Palisadian. [volume], August 27, 1926, Image 1

About Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current

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“The Palisades Are the Balcony of the World” 1
William A. Mackay, Coytesville
PALI SAD IAN
"Finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks.
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.”
—As You Like It.
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VOL. XX. No. 37
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 1926—EIGHT PAGES
PRICE FOUR CENTS
REAL NEED OF A LIBRARY BUILDING
IN CLIFFSIDE PARK REVEALED BY
STATISTICS OF LOCAL INSTITUTION
Miss Nancy Bowman Writes Of Demand For Books, Yet
Many Do Not Know Library Exists—Details Of The
Prize-Winning McGrath Library Plan Explained.
The Palisadian prints this week a
reproduction of the prize-winning
library design, a brain-child of a
Grantwood youth, James McGrath,
son of Mr. and Mrs. John McEvoy of
424 Washington avenue, who is a stu
dent at the Columbia University
School of Architecture and of the Sib
ley-Licht Atilier of the Beaux Arts
Institute in Palisade. Picture will be
found on Page 5.
The library is reproduced for a dual
purpose. In the first place to contri
bute to the genei'al public a thing
of beauty created by one of their
monstrate to the eye that the erection
of a building of this character would
make a most fitting war memorial
satisfying every requirement of ap
propriateness, beauty, impressiveness
and utilitarian value.
The library pictured includes two
reading rooms with ample space 'for
100,000 books, a lecture room or aud
itorium seating 200 in the right wing,
an exhibit room in the left wing and a
spacious basement that would serve
as a meeting, storage or additional
reading room.
Miss Nancy Bowman, librarian of
the Cliffside library in School No. 3
is the one best acquainted with the
appreciation the: residents have for
this kind of institution and at the re
quest of the editor has written the
following in support of the library
project.
"It seemg that a prophet seldom
finds honor in his own country—like
wise the Library.
"The Cliffside Park Free Public
Library has been in existance since
June 1913, but only the other day a
person who has lived in this town for
twenty years admitted that they did
not know a Library existed here.
“However, the ones who do make up
for the rest and not once but many
times, we have had the pleasure of
someone saying, ‘I can get teachnical
books more quickly here than in sev
eral very large Libraries to which I
belong.’ Owning to the fact that we
have always had the same Chair
woman in the book committee and for
tunately one with an extensive know
ledge of books, Mrs. J. H. Koch, our
collection has been systematically built
up until today even members of pub
lishing houses have voluntarily praised
our collection.
“There are many people, generally
busy parents, who have not the time
to come to tnc Library but who have
the urge to read. These people must
be studied thru their children and
little bits of knowledge from others
and then furnished with the books
they want and can enjoy. Then the
problem of the person who wants only
one type of book, and soon exhausts
the supply, how to turn them to other
and perhaps more interesting books
and to give the adolescent the proper
books and steer them from the type
only suited to their elders. These are
a few of the problems not seen by the
general pulj^ic.
“Then there are the days when it
rains or is too hot for comfort and on
those days you can see the children
sitting in the hall, on the stairs and
even on the floor to read. Another
problem—the reading room.
“I wish space would permit me to
(Continued on Page 2)
McLaughlin Guilty
Of Grave Offense
Grantwood Man Pleads Guilty
But Denies Girl’s Story
Of Attack
Victor McLaughlin of Grantwood,
31 and married, was found guilty on
Tuesday by Judge McCarthy of a
statuatory offense against Ruth Wal
ter, 15, also of Grantwood, in New
York city about a month ago.
Miss Walter was found in a dazed
condition wandering about in New
York following the night of the al
leged attack. After being questioned
it was found that she had gone to
New York with McLaughlin and she
charged that he attacked and assault
ed her.
McLaughlin was held after a pre
liminary hearing before Recorder
Preston and his case was postponed
several weeks until Tuesday last when
he appeared in the Second District
Criminal Court in Hackensack.
