Palisadian. [volume], October 22, 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
PALISADIAN
'•Finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks.
Sermons in stones, and Rood in everything:.”
-—As Yoti Like It.
VOL. XX. No. 45
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1926—TWELVE PAGES
PRICE FOUR CENTS
FT. LEE BOROUGH ATTORNEYS RENDER
WRITTEN OPINION ON PASS VOTE AND
DECLARE MAYOR WHITE WAS CORRECT
Full Text Of Mackay And Mackay’s Letter Makes Plain
Law On Subject—Checks To Assessment Commis
sioners Sent By Mistake Cook Is Told—Resolution
Confirms Bookkeeper’s Action.
Mayor Edward A. White and Bor
ough Attorney George Maekay return
ed the fix-c of Councilman Harry Cook
at Wed. night’s meeting of the Fort
Lee Mayor and Council, by presenting
proof that the Mayor had a right to
declare a pass vote as a vote with the
majority.
The matter was bi-ought up by the
Mayor who asked the clerk to read the
following letter from Maekay and
Maekay, the Borough Attorneys:
October 20, 192G
Honorable Mayor and Council,
Borough of Fort Lee,
Fort Lee, N. J.
Gentlemen:
At the beginning of this year when
appointments were made the question
arose as to the right of a Councilman
to vote and if it was compulsory for
him to vote or if he l-efused how would
his vote be decided. This question was
referred to the Boi-ough Attorney for
an opinion on the same.
The opinion given at the time by
the Borough Attorney was “That if
a Councilman refused to vote or if he
stated he passed his vote, then he
would be considei-ed as voting with the
majority vote. If the majority was
in the negative, then his vote should
be recorded as a negative vote. If
the majority vote was in the affima
tive, his vote should be recorded as
an affimative vote.”
The leading cases on this question
which governed our opinion wei-e
MOUNT vs. PARK, 32 New Jei-sey
Law, Page 341, etc., and ABELS vs.
McKEEN, 18 New Jersey Equity,
Page 462, etc.
At the last meeting of the Mayor
and Council, Councilman Cook again
brought up this question stating that
we had never rendex-ed an opinion.We
would say that we never had rcndei
ed a written opinion, to Councilman
Cook, but we had rendered a vei'bal
opinion at an open meeting of the
Council. I his has been our custom
many times to submit verbal opinions
which have always been received and
followed in most cases, so that wo do
not think it was out of the way be
cause we had not rendered a written
opinion.
Mr. Cook also, presented at the last
meeting a newspaper clipping which
cited a case that had been decided re
cently in the city of Perth Amboy.
Mr. George W. Mackay stated that he
could not follow a newspaper clipping
■ at that time because it did not state
the case fully and that it would have
to be examined before saying whether
or not it was any good and whether
it governed the point in question, this
case being long after the cases which
we rendered our opinion on previously.
However, we have examined this
case of JOHN A. KOZUSKE, et al,
Prosecutors vs, THOMAS GARRETT
SON, et al, and the city of Perth
Amboy, defendants, and our opinion
is still the same as aforementioned.
In fact the opinion rendered in this
case sets forth the two cases afore
mentioned which we passed our opin
ion on in this matter as being the lead
ing cases on the subject. The only
exception which has any bearing is
that the court said “That if a member
although he refuses to vote should
comment before voting in any way
which would show he was not in favor
of voting in the alfimative, then his
vote would be regarded as voting in
the negative, but he cannot refuse to
vote as they contend that this would
hinder the functioning of the Mayor
and Council or other governing body.”
We wish further to state that we
never rendered an illegal opinion. We
wish the press would give this same
publicity that was given to this ques
tion at the previous meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
MACKAY & MACKAY
(Continued on Page 2)
BENEDETTI SHOE STORE AT PALISADE
JUNCTION GUTTED TUES. AFTERNOON
BY A BLAZE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
Loss Only Partly Covered By Insurance—Families In The
Apartments Above Forced To Leave—Hundreds
Gather At Scene Which Recalled Disastrous Fire
Five Years Ago.
The shoe store of Pasquale Bcne
detti at Palisade Junction was literal
ly ruined by a fire of unknown origin
on last Tuesday afternoon about 3:30
• ’ o’clock. It is said, however, that the
, blaze might have been caused by a
short circuit.
The blaze started in the north wall
of the store and repair shop just un
der the stairway leading to the apart
ments overhead. Smoke was first
noticed by a workman using the power
machine in the repair shop. He rush
ed out and called Mr. Benedctti who
was across the street.
