Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-03-29
Citv Uses Plans Drawn BY
Citizens Engineer Rather
Than Those Of Own Expert

by the city some time ago to pro-
tect its interests.
The choice of the city of Perth
Amboy came as great surprise e
those attending the hearing th'
morning by reason of the fact that
Mr.. Smiths plans had been prepared
by him unofficially and at the IN
stance of committee of citizens OF
the northwestern section of the city
who characterized the railroad com
pany plan and that of Mr.. Booz al
detrimental to their best interests.
After Forrest Smiths plan was
by the city the hearing
was adjourned until April 20. to AL
low the utility board and the Lee
high Valley and Central railroad
engineers to go over the sketch.
Speaking for Perth Amboy, CT,
Attorney Leo Goldberger said ths
city could not accept the plan sub.
mitted by the railroads because i &
was felt that these plans did not full
fill the city's requirements. Alder
man John Clark also spoke at tht
hearing, demanding that in addition
to the elimination of the crossings
already planned, some provision be
made for the crossings above Hall
avenue The alderman contendeu
that this section of the city deserved
consideration as well as the sections
covered by the several plans already
submitted.
President Osbornes reply to Al
derman Clark was the suggestion
| that plans for this phase of the st
uation be filed. with the ut1lfy
| board.
About fifty Perth Amboy people
attended the hearing. They includ-
| al hn Rnnrd nf Alder
men, other city officials, and num-
Der of engineers interested in the
| problem of grade crossing elimfna-
| tion in Perth Amboy. The north
western section of the city was rep
resented by members Of the West
| ern Improvement Association and
| other citizens of that district. Pro-.
| fessor Swain, of Harvard University,
! the expert on crossing elimination
problems engaged by Mr.. Booz for
| Perth Amboy, also attended.
Mr.. Smiths solution OF the prob
| lem first became known at a meeting
/ held in the hall of the Western I'm
provement Association about ter
| days ago. At that time residents of
the northwestern end of the city met
to consider what means they should
taken to protect their interests. II
was found that the plans then being
somewhat favorably considered by
the city did not suit them and SUBJ
stitutes were suggested by Mads n
| Madsen and Mr.. Smith. The upshot
of the meeting was that Mr.. Smith
was engaged by the citizens at the
meeting to draw up a set OF plans
setting forth their ideas on the SUBJ
iect. These were presented at tnt
mass meeting held at the city hal
on Monday night!
According to this plan Market
street would be raised Z feet lOt2
inches and the tracks dropped *
feet 71h inches. The Smith street
level would be raised feet =
inches and the tracks dropped =
feet inches: No change would bt
made at New Brunswick avenue
! street level, but the tracks would pc
lowered 22 feet inches. Wash
ington street crossing would pe
dropped feet and the Central
tracks lowered 2S feet 1nchest
while the Lehigh Valley tracks
. would be raised 10 feet here. ~
| Hall avenue the bridge would pc
dropped 20 feet and the tracks ~
feet 4 inches. At the New Bruns-
wick avenue crossing of the Lenlgn
Valley railroad the street wouid ~
: lowered by feet inches ana 'ne
! tracks r1lSCO y lttl y iilth~'-
This plan was opposed by residents
: of the northern part of the city on
: the ground that no provision was
made for the other crossings between
, Hall avenue and Maurer, ana u Was
I on this point that Alderman Ciark
based his objections at the utliils
commission hearing this mornins. lii
When the objection came up at tiie
citv hall on Monday night II was
, met bv the announcement that wneii
I annlication was made to the utiil,y
com mission five grade CROSSINGS OILY
= were mentioned and these are tns
only ones which the railroads may
he compelled to finance.
Possibly the most favorable leat :
ure of the Smith plan is that the
high bridge over Washington street
: necessitated by the railroad plans,
, win he eliminated and the street
: viii PASS between the Lehigh valley
| and Central railroad tracks, IEis
change will cause Wasningloii
: street to be depressed about eigEt
= feet, with an accompanying grade on
each side of about five per cent,
e and was the object of some criticism
= at the mass meeting.