He pleaded guilty to the offense but
denied having attacked the girl as
she had stated.
Judge McCarthy found him guilty
and he will be sentenced on Tuesday
morning.
Edward Marangelo of Edgewater
road, has returned to his home after
spending a very delightful vacation
as the guest of the Richard family of
Palisade, at Long Reach.
Little Flower Relic
Cheered Valentino
The relic of St. Theresa, the
Little Flower on display at Engle
wood for a number of weeks and
viewed by thousands of people
there, was the one which was given
Rudolph Valentino by a priest as
he died.
The relic was brought from
Englewood to the bedside of. the
actor when it was known that he
was dying. It was placed upon his
forehead, while a crucifix was
pressed against his lips.
When the end came the relic was
returned to Englewood.
Broods Over Death
Then Kills Himself
Barn In Rear Of Coytesville
Home Scene Of Tragedy—
Funeral Arrangements
Not Complete
Despondent over the death of his
mothex’, George Fritz, 25 years old, of
Myi’tle avenue, Coytesville, ended his
life in the early hours of Thursday
morning by hanging himself in a barn
at the rear of his home.
Fritz had been in a melancholy
state for some time because of his
mother’s death. lie was accustomed
to l-emain at home evenings and when
lie was found to be absent at 1 o’clock
yesterday morning his father started
a search.
The body was found shortly after
wards swaying slightly at the end
of a rope in the backyard barn. He
was pronounced dead by Dr. Cran
dall. The bo'dy was removed to Hunt’s
Morgue, Fort Lee, by order of County
Physician Ogden.
The dead youth is survived by his
father and four sisters, Mrs. Becker,
Mrs. Zimmerman and the Misses Anna
and Ethel Fritz. Funeral arrange
ments have not yet been completed.
Two-Family House
Damaged .By Blaze
A two-family house owned by Mrs.
Stockwell located between the Luther
an Church and the Carney building
on Columbia avenue and occupied by
the Willston and Becker families was
partly destroyed by fire on Tuesday
of this week.
An alarm was sent to the ClifTside
fire department by Mrs. Becker who
occupies one of the apartments at 1:15
P. M., and the ClifTside and Grant
wood companies were at the fire in
about five minutes after the call.
The parlor and the furniture in the
room were destroyed.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
LOST
Box of flat Cheney silk tics (18 inch
box), somewhone along Anderson ave
nue, Grantwood. Liberal reward. Call
131 ClifTside. Chas. T. Logan, Pali
sade, N. J.
,__I
Edmund May Calls The •
Palisadian Editor Down
(Editorial)
From a letter postmarked Fort Lee,
Aug. 21, 1026
The Palisadian:
To the Editor,
Allow me to say a few words con
cerning your “editorial” on Senator
Mackay, which appeared in last weeks
edition of your paper.
It occurs to me that your knowledge
of American History must have indeed
been sadly neglected.
ihe not-headed, impetuous presi
dent, regarded by all scholars as being
one of the most colorful, dynamic and
forceful figures in our history, would
indeed turn over in his grave, if he
could be apprized of the common-place
appellation conferred upon him by the
writer of that article.
I have in my possession a book on
“The Life of Andrew Jackson”, by
Sumner, the persual of which would
undoubtedly benefit you greatly.
I wish to make it clear that I do not
in any way question Senator Mackay’s
“Level-headedness”. However, to at
tempt to compare him to Andrew
Jackson would be like attempting to
compare candle-light to the sun’s rays.
Allow me to suggest that, Lincoln,
John Adams, or even Coolidge Repub
lican or Federalist, would have served
far better as basis of comparison.
Due to the critical nature of the
letter I hardly expect to find it in
print, but I could not sit by idly and
sec so gross an historical error com
mitted, without a protest.