Fred Stcngle, member of the Fort
Lee police force, was in the vicinity
of the Junction and learning of the
situation phoned the Fort Lee fire de
partment and notified the occupants
of the apartments over the shoe store
to leave at once. The apartments are
occupied by Mike Okin and family,
Mrs. A. Clutterbuck and her two sons,
Howard and Lester. Howard was at
home when the fire broke out and
noticed smoke seeping through the
floor. Hurrying down stairs, he met
Stengle who told him of the fire and
advised that his mother leave the
building at once. Mrs. Clutterbuck
. took her little Pomperanian dog and
hurried from the flat.
Fully fifteen or twenty minutes
elapsed before the fire engines arrived
and the. fire spread rapidly to the
shelves which were laden with shoes
and rubbers. The burning rubber and
leather produced thick black clouds of
smoke that were blinding and stifling
and hindered the progress of the fire
men.
In mastering the flames it was nec
essary to break several of the large
i
plate glass windows' and the front
showcase in the store. The entire
stock as well as the machinery was
ruined by either fire or water. For
tunately the contents of the apart
ments were little damaged and the
neighboring business establishments
were not harmed.
Mr. Bencdctti’s loss is only partly
covered by insurance. The damage is
thought to be about $5,000 but he
is not sure until the stock is more
carefully checked up. While he had
time enough to save what money was
in the cash register his books were
destroyed including a ledger contain
ing a list of patrons’ accounts. Some
local people were considerate enough
to go to Mr. Benedetti and pay their
bills the morning after the conflaga
tion knowing he will need capital to
restock the store.
The minutes that elapsed waiting
for the fire engines were tense ones
for the other merchants some of whom
remembered all too well the disastri
ous fire that swept the Junction one
cold New Year’s night about five
years ago. While the fire companies
from Fort Lee responded to the alarm
as quickly as possible and handled the
fire in a very creditable manner, the
real need of a fire house and some
complete fire-fighting apparatus in the
Palisade section was very apparent.
In addition to the three Fort Lee
companies, the Grantwood Company
answered the alarm and their help
was very much appreciated.
Mr. Benedetti plans to salvage what
he can of the stock and hold a fire
sale in the near future. He will re
open his stoi'e with a new stock
and new machinery just as soon as
possible.
A FAMOUS CLIFFSIDE TEAM
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. TOP ROW: ROBERT BURNS Coach ERWIN
GOEMAN. FRED OTTEL. ROBERT CADIEN OTTO STEIN
VALENTINE FRANKS. FRED ROLLINS? JOE MARINI fManaJ/V CFN
TER ROW: TONY GRIFFIN. EDGAR PROUT RAYMOND GRANT EOT
TOM ROW: EARL WILNOUGH. ARTHUR SCIJIXION EDWARD GRANT
AND WILLIAM LEWIS. (STORY ON PACE 9) tuWAKU ‘-KAN 1
[Thieves Blow Safe
Of Realty Company
i --
Get Only $20 After Daring
Job Early Thursday Morn
ing In Cliffside
—
Thieves entered the real estate office
of the Palisade Manor Co., located at
the Edgewater Heights trolley station
in Cliffside Park, early yesterday
morning and after blowing the safe
made a get-away with $20 in cash, all
the money the safe contained accord
ing to the local police.
Entry was gained through the bath
room window' at the rear of the office.
The local police are working on the
case. This is the third robbery that;
has occured in this borough during,
the past v.'eek.
Educators To Explain
Local School Survey
Doctors Strayer And Engel
hardt Will Lecture In Ft.
Lee On Monday Night
On Monday evening, October 25 at
8:15 o’clock Doctors George B. Stray
er and Nicholas L. Engelhardt, pro
fessors of education at Teachers’ Col
lege, Columbia University, will speak
before the citizens of Fort Lee, in the
Fort Lee theatre, Main street and
Centre avenue, on the subject of
school survey.
These talented gentlemen have come
to Fort Lee at the request of the local
Board of Education to explain to the
people the nature and purpose of a
school survey such as is' at present
being made in the Borough. They will
explain the progress of the local sur
vey to date and also tell what they
hope to accomplish as a result of their
labors here.
There has been some criticism of
the expenditure of money in the Bor
ough for a school survey and ignor
ance of the purpose and possibilities
of such a survey is usually the cause
of much idle talk. A most cordial
invitation is extended to all the resi
dents to come and her Doctors Stray
er and Engelhardt on Monday even
ing. It is an opportunity you should
not miss.
