Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-08
DEVELOPING AN INDUSTRIAL SECTION

Alderman Waters came pretty near the right solution
for furnishing railroad facilities for that important INDUS
trial section of the city along the waterfront from WASH
ington street southwark to Fayette or Smith street when, at
the meeting of the Board of Aldermen Monday night, he
suggested placing a track along Front street. 1t IS an IDEA
that one would readily imagine might be included IN a COM
prehensve city plan.
Instead of doing out railroad accommodations as the
various industries feel the need of additional facilities, with
The usual pickering over each application, a siding which
would tap that entire district and with which any of the
industries in that locality could connect at any time, would
put an end to the matter as far as the city is concerned.
The Atlantic Terra Gotta Company has had railroad
facilities for a great many years. When the Standard I'm
foreground Gable Company built its plant the siding was ex-
tended to that industry, while the Perth Amboy Chemical
Company, which took up the old A. Hall terra Gotta factory,
was likewise accommodated on the opposite side OF High
street. Then later, the rubber mill of the cable company
secured the extension of the siding on the west side of High
street practically to Washington street. At present there is
pending an application of the cable company to have the
siding on the east side of High street also extended to Wash
ington street SO as to enable it to increase its facili-
ties.
Now comes the Perth Amboy Dry Dock Company with
. request that tracks be laid across Washington street in
order to aid it in the development of its enormous
plant. But the plan as is proposed would, apparently, &C
commodate only the dry docks. AS there are other indus
tries in that immediate vicinity that no doubt would like to
nave the advantage of direct rail connection, a scheme ought
TO be worked out that would serve all of them.
There is the Roessler & Hasslaoher Chemical Company
and the General Bakelite Company, both important con-
LcfllSs~ tldl III uTtCly "A ulHodu Vldoh lolu
through Front street, which, blythe way, is only two blocks
long in that particular section being blocked at both ends
BY industries, would furnish accommodation for all of these
plants, including the dry docks.
This section of the city can never be anything but an
industrial district and only the industries are directly inter-
ested in the developments there. This being the case, what
ever is to the advantage of these industries ought to be done.
It is to the interest of the city, however, to see that the
widest possible use is made of such facilities as are afford
ed. In any franchise that is granted, therefore, provision
ought to be made whereby the track may be used by any
railroad company that might care to connect with it. This
not only would be fair to the different railroads that operate
in Perth Amboy, but would assure better service for the
Industries giving them a choice of routes in handling their
freight.
AT the present time the Lehigh Valley has everything
lis own way along the Staten Island sound waterfront. That
is no reason, however, why this should always be so. Event
ually a belt line may be extended all the way around the
Bluff connecting with the Central railroad near the bridge.
The time may come when the Pennsylvania will want to run
a spur from it's State street terminal to the waterfront tap
ping this great industrial district. Allof these things could
be worked out in a comprehensive city plan.
Just now a siding through the two blocks in Front
street from Washington street to Commerce street, would
serve immediate needs. While such a siding would connect
only with the Lehigh Valley at the present time, provision
could be made to permit other railroads to use the track at
any time that they secured the right of way to connect
Herewith. 1t is cooperation of this kind that makes the
city grow and prosper.