Yours Truly,
EDMUND MAY
I The above letter is more amusing
! than critical. What the Editor meant
in the comparison between Senator
Mackay and Andrew Jackson was
merely to draw a parallel on some
points of character both men possess
ed. Here is all that was said in the
Palisadian:
Senator Mackay is the most
level-headed politician today in
New Jersey. He is for the people’s
interests first, last and all the
time. He is1 a sort of modernized
“Old-Hickory”—a New Jersey
brand of Andrew Jackson—not
exactly the same type, but pos
sessed of very similar purposes.
He has a level head. So did
Andrew Jackson. He is possessed
of unobtrusive grit, so did the
Sage of The Hermitage. He
knows his direction at all times
and so did the Revolutionary hero,
as evidenced at New Orleans.
Any way you take him the Bergen
Senator is all there.
We have in our home library most
of the histories of Andrew Jackson,
but none of Senator Mackay. He is
making his. We do not set ourselves
up as an authority. But we do insist
that in the expressions used, as quoted
above, there was not the slightest sug
gestion of ignorance or false compari
son. “Not exactly the same type,” we
said, “but possessed of very similar
purposes.” Wasn’t Andrew Jackson
level-headed? Isn’t Senator Mackay
level-headed? Andrew Jackson lived
in a different era and wore ruffled
shirts and knickerbockers with silk
stockings. And he wore a stock. Sen
ator Mackay sometimes wears knick
erbockers at golf but woolen stockings
and a stiff collar!
There was no “attempt to compare”
Mackay with Jackson beyond what is
contined in the few sentences quoted
from the editorial. If Mr. Edmund
May will journey to Palisade and call
upon the Editor he will be introduced
to a library containing most of the
world’s history, and many other valu
able contributions including the best
that has been written of Jackson. We
have the “Epoch Makers”, treaties of
such men as Lincoln, Caesar, Charle
magne, Richelieu, Louis XIV, Cicero
and others. Then there are those
matchless volumes, “Historian’s His
tory of the World”, and other things,
such as Thomas Watson’s “Story of
France”, his “Napoleon” and quite a
collection, with Elliot’s “Five Foot
Shelf” besides.
And if this Editor knew by heart
all of the contents of this library of
the world’s best thought, he would not
consider himself in the scholarly class.
Nor will he ever be in position to call
himself learned.
And just what was the “Common
place appellation conferred upon him
(Continued on Page 2)
Well Known Lawyer
Tells Of Olden Days
Former Governor And Attor
ney General Came To Bergen
In 1871—Tax Increase
Enormous
Mabel Dupuy contributes to the
Newark Sunday Call an interesting
story about John W. Griggs, of Pat
erson, former Governor and Attorney
General.
Mr. Griggs was seventy-seven years
old on July 10.
“At the time I came to the bar,” he
said, “Abraham O. Zabriski was Chan
cellor, Mercer Beasley was Chief Jus
tice, and among other Justices of the
Supreme Court were Joseph D. Bea
dle, afterwards Governor; David A.
Dcpuy, Bonnet Van Syckle and Ed
ward W. Scuddcr.
“The first Vice-Chancellor was Amzi
Dodd, who was for a long time presi
dent of the Mutual Benefit Life In
surance Company and a jurist of
great ability.
“The leading members of the bar
at that time were Joseph D. Bradley,
Cortlandt Parker, Frederick T. Frc
linghuyscn, Anthony Q. Keasbey, John
P. Stockton, Barker Gummere, father
of the Chief Justice, and Thomas N.
McCarter, father of the present Mc
Carters.
“At that time there were no county
law or circuit court judges, nor any
city district courts. In the county of
Passaic, Judge Beadle was the sitting
Supreme Court Justice. He tried all
the civil cases and all the indictments
not only for Passaic, but for Hudson
as well.
“The courts of common pleas in
each county were composed of su
preme court justices and three lay
judges who were appointed by the
Legislature. At the present time jus
tices of the Supreme Court try no
jury causes except indictments for
murder. Then they visited their as
signed counties at the opening of the
terms of court to empanel and charge
the grand jury.