To Hold Food Sale October
29, For Teaneck Hospital
i On Friday, October 29 from 2 to
5 p. m., at the home of Mrs. G. Sic
grist, 90 Crescent avenue, Grantwood,
will occur the only food sale which
will be given this season, under the
auspices of the Grantwood Auxiliary
of the Teaneck Holy Name Hospital.
All members and friends are asked
to remember this day and donate any
thing in the food line.
That wonderful hospital desreves
support from all, because it is non
sectarian and takes care of numbers
of charity patients.
People of the Protestant faith who
have been there, speak enthusiastical
ly of its beauty and completeness.
So every one, who, thus far, has
given is asked to give just a little
more and those who have not given
are asked to do so now in the name of
charity.
Already many cakes, pies, home
made breads, etc., have been promised
for this occasion by prominent house
wives and you can be sure that what
ever you buy will be to your taste.
Refreshments will be served and
sociabilty enjoyed, Come out, enjoy
yourself, get something good, and do
good; all are invited.
The committee in charge is; Mrs.
G. Siegrist .Chairman, Mrs. M.
Ahearn, Mrs. Adiel Vandeweghe, Mrs.
Anna Glynn, Mrs. J. Schickling, Mrs.
Gertrude Sutley, Mrs. George Brown
and Mrs. M. Schwitzke.
At the regular meeting of the aux
iliary held on last Friday, in the Law
ton avenue school clinic room, it was
decided that every effort would be
made to wipe out the $400 still due
on the baby delivery and sterilizing
room equipment' and this food sale is
the opening of the campaign for
fundsp
One new member, Mrs. G. Harris,
was enrolled in the regular member
ship.
>
The Troy Platform
(Editorial)
Francis E. Troy, of Fort Lee, last
week announced himself as a can
didate for councilman in a three
quarter page advertisement in the
“Palisadian” which should be read
by all voters in the borough. If he
had been going out for State Sena
tor, or even Congress, he could not
have produced a more admirable doc
ument. It was a masterpiece, not
for any rhetorical color it contained,
but because as a business appeal it
was straight from the shoulder, and
told some plain truths that other
candidates have been in the habit of
dodging. If Mr. Troy means all he
says, and sees a way to do away
with all the evils of the borough
government, he ought not to be just
an every-day councilman, but should
stand for the job of being Mayor.
Of course, no one really knows that
he can do half or even any part of
what he thinks should be done, but
who will gainsay him the right to
announce his faith in what ought to
be done? His ideals are pitched on
a plane of such general excellence
and with such undoubted force that
he betokens a form of leadership
that has been heretofore unknown
in the borough. Nobody has been as
plain, as clear, as determined of
speech as Mr. Troy. He strikes di
•rectly from the shoulder. He tells,
too, of many of the evils that have
boon practiced, and how the taxpay
er has been misled.
That he will be opposed, doubted
and bully-ragged, called names and
even abused as a young man of too
much importance in. his opinion of’
himself, is easy enough to see. Rut
if he is sincere; if he thinks there
is a ghost of a chance to get what
the taxpayers have wasted thousands
of dollars for, and did not got, his
candidacy will cause a sensation and
he should be chosen for the modest
office he selects to stand for. The
truth is, Fort Lee politics has not
been at all admirable. Mr. Troy
calls a spade a spade, and says the
evils have been unbearable and mon
strous. This newspaper has often
said the same thing, but no man has
dared to rap the local government,
as has Mr. Troy. He handles every
thing without gloves and seems un
afraid to speak his mind. Quoting
from the long array of good things
said by Mr. Troy, he deals with the
Palisade avenue job in a manner sug
gestive of a barrister before a jury.
Hear him on that subject:
CONTRACTS - ENGINEERING FEES
The present system of awarding con
tracts is not only unjustifiable but ruin
ous to the financial condition of the
Borough.
me Kysiera is not so mucn at iauit
as has been the carelessness, inditT
erence and disregard the various tfov
erning bodies of the Borough have
shown toward it in the past.
The Contractor's bid is bused on a
table of the work to be performed by
the Borough Engineer, who receives 10
per cent, or more on the final cost of
an improvement.
In the case of the Linwood Avenue
Improvement (if it might be termed
such) the final figures were more than
luo per cent, in excess of the original
bid of $32,456.60. In the case of Pali
sade avenue improvement the final fig
ures were $110,074.51 in excess of the
Engineer’s estimate of $146,171.15.
Every improvement the Borough of Fort
Lee has ever undertaken has terminated
in the same manner.
The conclusion is (1) laxity on the
part ot officials who tolerate these con
ditions or (2) absolute and total in
competency on the part of the engineer
in being able to provide an accurate
estimate, or one at least reasonably ap
proaching the final figures.
