Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-05
JOHAN JENSEN
CASE HEARD
Matter Squarely Up to Alder
men for Some Action by
Attorney

ACTING as attorney Tor Jonah jen-
sen and the estate Of Anton Jen-
sen, deceased, Charles X. Seaman,
Jr., has on two occasions brought
before the Board Of Aldermen a mat
ter which has to do with the exten-
sion of High street to the Raritan
river and also with the defining o.
Water street.
On February ., the aldermen re-
ceived from Mr. Seaman a letter
asking that the board act to remedy
conditions unless the city desired to
enter into litigation over the mat
ter. At the time of the receipt of
this letter It was referred 10 the
committee of the whole.
Failing to hear from the alder
men as to what action they planned
to take in the matter. Mr.. Seaman
appeared in person before the board
on Monday night and read the letter
he had sent the board two months
ago. again asking for some definite
information as to what the alder
men intended to do.
During the discussion on the mat
ter it was suggested that it was a
matter for the city plan commission
to look into. Alderman-at-I
Calvin informed Mr.. Seaman that
City Engineer Booz had been in
structed to consider ways and means
of conducting the water off High
street SO that it would not flood the
Jensen property.
Engineer BooZ, according TO the
alderman-at-large, also had been in
structed to attend the next meeting
of the park board to take up the
question of continuing the street to
Water and thus converting part of
what is now Caledonia Park into a
street.
Mr.. Seaman asked that a resolu-
ton be adopted by the board order
ing an investigation of this condition
but the aldermen failed to take such
action. The Jensen property, locat-
ed on the %southerly extremity OF
High street, opposite the park, has
not the street frontage it is entitled
to, it is claimed, and consequently
this detracts from the value of the
land.
With regards securing a definite
location of Water street, the alder
men are asked TO do this SO that
property wner along that street
might know exactly where their
property begins and ends.
The letter of Mr.. Seaman to the
aldermen follows:
Board OF Aldermen.
"Gentlemen:
I'm writing this letter I represent
Johan Jensen and the estate of An
ton Jensen. deceased. the owners Of
property situated at the sontherly
extremity of High street, opposite
Caledonia Park. This property, as
conveyed 10 the present owner,
fronts ON High street, and extends
to low water mark, beyond which
there are certain riparian rights.
This property has suffered by
the action of the City of Perth AM
boy. When the present pavement
was laid on High street, the street
was paved to a point apparently in
tended to correspond with the south
east side of Water street and instead
of continuing the pavement to the
end of the street, as has been lone
with other streets fronting on the
bay or on Raritan River, the curb
ing Vas curved to the east, and that
portion of High street below the
present s%outherly end of the pave
ment is used for park purposes and
it is felt that it is being unlawfully
SO used.
What this means to the Jensen
property is that a considerable por-
ton of il south of the present end
of the High street pavement has not
the street frontage that rightfully
belongs to it. 1t is impossible under
the present conditions to consider
the Improvement of the land by a
| building or other structure, because
there is not the proper street front
age that there should be. Naturally
this detracts from the value of the
land.
lone other thing that has develop
ed is that the pavement and the
! curbing act as a conductor of water
during the wet spells of weather, SO
as TO direct a considerable fall of
water down the High street grade
directly upon this property, washing
away soil and rocks placed there at
considerable expense. The owners
| feel that this is an unwarranted use
of authority.
"That portion of Water street be-
tween High street and Lewis street.
although defined by ordinance OF the
city and existing upon one or more
city maps, has never been physical
" defined. My clients do not know
by actual location where the line OF
Water street commenced and their
own property line ends. Not only is
the definition of Water street of
private convenience, but it is a mat
ter of public concern as well and
something that should command the
attention of our governing board.
Nv clients make this request, now,
that Water street is so far as it con-
Germs their property, be definitely
located to the ultimate end that the
street may be curbed and paved.
while the location of this street
cannot now recompense these own
ers for the loss they have sustained
in the destruction of their lana 1t Is
felt that further damage can be pre-
vented if proper action is taken IN
this respect.
MY clients also contend that they
have a right to insist on the use oil
the lower end of High street as
street front for their property.
This is intended to operate both
as a. request and a notice that suit
able action be taken in this respect.
1t is felt that much can be accomp-
lished without litigation, but I am
authorized to say that il conditions
are allowed to exist as they are. nee
essary litigation will be entailed.
IT shall appreciate an acknowl-.
edgment of the receipt of this let
ter and in due time d statement OF
what is intended to be done in re-
gard thereto.
VERY truly yours,
CHARLES X. SEAMAN. JR.'