“Business in the Appelate Courts
has so increased that all the time of
the justices is required for appellate
proceedings, either in the Supreme
Court or the Court of Errors and Ap
peals. Where there was one vice
chancellor in 1871 there are now nine,
where at that time there were ten
lawyers there are now probably a hun
dred.
“The increase of court business in
the state, however, is not greater com
paratively than the growth of popula
tion and extension of business enter
prises and the state taxes and expend
itures. I have not the exact figures,
but I think the aggregate amount of
taxes of New Jersey at the present
period is at least eight times as much
as when I was governor.
m in at urne mere was no state
debt. Now the State of New Jersey
owes $80,000,000. Of course taxes
have increased correspondingly.
Where in 1896 there was a tax charge
of 8-10 of 1 per cent, in many locali
ties, it now exceeds 3 per cent.
“A generation ago the dollar was
worth as much as $2 is now. When
I came to the bar in 1871 no lawyer
except those of the highest standing
would think of charging $100 a day
for trying a case. At the present
time very few lawyers would think
of charging less than that and we
hear of those who receive fees of
$2,500 a day.
“I attended the opening of the Ber
gen county courts in December, 1871.
There was no railroad from Paterson
to Hackensack, so I drove over with
a horse and buggy. Although Bergen
county was at that time comparatively
little improved, yet I met there on
that occasion a number of the most
distinguished lawyers of the State.
Judge Beadle presided, and in atten
dance was Jacob Vanatta, then attor
ney general; Cortlandt Parker, Robert
Gilchrist, afterwards attorney gener
al of the state; Jonathan Dixon and
Manning M. Knapp, afterwards jus
tices of the Supreme Court, with
others of less distinction.
“Mr. Knapp resided in Hackensack
(Continued on Page 2)
Early Experiences
On The Palisades
Told By J. Wolpert
Story Goes Back Over 20 Years
When He Bought Unprofitable
Stand For $157.
This past week a Palisadian repre
sentative casually asked Joe Wolpert
how he happened to come to the vil
lage over twenty years ago. It was
a long story he gave in reply but one
that will be of interest to many living
along the Palisades,
“Well, Joe began, “when I first came
over from Russia I learned to be a
cutter and designer of clothing. While
learning I worked the first month for
nothing and then got a small salary
which was never more than $8 a week.
The place where I learned the trade
and was working failed, so I lost my
job.
“The trade never appealed to me
partcularly any how but I needed em
ployment and looked for another job.
I used to see a large German man in
a little park near 125th street and
what is now Riverside drive in New
York. I spoke German pretty well
and we used to talk for hours about
different things. He offered me a job
at one of the Union News Company'.
stands on 125th street at $15 a week.
This was almost twice as much as 1
was getting but I had to work 12
hours alternating with another man.
“One day the boss came in and said,
‘Joe, how would you like to take care
of a stand out in the country? We’ll
pay you $20 a week and if you don’t
like it you can come back here.’
“I agreed to make the change and
he took me over to Palisade where the
Juncton is now. The stand was in
the Public Service waiting room. This
was in November, I think. At that
time the Palisade line from the 42nd
street ferry was owned by the Public
Service but the Hudson River line
from the 125th street ferry was owned
by an independent company. Being
rivals they never tried to make con
nections and people would have to
wait an hour or longer when making
a change. The trolleys only ran every
hour. There was nothing here but
woods except for a few houses and a
couple of stores in the Grantwood sec
tion.
“The first day I only took in about
65 cents, the next day about 45 cents,
and at the end of the week the total
income from the stand which I was
getting $20 a week to tend was under
$5. They sold papers, tobacco, hot
coffee and other drinks. The Union
News Co., knew it would not pay but
thought it would pick up in the sum
mertime.
“One day the big German fellow
said the company would sell the stand
and asked me if I wanted to buy it
for the wholesale value of the stock.
