The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-10-03
FOR A DOUBLE TRACK.
Officials and Property
Owners Willing to Aid
the Grove Street
Project.
WHO WILL MAKE A START?
MIR. Bonn Now Wants the City to
Move, and Mr.. Dugan Wants
Him to Get Up a Petition.


The proposition of President Bonn, of
the North Hudson County Railway Conn
pany, in regard to the widening OF Grove
street, so as to enable his company to
lay double tracks through that thorough
fare, which was published in the JERSEY
CITY NEWS of yesterday, together with
the views of several of the owners of
property which would be effected by the
change, was discussed generally through
out the city last evening, With the ex-
ception of those who own property along
Grove street it was the general opinion
that the improvements should be made.
1t was argued that road doing the busi-
ness the Grove street line was and rum
ming cars under four minute headway
Sh ould have double track in order to
accommodate the travelling public.
The delays and annoyances which
the public is constantly obliged to un-
dergo while waiting at The miserable
turnouts for the cars to pass should be
done away with as soon as possible. Be
sideS, the turnouts are source OF trouble,
and in some instances, of danger to those
who are obliged to cross them in car
riages or light wagons.
One citizen said that Grove street was
no narrower than Montgomery street.
and as double track was found feasible
in that street he could not see why one
could not be operated in Grove street
without the expense and trouble of SET
ting back the curb and taking away
portion of the sidewalk. The gentleman
was wrong in his statement as to the reia-
tive width of the two streets. Montgom-
cry street, member OF the Street and
Water Department says, is twenty-five
inches wider than Grove street, and al
though in most instances it is possible for
large truck to pass between the curb
and car, it often happens that the car
has to wait for trucks to pass, especially
those with loads which project over tha
sides of the vehicle.
COMMISSIONER DUGAN'S VIEWS.
Commissioner Edward Dugan, of the
Street and Water Department., discussed
the question with me both as o member
of the Board and as a property owner
along Grove street. AS property owner
he said he would be in favor of the
scheme if the North Hudson Railway
Company would bear all the expense OF
setting back the curb and repairing the
street. He thought that the property
owners would have done enough when
they had given the company eighteen
inches of their property. As a member
of the Street and Water Board he said
that he would be willing to do all that he
could for Mr.. Bonn that would be consis-
tent with the interest of the taxpayers
and citizens. He became acquainted with
Mr.. Bonn's scheme about a year ago he
said, when it was just broached AT that
time, Mr.. Dugan said, he and another
member of the city government called
upon Mr.. Bonn in reference to the mat
ter and told him if he would circulate
petition among the property owners in
terested and obtain from them the requi-
site number of signatures to his petition,
the Board would no doubt fayorably con-
slider his scheme. But Mr.. Bonn said
that he did not want to do that; he did
not want to take the initiative in the
matter, and would prefer that the scheme
should appear to originate from the city
rather than from him. Mr.. Dugan told
him, he says. that that would be simply
impossible. No department of the city
could afford to appear as the advocate of
a railroad company, and unless Mr. Bonn
secured the consent of majority Of the
property owners he was afraid the scheme
would fall through.
THE TROUBLE WITH MR.. BONN.
"The trouble with Mr.. Bonn" contin-
ued Mr.. Dugan, is that he makes no
definite statement of what he will do.
You notice he says that if an estimate Of
the cost is made, he will bear a fair share
of it, What his idea is of fair share for
his company to pay in all probabilities
VIII not be ours, and / think that Mr..
Bonn should tell us definitely what he
will do.
For my part, I think he should bear
all the expense of setting back the curb,
repairing the damage to ovens and vaults
which the carrying out of his plans will
evolve, and also for the water boxes and
connection which he will disturb. He
talks a great deal of what his road has
done for the street, and what double
track win do for it as reason why he
should not bear all the expense of the
widening, but he does not say anything
about what the street has done for him.
proposed to him the other day that he
lay track on Henderson street and run
his cars one way on that street and the
ocA..
not listen to it.
II also told him that if he would circr-
late petitions among the property owners
along the street north of Railroad avenue
| l felt confident he couldi secure the con-
sent OF enough TO warrenu us in taking
| some action, and if he would do what was
fair something might be done to securS
| double tracks on that section os tha
| street, and II they are laid on one portion
| of the street it will not be long before
| they will be laid over the entire route.
| But. as / said before, he was averse to
| circulating petitions or making any move
| in the matter himself and wanted the
scheme to appear as coming from the
city"
COLLECTOR DUGAN IN OPPOSITION.
County Collector Hugh Dugan is OPP
posed to the scheme under any condi-
tions. He says that the widening of
Grove street would benefit the company
| more than any one else, and he thinks the
company has got enough. Mr.. Fitzsim-
mons, who was former partner of the
County Collector, is also opposed to the
scheme and bases his objections upon
about the same grounds as the
County Collector does. President Charles
Somers of the Street and Water Board,
said that he was in favor of having the
street widened and double tracks laid in
Grove street, provided that the North
Hudson County Railway Company would
pay for the work.
Corporation Counsel Edwards said that
the widening of Grove street involved
considerable work, such as the setting
back of telegraph poles, repairing water
connections and ovens and vaults which
viii be cut into by narrowing the side
walks. Nevertheless the cost of all this
would not be so very great and he
thought the railway company should
bear the expense. He further said that
the, city authorities were disposed to
assist Mr.. Bonn in securing double
track on Grove street.
Weather Indications.