The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-13
THAT FIERCE FROG" FIGHT.
BeIligerent Railroad Corporations
and Their Little Games.
The Loyal Contest Commenced AT Trenton
Motions for Injunctions-The Erie and Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western Com
panies Plunged into Warfare-A
Heightened Campaign In Prospect.


has proved fruitful OF railroad litigation
The facts OF the unparalleled proceeding on thar oc.
cason yet fresh In the minds OF the public They
cannot easily be forgotten, especially by the large
portion OF the community so unwarranlably de-
tanned. II viii easily be remembered how
on the morning alluded TO the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western Railroad Company took up u
piece OF the rail belonging to the Erie track and sub
stituted therefor frog by which they could ran
their cars OF the Benton Branch on the broad
gauges how that
THE ERIE MANAGERS BECAME ESRAGED
and In a twinkllng summoned nearly thousand
OF their workingmen to the scene; how The latter
attempted to remove the Offending frog, ana how
their Efforts were defeated by an opposing
force. IL will likewise be borne In nina that
o dangerous riot was imminent that q hun
dred policemen rushed quickly to the res
cue, and that but for their prompt aud
vigorous action blood would have stained the
ground; that the directors or both COM
panes walked about listlessly, all equally stubborn
and determined: that towards ngntfall Governor
Randolph arrived ana after consultation arrange
ments were effected by which the lil-treated
public might travel the roads.
Above all, it must be remembered that
for nearly twelve long, weary hours the blockade
was unscrupulousy maintained, that tranic Was
wantonly delayed, while the most serious
DANGER TO LIFE AND PROPERTY
was threatened throughout the day. These are the
grounds-most interesting to the public-upon
which q determined legal war Is to be wagel be-
tween the two companies. On the day following
the occurrence the Erie managers obtained an order
from the Chief Justice OF the Supreme Court
OF New Jersey requiring the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna ana Western Railroad TO show cause
why writ OF injunction should not be granted
naft hayp "a
It was also ordered that until the argument should
be held the Morris and Essex and Delaware iacaa-
wana and Western Railroad Companies be re-
strained from maklag any further connection he
tween the rails of the BooDton Branch Railroad and
the rails OF the Morris and Essex and Erie Railroads
near the western terminus of the Bergen tunnel.
But the Delaware, Lackawanna ana Western Com
they they - nv '''A ''''' ''' . - '"V "'-'' nay
RETURNED FIRE
by serving an order upon the Erie Com.
pany requiring them to show cause why
both pending the settlement OF all disputes
especially tine primary litigation to The right OF
way through the tunnel; Inc two ora .rs
the supreme Court. State House, rren n
| ton. One might suppose that little Jersey would
bec0mcsexcited over such an exciting cases that the
court room would be crowded with Interested
! visitors; that the crler would be
| PUT no HIS WITS END
to preserve order, and that railroad talk wOnd be
| lhe principal topic Tor a month to come But there
| was no sncn thing Trenton was az melancholy a.
| ever, ana appeared to be suffering from chr onic
neuralgia II was miserable day INTO the BARGAIN
over the fire or saying his prayers in the par0r.
| And 30 the State House
QUIET AS A CHURCHyARD.
| . The tramplng OF loot upon the pavement rang
| through the building with a hollow sound. Cnief
Justice Beasley looked just Ike what judicial mag.
nate OF that high order ought 10 be, and as nc sa
easily on his chair his dlgnied hearing modesty and
polteness gained respect. He to gilt
patience else the pile OF rheumatic documents In
have made him fret. And such scores Of bills and
big books all fun OF entertaining matter.
extremely dismal, while the drzzuns lag rain ain
did It's dead best to impart u considerable
| like an inquest ato which legal men were sum
moned TO argue the causes that led TO the death or
~ many human beings ior winch, OF course rail-
| blockade continued last Friday week vino knows
what terrible disasters would have eccurredp But
10 the struggle at issue Shortly ter ten O'Clock
the Chief Justice took his seat upon the bench
and gazed wistfuy around. The legal lights were
promptly on hand, every man host IN himself. For
the Erie Company there were Attorney Genera Gil
christ, Senator Stockton, Mr.. Leon Albeit ami Nh.
+. 4. Green, while the Delaware, Lackawanna ANA
Western Company represented by Messrs
Courtlandt Parker Jacob Vanetta and BENJAMIN
Williamson. With these two armies the battle was
oRATeRIcAL AsfMuNITros
was laid on the desk, breastworks Of briefs were
thrown up with considerable alacrity maps Of Tie
seal OF war were spread out and bobsielis of am
davits We're heaped up all around. Eaeh held In his
the fight, and with the exception of. balloons all
| the necessarles for q protracted war We're
clarion Of the crier came iorlh the dread
ful sound, 'ro arms TO arms y The battlcnents
o. Erie were prepared for the siege, but the enemy
sve book for a Shield advanced 10 Tie fronr ana
moved that the a1iaavlts IN reply to the answer
| flied by the Delaware, Lackawanna ana Western
Railroad Company be admitted into The orier TO
show cause why an Injunction should moi Issue, Nc
object OF that Injunction Chiefly being RESTRAIN
Branch. Il 4
IL was alleged that 10 was
AN UNAUTHORIZED COMPETING ROAD.
The hearing Of that case set down for Friday
next, but the Chief Justice subsequently stated tant
he would he unable to near 1t. not having sunicient
was finally agreed, however, that the cross
bill Med WsI,ol by me Delaware Lackawanna
read as part Of The motion papers OH the motion Of
the Erie Railroad Company for an Injunction. 10
was rather a muddled ailair altogether, but il
amounted 10 the fact that the bills aud answers
Tiled on botn sides should De read TO the Court with
through the tunnel, and which pending before
the tunnel was bockaded. TO wade tnrough the
documents IN question would be tanamount 10
CROSSING THE sTYx.
But as determined battle was the order OF Inc day
| that the pattering rain and chilly surroundings
could not dampen. IL was a cry OF vengeance from
the Erie rampars and referred in wrathlu terms 10
the transgfessons OF the enemy. Mr. Greene was
the lucky hero to whom the reading Of the docu.
ment was entrusted. After heaving sigh ana
crossing his legs clearing his throat and showing
few other warllke preparations he csininenced
HIS brother warriors felt like going to Sleep but the
peppering OF the rain, sounding like showers OF
musketry kept them awake ready 10 lead forth q
battalion Of aifdavits should a very heavy gun be
fired from the other side during the reading OF the
document. Having shufled himself into q COM
iertabe position Mr. Greene, In clear, rapid tone,
began to spin out this grievance OF the Eric road
The document set forth that the Morris and Essex
Railroad Company had no right to go through the
Bergen tunnel and even II 1t nad IL must adapt H.
self TO the time tables OF the Erie COMPANY ana
must not delay the Erie trains In any WAY Further
that the BOonton branch OF the Delaware
Lac kawanna and Western Railroad Com
pany had no authority in law to
make q broad ghuge connection through tile tunnel
with the Erie road as u competing line between
Paterson and Jersey City. On these grounds and a
Thousand others an injunction prayed
strain The Delaware Iackawanna and Western Com
pany from using this branch 50 far 1t nterfored
10 I'll. La III