To
Be CONDEMNED
Present Highway Commis-
sion Attacks Former Body
of Bad Policy in Case
OWNED BY PENNA R. R.
Case of Road Built Under
Herbert Administration to
Avoid Hole in Wall
OWNED BY PENNA R. R.

TRENTON, Oct. 9.-In an effort
50 straighten out a peculiar problem
arising from the action of the So
called Edge highway commission ir
spending nearly $4,000 on road IL
South Amboy, Middlesex county
known officially as section No. 8
route No. 4, of the state highway
system, the title of which is in the
hands of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, the present highway COM
mission today decided to start con-
demnation proceedings to acquire
that roadway.
Because of the action Of the for
n.er road builders, ousted by Cover
nor Edwards, is spending state
money on a private enterprise, con-
siderable difficulty has been exper-
fenced by the present commissioners
in arriving at an amicable settlement
with the railroad company. The rec
ords show that the Edge commission
never made any effort to acquire the
deed to the property, although the
enormous sum of $4,000 was spent.
John w. Herbert. of Helmetta, was
chairman of that body.
How the executive committee of
the former Highway Commission, il.
conference at Atlantic City, decided
to buy this right of way from the
railroad for $4,000. and then agreed
to pay $4,000 additional for the
bridges built over the road by the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
and then how the entire commits
sion never ratified the decision, are
facts brought out by the present
commission in the announcement of
Z orGemnation plans.
The commission now in Office
Claims the money was never paid to
the railroad, the deed was never
conveyed to the state, and yet the
road was built with nearly $4,000
of state money.
The attorney general supports the
view of the present commission that
1t has no authority whatever to pay
the $4,000 asked by the Pennsyi-
vania Railroad for the two bridges.
and the companys evident intention
not to sell the roadway without the
bridges leads to the condemnation
suit decided upon today.
In statement made public con-
cerning this entangling situation, the
commission says:
THE State Highway Commission
finds itself confronted with the
problem of how best to proceed to
acquire for the state that portion of
Route A. of the New Jersey system
of roads known as Section 8, in
South Amboy, which is now owned
by. the Pennsylvania railroad, al
though the previous commission
spent the sum of s73,4S1 upon it's
improvement without the state hav-
ing the slightest claim to the right
of way.
That section in question lies be-
tween Bridge street and the inter-
section of Broadway and Main street
in South An1boy. 1t was originally
built of gravel by the Pennsylvania
railroad, and in 1919 negotiations
were commenced by our predeces-
sors for it's requirement in order
that it might be repaved and used
by the state as a part of Route No.
4. It covers in area four and
three-uuarter acres of ground and
is an important link in the road
system In this part of the state.
sRecords in the commissions Of
fee show that at an executive meet
ing of the Edge State Highway
Commission held at the Hotel Dem
mis-. Atlantic City, Friday. June 20.
1918. the then State Highway En-
eineer William q. Thompson. rec
onnmended that the Pennsylvania
railroad be paid at the rate OF
(Continued from page 81