I said yes. We counted up and arrived
at $157 as the purchase price. I
gave him $50 in cash and paid the
rest off in instalments. It was very
slow the balance of the winter but I
had a' little money saved and was
able to hang on ’till summer.
“The first summer I made a profit
of $2,000. There used to be hundreds
of people at the Junction waiting for
cars to Coytesville and my stand was
the only place to get a drink. They
all seemed to be thirsty by the time
they got this far. That summer a
couple of houses were built in Palisade
including the Logan home and the Hull
house on Palisade avenue and the vil
lage of Palisade came into being.
“The summer the park opened up
under Mr. Dexter the crowds at the
Junction began to increase and busi
ness was even better. I remember
one day the airship which made daily
trips descended accidentally on the
wires in the vicinity of the Junction
and a crowd of several thousand
gathered. I sold every thing I
had at the. stand.
“Finally the center of. business was
established at Palisade avenue and the
trolley and I opened a general store
there and maintained a few stands
elsewhere, two at the Junction, two
on Marion avenue and a couple in the
vicinity of the park.
“The transfer of the business center
of Palisade to the Junction in recent
years, made my Palisade avenue store
unprofitable and I closed it up as you
know and opened a similar store in
the Renedetti building and then moved
to the Grant-Lee theatre building
(Continued on Page 2)
HUDSON RIVER BRIDGE GETS A SHOCK
THROUGH UNFORTUNATE REMARK BY
GOVERNOR ALFRED SMITH OF NEW YORK
Following Interstate Function In New Holland Vehicular
Tunnel, Which So Surprised The N. Y. Governor
In Its Wonders, Beauty And Equipment, That He
Exprssed The Opinion That Tunnels Would Do Away
With Bridges—But He Didn’t Mean The 178th Street
Bridge Now Definitely Authorized.
If Governor Alfred E. Smith, chief
executive of the State of New York,
did not “spill the beans’’ last Satur
day in an accredited statement made
to the Associated Press, he came
mighty near it. Following a little
function in the new Holland vehicu
lar tunnels which connect New York
with New Jersey, Governor Smith said
that the tunnel was so altogether ade
quate and filled the bill so completely
that it would kill altogether all bridge
projects over the Hudson, and he did
not point out that he DIDN’T mean
the present Hudson river bridge now
about to be built, and for which the
two States had appropriated $10,000,
000, besides authorizing the Port
Authority to “begin operations’’.
To say that New Jersey, and part
icularly Bergen County, was stunned
by Governor Smith’s remarkable state
ment is putting it mildly.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have
come to Bergen County within less
than two years on account of the sup
posed certainty of the bridge, and a
panic would unquestionably have
resulted if Governor Smith’s predic
tion (he later called it merely an
“opinion”) had prevailed. Senator
Mackay happened to be absent in
South New Jersey and could not be
reached, but the wires were hot with
anxious messages to and fro all over
Bergen County trying to find out if
there were by any possibility anything
in Governor Smith’s statement. The
feeling was intense everywhere.
Sunday Governor Smith made an
explanation from Asbury Park in
which he said the statement was
“unauthorized” and that he had
merely meant to express an “opinion”.
Of course the Holland tunnel was
such an amazing, such a brilliant,
triumphant thing to gaze upon for the
first time that the New York Governor
fell for it and swallowed it hook, bob
and sinker as the only solution for
Hudson river traffic of all kinds. The
tunnel was a revellation made so by
the man who designed it and made
it possible. But it is many miles
away from the 178th street bridge,
and feeds lower New York into lower
Jersey City. The 178th street Hud
son river bridge will feed into upper
New York, ten miles or more from the
Holland tunnels.
The New York Times had the fol
lowing from Governor Smith on Mon
day:
“What I did say,” the Governor ex
plained, “was that if the tunnel was
successful, nobody would think of
building bridges. That was simply an
expression of my opinion-r-that no one
would think of building bridges if tun
nels were successful as a means of
interstate communication.”
