Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-29
TO SOLVE PERTH AMBoY's PROBLEMS

kindness and tender merCles.-PSalm 1U3: i, r.
TO SOLVE PERTH AMBoY's PROBLEMS
The only solution for the grade crossing elimination
problem is a city plan.
The only solution TO the problem of furnishing ade-
ouate railroad sidings for the industries along the water
front is a city plan.
The only solution for the purchase of the gas works
property, the Meredith property and the development at the
foot of Fayette street is a city plan.
The only solution for the location of bathing beaches is
city plan.
The only solution for the housing problem in Perth AM
Boy is a city plan.
The only solution for the location of parks and recrea-
Non centers is q city plan.
The only solution for the proper approach to the new
three million dollar state highway bridge is a city plan.
When will the city have men in control of its affairs
who are big enough and who possess vision enough to give
Perth Amboy the only thing that can put renewed life into
the city; bring back the old enthusiasm and optimism and
give the people something to look forward to and work for
.a comprehensive city plan?
Today the city is laundering helplessly. 1t lacks lead
ership. The best minds are repudiated; selGshness and
petty jealousy crop out everywhere. There are a hundred
people to find fault, obstruct and destroy where hardly one
can be found who is willing to get under the load, boost
and help build up.
Whittier are we going? What is to be the final out
come? What's the answer?
For years the city has been clamoring for the elimina-
ton of the grade crossings
For years the people have been demanding a new rail-
road station.
For years Perth Amboy has wanted better train service.
Now, when the railroad company announces itself
ready to do its part toward giving the city all these things
there is confusion worse COMPOUNDED throughout the city.
Everything is up in the air. Nobody knows what he wants;
all that seems certain is that nobody wants what the rail-
road companies propose to give.
Realizing that a false step now might fasten forever
upon the city some decidedly Objectionable feature, every
body from the city officials down, is afraid to move. Every
thing is disorganized and aimless.
There is no plan for the city to go by. There is no
settled policy. Nothing has been worked out to its logical
conclusion. Nobody can tell what the final outcome will be.
Perth Amboy is suffering from a severe case of munich
pal paralysis.
What is true of the grade crossing proposition is also
true of the problem to furnish railroad sidings across the
foot of Washington street. Everybody wants to do every
thing possible to assist the industries. All also want to-
protect the interest of the city in every way.
But what is for the best interest of the city?
Nobody seems to know. The officials whose duty it is
10 act are cropping about blindly hoping that by their hit or
miss policy they may, by chance, strike the right conclusion
They lack a definite city plan.
The same thing applies to the establishment of a NUM-
dpal bathing beach. The intentions are good; the desire is
to give the people this attraction which they ought. to have,
but no one knows definitely where the bathing beach ought
10 be located. 1t must be somewhere along the waterfront,
" course. But where?
"A comprehensive city plan would have this municipal
Feature worked out in detail.
Shall the city buy the gas works property or is the gas
company to be told to go ahead and establish for all time an
enormous gas plant at its present location with all its obnox-
u lcdtures, PrdCuOoly ulmne LII 'n"o oSS"V" y Wan NJ
as far as a place of residence is concerned?
And if the people who now own their homes in that
section of the city where the gas works are located are to be
driven out, where are they to go?
Hundreds of desirable citizens have already moved
away from the city and more are planning to go. Are the
municipal authorities going to adopt a policy that will de-
liberately drive out still more?
What's the answer?
With a comprehensive city plan, worked out by experts
in city planning after a careful study of the whole situation
and with the development of the city for the next fifty years
a ways in view, there would be no confusion, no hesitation,
no doubt and no trouble anywhere in solving all these MUM
cipal problems.
Suppose the city had gone in for a comprehensive city
plan four or five years ago when the Evening News began
The agitation; suppose such a plan had cost the city $780,
800. 1t is probable that more than that amount would be
y saved the city today in the elimination of the grade crossings