The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-19
THE LEHIGH VALLEY BILL BILL
1t is to Permit the Company to
Build Abutments on the
Sidewalk.

~ ~ NV -" Ot%2 49,
TRENTON, Feb. 10. 9 .-There is now q
bill before the Committee on Railroads
and Canals which is of vital Importance to
citizens Of Jersey City in general and OF
the Lafayette section in particular. 1t is
No. 140, and was introduced by MI. Marsh
of Union. 1t amends the act defining the
rights of railroad corporations as to the
use of their lands lying opposite and
across streets u highways, so that 1T
readS:-
That it shall bs lawful for any railroad cor
poration chartered by or authorized to exercise
its franchises within this State, which now owns
or possess 6s, or shall hereafter own or possess,
as lessee or otherwise, lots OF parcels OF land
lying opposite to each other across and each
fronting upon any street or public highway, TO
construct their tracks aero IS such street or high.
way and to use the same for all purposes of
transportation; provided that nothing herein
contained shall be construed to enable such cor
poration to interfere with or to change the
grade of such street or highway, or TO prevent
or unnece ssarily impede the use thereof for or
binary travel; and whenever any such railroad
corp Jration shall construct their TRACKS across
any such street or highway upon a bridge, it
shall be lawful for the corporation for the safety
and support of the bridge to erect piers, ii the
same are by them deemed advisable, which may
be located by them at the outer edge OF the
wagon way and extending thence into the side
walk or space left therefor; provided. that
lTOul LutH lduuS a OAt CdSIA GhA0 vi culQ
road or street SO much shall be added to the
sidewalk on that side and thrown open to public
use for such purpose az shall be occupied by the
pier on that side.
This hill was introduced at the request
of Mr.. English of Elizabeth, the connse
for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company,
and was plainly introduced for the pur-
pose of giving the railroad company the
right to cross Pacific venue
WHAT THE I%NTRoDUGER SAYS.
NJ NJ orch rx,tA infrrduna6 the Kill oorro
that it was handed 10 him by Mr..
English, who told him that the object
of the measure was to meet an
emergency. which had arisen
that the company's new elevated struc-
ture through Elizabeth crossed Morris
avenue, that the company wanted to build
its piers for the bridge where the sidewalk
now is, and run the walk around the
piers. But the authorities would not give
them permission to do SO, and the bill was
introduced for the purpose of overriding
the authorities.
/ laid before Mr.. Marsh the condition
of affairs at Grand street and Pacific
avenue, and asked him if under this
amendment the Lehigh Valley Company
could not lay its tracks across Pacific
avenue, and after reading the act through
carefully he said he thought il could.
There was a neat little piece Of Jug
RlSTy COuAcCbC0 UlVu hAo vi
the bill.
ATTEMPT TO HIDE IT.
A man goes through all the bills intro
duced and prepares a synopsis of them
for the use of the correspondents. The
day that the bill was introduced this
synopsis contained the following limo
cent paragraph
mo. lao, by Mr.. Marsh, gives railroad
corporations the privilege of placing foot
bridges or walks upon the side of any
railroad bridge"
AS can be plainly seen there was moth
ing DANGEROUS about such a bill as that.
On the contrary, it appeared rather in the
light of a public ~benefaction, and it was
dismissed from further thought.
The man who makes the synopsis, when
asked to explain the slight discrepancy,
said that he did not see the bill. 1t was
rushed into committee before he could
get a look at it; but Mr.. Marsh told him
what he had written about 1t.
In reply to this Mr.. Marsh said that he
told the man the same as he told me and
added:-"If it is what you say it is, go
for it,"