The solution is the establishment of
a paid engineering department at a fixed
annual cost, thus eliminating the pos
sibility of an engineer encouraging high
er costs so his per centage of profits
will be greater.
Perhaps the best thing about the
Troy platform is its lack of vindic
tiveness. He handles everything with
plain language, simple in tone, and
with every statement based on fact.-.
He handles the finances of the bor
ough as he does everything else in
his advertisement, and says that
with the year 1926 finding over
.$201,000 appropriated for borough
uses, more than $86,000 is set aside
for interest charges on bonds, tax
anticipation notes, temporary im
provement notes, emergency notes
and over expenditures of the annual
appropriations. He hits at other
wrong handling of the finances strik
ing hard at the foolish waste of in
terest charges on the Palisade ave
nue improvement, one of the great
est outrages ever perpetrated in the
history of New Jersey municipalities,
where a mile of highway on which
the original bid was $112,000 less
than the final cost.
In an interview this week Mr.
Troy summarizes his platform as fol
lows :
Among other things he advocates
a new borough hall, an inexpensive
but practical municipal building
that would provide every requisite
for the years to come: the estab
lishment of a road department
equipped with modern road building
machinery; better facilities for the
collection of garbages and ashes; a
paid engineering department at a
fixed annual cost, which would elim
inate the possibility of an engineer
encouraging higher costs so that his
percentage of profit will be greater;
a definite and fixed policy of perman
ent concrete road building through
out the borough; a more sound, ec
onomical, and practical basis for ad
ministering the borough finances.
Mr. Troy is backing the proposed
plan for a boulevard 118 feet in
width along the present right of way
of the Public Service Palisade trol
ley line, from the southerly borough
line to the northerly borough line,
such a boulevard to rival in beauty
and utility the Hudson County boule
vard, with which the proposed boule
vard would connect at Hudson
Heights.
He also advocates the immediate
improvement of Bergen boulevard
south from Main street to the south
erly borough line so as to provide
a north and south highway for the
convenience of the residents of the
west side of the borough, and to ef
fect the development of hundreds of
aci'es of land in that section. He
wants a uniform concrete sidewalk
from the easterly borough line to the
westerly borough line, along both
sides of Main street. He thinks that
Bergen County should assist in the
financing of this improvement as the
old Board of Freeholders was respon
sible for the present intolerable con
dition of the flag stones which were
lifted and relaid by the contractor
when this street was improved.
Taking it all in all, Mr. Troy’s
stand is alike creditable to his head
and heart. It would all the more
emphasize his abilities, if he would
commit himself to some better plan
of government than the present sys
tem which has worn itself out in all
if its inequalities of justice to the
peoples’ interests—the Municipal
Manager Plan, for instance, the most
successful of all the municipal plans
yet adopted in this country. '
REALTORS REPRESENTING TWENTY
ONE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT N. J.
HOLD MEETING ON THE PALISADES
Board Of Governors Of State Association Of Real Estate
Boards Given Fine Reception By Local Realty Organ
izations—Expected About 70 And Over 125 Were
Present—Tour Of Eastern Bergen Feature Of Day.
The Board of Governors of the New Jersey Association of
Real Estate Boards held a most successful meeting at the Villa
Richard in Coytesville, on Friday last, where they were the lunch
eon-guests of the Real Estate Board of the Palisades and the
Bogota-Teaneck Real Estate Board. Twenty-one counties and
over fifty cities and towns of this State were represented.
From eleven a. m.,'<
until one, the guests I
arrived in their cars
until when the meet- \
ing meeting finally:
got underway there 1
were 125 present j
when it was expected ;
only about 70 would j
attend. The promise
of a fine luncheon
and a tour of Ber- j
A. J. Rooney gen Co., following j
proved to be a good drawing card and
the President of the State Association,
Joseph L. Feibleman, Newark Realtor,
pronouced it the best attended and
most enthusiastic meeting of the year.
While at a disadvantage because of
the unexpected attendance, “Papa”
Richard’s core of waiters did admir
ably well with the generous portions
of fish and meat and no one complain
jed of being hungry after all was said
and done.
Literature pertaining to Bergen
County was arranged about the walls
of the dinig hall and the Bergen Coun
ty Association’s recent booklet giving
a word and picture story of Bergen’s
appeal was presented to each of the
guests. A, printed itinery of the mo
tor tour a?d a treatise on the meadow
reclamation projects were also distri
buted.