“But you did not predict that the
bridge already authorized by the Leg
islature would not be built?” the Gov
ernor was asked.
“I could not stop it; I merely ex
pressed my opinion,” he replied.
(Continued on Page 2)
Grantwood People
In Bus Accident
Mrs. Cameron, Mr. Modica,
Mrs Inselmann And Daughter
Treated By Dr. Littwin
A bus accident on Anderson avenue
near Oakdene avenue in Grantwood
on Tuesday last resulted in the injury
of two women, a man and a girl of
eight. Mrs. A. Cameron of 537 Oak
dene avenue, Grantwood, Joseph Mod
ica of 607 Anderson avenue, Grant
wood, Mrs. H. Inselmann and her
eight-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, of
245 Franklin avenue, Grantwood were
those injured. They were taken to
the office of Dr. Charles Littwin in
Palisade for treatment in the auto of
A. H. Lueders of Grantwood who hap
pened to pass at the time the accident
occured. The injuries consisted chief
ly of minor bruises and lacerations.
Mrs. Cameron fainted and suffered
from shock.
The bus, driven by James Mandra
chia, 409 Fail-view avenue, Fairview,
was traveling north on Anderson ave
nue on the wet roadway. The driver
applied the brakes for the stop near
the lumber company building. The
bus and the building were only slight
ly damaged.
Young Cliffside Woman
Inherits Over $50,000
Mrs. Elizabeth J. Meil of 544 Dew
ey avenue, Cliffside Park, is the re
cipient of a legacy of $50,321 from
the estate of her mother, Mrs. Lena
Kriete, who died in New York city
last November 13.
The report, which was filed on Wed
nesday by the State Transfer Tax De
partment in New York City appraises
the estate, at $100,643. Mrs. Meil
and a brother, who lives in New York
city, will share this sum, according to
the report. They are also named
joint executors of the estate.
Mrs. Meil, who is 25 years old, lives
at the Cliffside Park address with her
husband, H. A. Meil, a part owner of
the Victory Laundry, West New York,
and their eighteen-months-old daught
er, Carol. The Mcils moved to Cliff
side Park last October, just a month
prior to the death of the testatrix.
Head-On Collision
On Palisade Ave
Ormond McClavc Injured—
Other Driver Suffers
Broken Arm
A head-on auto collision on Palisade
avenue near Edgewater road in ClilY
side Park«on Wednesday last resulted
in injuries to four persons. One of
the victims had his left arm broken.
Ormond McClave of 571 Winterburn
road, Edgewater Heights was driving
north on Palisade avenue and was
forced to turn his car to the left in
an attempt to avoid striking the mach
ine of Victor Barnaba of North Ber
gen who it is alleged was on the
wrong side of the road. Barnaba
made a quick turn to his right and
the head-on collision was the result.
Barnaba’s car was occupied by Mrs.
A. S. Robinson, Dumont, Barnaba, and
Frank Margarti. McClave was the
only occupant of the other car. They
were all badly bruised and shaken up
and were given treatment by Dr. llell
stern. Barnaba was found to have a
broken left arm, in addition to other
injuries.
The cars of both drivers were badly
smashed.
Joint Meeting To
Discuss Memorial
On Tuesday next at 12:15 o’clock
noon, at the Park Inn in Hudson
Heights the Cliffside Park Ex
change Club and the Real Estate
Board of the Palisades will hold
a joint meeting to discuss the pro
posed war memorial for Cliffside
Park.
It has been brought out from
time to time that the Exchange *
Club is on record as being in favor
of a monument while the members
of the Real Estate Board have in
dicated they favor a project with
a utilitarian value such as a library
building.
The subject will be discussed pro
and con on Tuesday next anil an
effort made to have both organiza
tions agree on a suitable memorial
so they may work in unison toward
its completion.