Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-17
AS TT APPEARS
Prediction Not Yet Fulfilled

When ground was bl oxen for the
Raritan Copper Works in this city
about t%wenty-six years ago, some of
the biggest men in the copper in
dustry came to Perth Amboy to take
part in the ceron- ony. Some of
these men came from the West
where they do big things on a big
scale. During the course of the
day these men were taken on a tour
of the city. 1t did not take very
long to see all there was to be seen
in Perth Amboy in those days, yet
1t was only twenty-six years ago..
But there was one thing to be
seen then that at once arrested the
attention of these captains of indus
try, and they did not hesitate to
comment upon 1t. This one thing
was Perth Amboy's waterfront and
her wonderful harbor. These far
sighted westerners' were quick to
grasp the possibilities of Perth Am
boy for industrial development.
Look at it," one of them remark
ed as he drove around the Bluff and
gazed down the bay, what a won
derful location! Why, in ten years
all these houses will be gone, there
will be a railroad running all the
way around this waterfront from the
Central railroad to connect with the
Lehigh Valley, and all this section
will be teeming with industry"
That was a prediction of a man
who could appreciate what Perth
Amboy had, and who could look into
the future and visualize what Perth
Amboy might be like in years to
come. That was twenty-six years
ago, and his prediction was that il
would all come to pass within ten
years. There are no "teeming In
dustries" and there is no belt line
railroad around the Bluff yet. The
southern section of the city continues
to be Perth Amboy's most desirable
residential section.
But can we hold back the wheels
of progress forever? Twenty-siS
years have passed and the predic-
ton of this western manufacturer
has not been fulfilled. A great deal
depends on how the city develops the
Wonderland Beach property, and the
Gregory and Hayes tracts. II the
idea of municipal piers and ware
houses, such as are in contempla-
ton with regard TO the deepening oil
the channel in the river, prevails, il
will mean that eventually all the
\ southern section will become indus
trial. On the other hand, If the
park idea is adopted and the south
shore along the Raritan river be-
come one huge playground for tho
people. 1t is likely that industria
development will be a long time
coming.
1t is a question as to which kline
of development is the best for the in.
terest of the city. It would appear
as If the aldermen would have &c
make a decision definitely one way
or the other before long. The prop.
erty ought not to remain idle an!
longer.
Unless Perth Amboy wakes III
Trenton will have its twenty foo
channel before Perth Amboy has {
thirty foot channel. and steamship
will be blowing their way for mile.
up the Delaware river to that por
while Perth Amboy, with a match
less harbor within eighteen miles o
Sandy Hook and a broad, deep fair
way, is still wondering why othe,
places forge ahead and this cit!
stands still. Trenton can thank he
boosting mayor for her progress. IL,
is certainly on the job when it come
to keeping Trenton to the front. II,
is down in Norfolk now whoopinl
it up for Trenton. Pictures of Tren
tons harbor and waterfront wer'
thrown upon the screen as were sew
eral of her big industries. during TIL
convention. Were there any pic
lures of Perth Amboy's harbor an
Industries shown?
How much enterprise and loca
pride is there in Perth Amboy, any
way?
VIII 1t Be A Skyscraper?
Perth Amboy is expecting grea
things of the First National banl
when It erects it's new building a
Smith and Maple streets sometlm
in the near future. Since the erAc
ton of the Leon building Perth Am
boy has got Into the skyscraper class
and a new building towering III
above everything else would be
great advertisement for this city
; particularly should 1t be in sight o
: the railroad, as the new bank build
: ing will be. OF course, it may b
that the plans are for a strictl
bank building which will be a de
cided attraction, but it will not shoN
off like a skyscraper. The Firs
National bank is Perth Amboy's old
Last fnanstal inEtituton aside froz