Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-21
SOUTH AMbOY
GRADING STOPS
David Street Improvement
Stopped on Action of the
Common Council

SOUTH AMBOY, Oct. 21-work
on the David street improvement
has temporarily been stopped at the
suggestion of the members of the
common council after hearing OBJ
Elections filed against the continu-
ance of the curbing and laying of
sidewalk on the southerly side of
the street west of Pine n
A number of property owners,
represented by j.. Randolph Appleby.
of South River. objected to the con-
~tinuance of the improvements on
The ground that the city stree.
haps say that David street SHOULD
be a forty foot street. They want
the council to compel propecty own-
ers on that section of the street
whose fences and houses encroach
or the sidewalk to move in the
proper distance.
1t is under stood that the prop
erty owners in every instance TN
the south side of David street.
above Pine avenoe. are on the side
walk. In one case a house has been
erected according to the plans of the
city engineer. on the sidewalk. In
other instances porches and porch
steps are owe the line.
The property owners are busy
preparing a petition to the council
asking the members of that body 10
proceed with the improvements as
has been started considering them
for the best interest of the prop
erty owners
The councilmen in nearly every
instance are anxious for a settle
n:ent between the property owners
themselves. The question of the
line being infringed upon was
brought to the attention of the
council by the city engineer presi-
ous to the contemplated improve
ment. In his remarks the engineer
stated that the property owners on
the south side of the street were
on the sidewalk, according to the
city map. He pointed out the X
pense that would be incurred If
tho said were forced TO
move back and suggested that the
line, as it has stood for over fifty
years, which gave thirty-ive feet
roadbed to the section, remain as 1T
was. The plan was considered as
favorable to the council who N
turn figured they were working for
he best interest of the properly
sx.wners of the street.
The objection to the continuance
Of the Improvement came as a Zig
surprise to all concerned and the
councilmen were placed in a very
difficult position for a time until a
property owner also affected
CHANGED along and decried the ac-
stior. of the few property owners
who demanded that their neighbors
be forced into unnecessary expense.
He was of the opinion that a
street thirty-five feet wide, which
e. 1, -.a-y WOO nc Of that dis
lance, had to be changed to satisfy
the selfish interests of a few on the
street.
The whole situation summed up
will lost the city a few hundred
dollars, as well as placing an un-
necessary burden on the property
owners that will be affected II the
change Is made.
The contractor has roughly esti-
mated that $3.50 worth of sidewalk
had been laid. 1t will be necessary
to zeal Up this stretch of work at
the expense of the city. 1t will also
be an increased burden on the city
at this time to widen the street five
feet and to erect cutters on both
sides of the street.
Then the question, a legal one, is
involved. One property owner whose
house is on the sidewalk will be
asked to vacate. This structure is
estimated to have been built on that
section approximately sixty-nine
years ago. 1t is understood that
after forty years a property owner
can claim ownership. If the latter
claim is true it mean hat the house
stays where it is and that the curb
line will be laid six inches away
from the front of the house.
The whole affair is decried as an
ID MUST attempt to force the property
owners in that section to vacate
what they had considered, and still
consider rightfully theirs.
Mayor Stanton said: w were
told by the city engineer that such
a condition existed on David street.
He told of how the property owners
in every instance on the south side
Of the street, above Pine avenue,
were infringing upon the street.
He also outlined the expense hat
would incur if they were made to
move their homes, porches and
fences and we figured the easiest
way out of the difficulty was to leave
the line as it has always been and
to proceed with the work. But now
things have changed but we look for
a settlement among the property
owners at odds in that section at
any time"