Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-24
SENSATION IN PROBE
OF BRIDGE LAND HERE
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factory payment for the property
being settled at a later date.
The Donneil property could pc
| obtained in n day by the state
| under condemnation proceedings.
| the attorney general declared, there
| being no reason why the highway
| commission should pay the DonneIi
| people their price under the Euise
of doing so in order to speed up
| negotiations.
An important factor in all of these
| negotiations, Attorney General Nc
Gran stated, was that the highway
| commission saw fit to speed up the
purchase Of the Donnell tract and
pay an exorxbitant sum for 1t when
| the bridge work could not start until
the parcels of property belonging to
the Pardee works ndNational Fire
proofing Company were secured. NO
such haste was shown by the board
in securing these other two tracts.
which have not even today been
bought by the state. the attorney
general declared, securing testimony
from the witnesses to c~orroborate
his statements.
Engineer Meeker was the witness
called after Secretary Grover left the
stand and told of the events which
led UP to the final action Of the GUST
ed board in deciding to pay $230,00e
for the Donnell property. He told
of looking over the property at Perth
Amboy. finding It assessed at $1s.260
in the assessors office and interview
ing Alonzo B. Mcdowell. treasurer.
and Thomas j. Evans. secretary of
the DonneIl Lumber Company.
These two men told him of their
plans to develop their property. put
in a switch and make improvements,
Meeker said, and. showed him ap-
praisals they had had made by the
real estate department OF the Perth
Amboy Trust Company and Fraser
Brothers & Company.
".Don't insult my intelligence by
asking me to accept these figures
I said" Engineer Meeker testified.
The figures, the witness said, were
those Of $227,7ss and $245,000. II
then had the property appraised by
two well known Perth Amboy real
estate men. both Of whom placed the
value of the seven and one-half acre
tract at $4,000 an acre." Engineer
Meeker said.
Haven't you made this pretty
rich?' / asked Mr.. Boynton." the
witness testified. ito which he re-
piled: We'll. those figures are the
limit" The figures referred to were
$780, which was $4,000 less
than the amount paid by the state
for the property, the witness pointed
out.
Engineer Meeker told of making
the necessary agreements with the
Pardee and National Fireproofing
Company for PARCELS OF their land
needed by the state FOR $4,000 an
acre.. Both Of these pieces OF land
were more valuable than Donnelfs,
the witness said.
al had no difficulty in arranging
to acquire both of these tracts"
Meeker testified, "but the board gave
me 10 instructions to go ahead with
the closing of the deal. The board
said they would let me know when
to proceed. but they did not do SO. I
knew of n 70 reason for the great
hurry in acquiring the Donnell land"
On March 8, 1922 Meeker testified
Construction Engineer Bedwell in
formed him to negotiate for the
sale of the Donnell land within ten
days Or condemnation proceedings
would be started. On May. %, the
witness said. he was informed the
commission had decided not to con-
denim and that a price of ~$2S0,000
would be paid for the land.
Engineer Meeker said he did not
know why the plans to condemn the
property were not carried out. When
he was told by Chairman Burtol
for $230,000 the Donnell property.
Meeker testified that he said: mot
on my recommendation, Mr.. Bur-
ton"
mo-" explained Burton. according
to Meeker. 'That is the action of
the entire commission"
Meeker said he was then instruct
ed to carry out the negotiations for
the sac of the land Chairman Bur-
ton telling him that he (Burton)
would arrange to have all OF the
Donnell people on hand to close the
deal. Engineer Meeker said he
Mr.. and Mrs. Donnel, Evan
Mcdowell on hand when he
went to Perth Amboy TO close me-,
he Later bringing the
agreement back to Trenton.
Members Of the highway board
held an informal meeting in the
New. Packer House at Perth Amboy
the day prior to taking the action
favoring the s23o.oe0 purchase.
Meeker testified. az was present at
that meeting b = made no formal
report. I really don't know what I
was there for" the witness said.
Engineer Meeker was the last witt
called yesterday afternoon, adj
being taken until IL
next Monday morning at the
Perth Amboy City Hall.
All Of the members OF the Joint
investigating committee
on hand consisting Of Presi-
dent Of the Senate Joseph s. Wall
worth, of Camden: Speaker of the
House William w. Evans. of Pas
sale; Senator Eli erson l.. Richards,
of Atlantic; Senator William H.
Bright, Of Cape May; Assembiyman
Adrian G. Chamberlin, of Essex and
Assemblyman Frank H. Welsh, of
None of the ousted commissioners
who are the defendants in this
probe into alleged fraud in purchase
ing the DonnelI property were pres
ent at yesterdays session. none hav-
ing been subpoened. It is likely they
will be in attendance next week.
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