Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-06-04
DRASTIC ACTION IS Called FOR

ton IN winch all bnS 8pplodgAeo " US lily w Ii SNEN -
utation of Perth Amboy is utterly ruined, the officials have got
10 fight. It is time to stop accepting excuses. There need be no
more explaining, The talking period is over. ACTION, AG-
GREssIvE ACTION, IS WHAT WILL COUNT FROM NOW ON.
In the first place, the State street pavement ought to be
finished. This paving has been going on now for practically
a year. There is no legitimate excuse for its present condition.
Why should the city stand for it? A mere handful of men pot
tering around will never get anywhere. It gives an excuse, that's
ALL
The contractors who have the paving job will claim, doubtless.
that they are held up by the Public Service Railway Company
What is being done to force the Public Service to get its part Of
The work finished? This part of State street is under the jurisdic-
ION of the Board of F~reeholders. No city, incidentally, ought
aver give I'D control of its own streets, but under our system of
government it seems necessary to do this in order to receive any
Of the county money, which money is largely contributed by the
taxpayers of Perth Amboy.
As the ~freeholders let the contract, it Ii up to them to see the
lob through. But they are only incidentally interested in Perth
Amboy. It is enough for them, apparently, to know that the work
is under way, and the little group of men at work give an ex-
cuse to say that progress is being made. The ~freeholders, natural
". look to the contractors. The contractors, apparently, are pow
erless to get the Public Service to move. With no one directly re-
gponsible, State street remains today in a deplorable condition and
it looks now as if the work would drag along through the summer.
Two years to pave a short stretch of highway! 1t IS outrageous!
What is the city doing about it? The officials are wringing
their hands, apparently, and saying it is terrible, but they are
powerless. They are not powerless, by any means.
A real fighting spirit for the sake of the city IS what is needed
to get something done on State street. Let the aldermen, tonight,
service notice on the Board of F~reeholders that State street has got
to be finished up AT ONCE. Let the aldermen send a delegation
to the Public Service and demand action in getting their track in
shape. If this were not an emergency proposition some leniency
might be shown, but with Amboy avenue closed and New Bruins
wick avenue closed, State street has got to be opened, especially
after a year has passed and the paving is not yet finished, The
Public Service should be told that unless that track is in shape at
once. the matter will be carried to the Public Utility Commission;
and if the aldermen are on the job they will call the attention Of
the Public Utility Commission to the situation, anyway, emphasiz-
ing the need of this street as a detour for the Amboy avenue route,
And because it is needed as a detour for Amboy avenue, the
State Highway Commission ought to be interested. Let the alder
men also solicit the assistance of that state board. ACTION, GEN
TLEMEN, ACTION is WHAT is NEEDED IN THIS CRISIS, and
it is a crisis for Perth Amboy when all the approaches to the city
are in the condition they are in today.
The first thing to be done on State street is to finish the pave
ment Immediately adjoining the Woodbridge creek bridge so that
cars can get on and off going in both directions. There is no ex
cuse for such a jam as is caused there with one-way traffic. # the
aldermen are on the job they will not be blufed any longer.
And something drastic has got to be done for the detour for
Amboy avenue, too. There never has been such a detour in all the
history of the state highways. If those in charge dont know what
to do, let them step aside and make room for those who can handle
the Job. Some vigorous measures are necessary THEkE HAS
GOT TO BE ENERGY, FORCE AND PUSH BEHIND THOSE
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SITUATION. It took a
man over half an hour to get out Of this city the other day. It is
.getting worse all the time. A Jersey City man approached a Perth
Amboyan whom he knew on Saturday and told him what he
thought of this city after passing over the Amboy avenue detopr;
and his thoughts were not complimentary, by any means.
People from the suburban towns who have been accustomed
to come here to do their shopping, refuse to enter the city any
more. Reports reach us that residents of Metuchen are turning
toward New Brunswick and PIainheld; Woodbridge people prefer
the trip to Elizabeth and Newark. The awful condition OF Sherl-
dan street and Market street keeps out the people from across the
river. INCIDENTALLY, WHAT is BEING DONE TO PUT a
SUITABLE DEToUR III SHAPE WHILE SHERIDAN STREET
Is BEING PAVED? Now is the time for the aldermen to plan for
this.
The condition of the approaches to this city is killing bust
ness here. 1t is time for vigorous measures. The aldermen meet
tonight. Adjournment ought not be taken until something definite
is done to bring about relief AT ONCE. The Board OF Freeholders,
the Public Service, the eontractors-al must be made to realize
that Perth Amboy is through with dilydallying, and that only
action counts FROM now on. JUMP ON THEM. KEEP AFTER
THEM. SHOW SOME PEP. Finish up State street, beginning
at the bridge. Fix up a decent detour for Amboy avenue. Improve
Brace avenue. Prepare a detour for Sheridan street. These are
the big jobs before the aldermen today; will the board measure up
(. : the emergency
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