As the guests departed Section 2 of
last week’s Palisadian was given them
containing messages of welcome from
the Mayors of the Boroughs of Fort
Lee and ClifFside Park as well as
other material pertinent to Bergen
County and to the day’s outing.
J. W. Binder Speaks
The meeting was opened by Arthur
J. Rooney, president of the Real Es
tate Board of the Palisades, who after
welcoming the guests introduced Jacob
Binder, Vice-president and Executive
Secretary of the Bergen County As
sociation, who delivered a short but
effective address outlining the pro
gress of, Hudson Bridge legislation to
date and telling of the objects of the
Bergen County Association.
Following Mr. Binder’s talk, the
meeting was turned over to Joseph L.
Feibelman, of Newark, president of
the New Jersey State Association of
Real Estate Boards. He thanked the
local boards for the wonderful recep
tionj^d marveled at the large atten
dant. He introduced William E. Her
ren, secretary of the National Associa
tion of Real Estate Boards, as speak
er. Mr. Herren spoke briefly and
commented on the attendance at the
meeting.
A report read at the meeting
showed that there are three new
boards organized in Union County.
Two New Boards
George Morse, chairman of the
membership committee, reported the
formation of two new boards, one at
Princeton with a membership of be
tween 12 and 15, and one at Belleville
with a membership of between lf> and
18. The formation of these two new
boards, Mr. Morse stated, is due to the
efforts of Jack Elliot, field executive.
A discussion took place on the use
of the word, “realtor.” The most ser
ious offense in the wrong use of this
word, it was stated, is with the com
pany known as the Bergen County
Realtors, Inc., with offices in New
(Continued on Page 2)
BINDER DECLARES HUDSON BRIDGE
WILL BE OPENED TO TRAFFIC IN 1933
! CONSTRUCTION STARTS IN 6 MONTHS
Negotiations For Sale Of $40,000,000 Bond Issue Now In
Progress—Port Authority To Be Given New Powers
At Coming Sessions Of The Legislatures Port
Authority Traffic Engineer Confirms Statement.
Declaring that actual construction
| work on the Hudson River bridge
I from New Jersey to New York would
1 he 'begun within six months and that
; the bridge would be completed for
I four lanes of traffic ahead of its plan
ned schedule, in 1933, Jacob \V. Bin
der, executive secretary of the Inter
-tate Hudson River Bridge Associa
tion, brought fifty-four members of
the Englewood Rotary Club to their
feet at the noonday luncheon in St.
! Paul’s Chapel on Tuesday.
“All plans for the bridge have been
i made and are complete,” the speaker
said. “Negotiations for the sale of
| the $40,000,000 bond issue are now in
progress. Therd is competition among
the bankers in New York and else
where for this issue.
“When the negotiations are com
pleted and the bonds sold, the Port
Authority will proceed to purchase
the land required on both sides of the
river for bridge plazas and approach
es.
“When this job has been done,
ground will be broken and actual con
struction of the approaches begun.
The award of the contract for the
steel work necessary will be delayed
until the. approaches are well under
way.
“The bridges will be completed for
four lanes of traffic, at least, in my
opinion, ahead of the planned sche
dule, in 1933. I say this, knowing
something of the modern construction
methods which will be employed. In
these, machinery will take the place
, of slow and tedious hand labor in
-Imany of the operations.
“The Port Authority now has the
right to acquire property by purchase
or condemnation. Experience has
shown that in some cases, in order to
get parcels of real estate which are
essential to carry out the plans for
plazas and approaches, it frequently
becomes necessary to buy entire tracts.
In this way more land is acquired
than is needed for the enterprise und
er way. Under its present legislative
powers the Port of New York Author
ity has no power to sell any excess
real estate or property. Legislation
giving it this right will probably be
introduced in both New York and New
Jersey during the coming sessions of
the legislature. In New Jersey the bill
will be fathered by Senator William
R. Mackay. It ought to pass I am
sure it will be enacted into a law.”
Construction on the $50,000,000
bridge over the Hudson River, be
tween Fort Lee and Washington
Heights, Manhattan, will begin with
in six months, Robert A. Lesher,traf
fic engineer of the New YorJ^ Port
Authority, announced at a meeting of
the Bergen County Association on
Wednesday.
The structure, Mr. Lehser said, will
be twice as large as the Brooklyn
bridge. Its towers will rise 660 feet
into the air, and it will afford ships
navigating the Hudson a clearance of
206 feet.
The first stage of construction will
be completed in six or seven years,
according to the engineer. The struc
ture then will be thrown open to four
lanes of traffic, two easterly and two