The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-30
The Fraud Mayor Writes
a Buncombe Letter to
President Thurston.
BUT GETS LEFT UTTERLY.
An Effort to Force Electric Motors
on the Company. Which Is
Defeated BY Ordinances
Cleveland Himself Has
Signed.

Mayor OF Jersey City, yesterday sent the
following letter to President Charles B.
Thurston. of the Jersey City and Bergen
Railway Company:
Mr.: Charles b. Thurston, President J. @. O..
B. r. r.
DEAR SIR:-Information reaches me that it is
your intention to electric wires over the
known as the overhead system of electric mo-
tors on cars After reading over the ordinance
that authorized the use of electricity as motive
tracks on Montgomery street. / fail to find any
authority for the placing of such wires over
head by your company, and 1 shall deem it my
duty to prevent the wires from being put up on
the grounds. l. That you have no authority. 2
That such wires are dangerous to human life. 8.
That they would interfere with rising ladders or
other work of the fremen in case of fire in any
building In front of which the wires are strung 4
4. That there other electric motors which
render the overhead system unnecessary for the
convenience of the public. Other reasons not
necessary now to mention. Very respectfully,
OREsTEs CLEVELAND, Mayor.
The ordinance granting the Jersey City
and Bergen Railway Company the priv
ilege of running cars by electricity was
passed by the Board of Aldermen Sep
tember "a, 1880, and reads as follows:
An ordinance to authorize the Jersey city and
Bergen Railroad Company TO use electric motor
as the propelling power of its cars.
The Mayor and Aldermen of Jersey City do
OrOaln as IOtkOWSs-
Sec. /. That the Jersey City and Bergen Rail-
road Company are hereby auth horized to use
electric motor as the propelling power of its
cars.
Sec. O. That all ordinances and parts Of ordi-
nances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
The sudden awakening Of Old Rip from
his years slumber WAS a surprise to
everybody and speculation is rife as to
what has disturbed the serenity of his
dreams. That the Jersey City and Ber-
gen Railway Company proposed to test
the running of cars by electric
motor has been the talk oe the town for
year past. and THE JERSEY CITY NEWS
informed the people that what is known
as the overhead wire system" had been
adopted by the company to propel It's cars
up the Montgomery street hill, should the
test prove successful. There are uu-
Christian people who intimate that Mr..
Cleveland is working in the interest of
people connected with systems other than
that which has been CHOSEN by the rail-
way company.
HE KNEW ALL ABOUT IT.
To JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter Mr.
Thurston said this morning.
"The poles and wires were constructed
by the Jersey City Electric Light Gem
pany. We have contracted with that
company to furnish us electricity to run
our motor cars up and down the Mont
gomery street hill. As TO the
that he was not aware OF the
fact when he signed the ordinance that
we intended to operate with the overhead
wire system. That is not true. Alder
man Jewkes told him we intend to use
that system as far down as St. Brfdget's
Church. and THE JERSEY CITY NEWS pub
lished an article the following day after
the ordinance was passed giving fall de-
tails of our plans in this connection.
mo system of storage battery has ever
proved y commercial success, .even where
the cars are run on a level. The cars
would be unable to climb such grade as
that on Montgomery street.
".There is no more danger from the
posts than from ordinary lamp posts. and
pendant from them are insulated holders
that grasp the copper wires. The only
possible danger can arise from the falling
down upon them of an electric wire not
properly insulated. This would be gross
carelessness and is not at all likely to
happen.
why the extreme voltage is but 500,
whereas the Electric Light Company's
wires that supply electricity to the ortli-
nary arc lights are charged with 1900
volts.
TOO LATE.
"Tne Mayors letter came too late. The
work is already completed, and all talk
of police interference is bosh. The letter
should have been addressed to President
Strubel, of the Jersey City Electric Light
Company. Isent 1t immediatelyto Mr.. Stru-
bel. We anticipate giving the motor cars
test within a few days. We want the
public to test them. If they prove sue
cess our contract is such that we can
come into possession of the wires on nine
ty days. NOTICE.
"Mr. Cleveland has waited until every
thing is in readiness and then attempts
to interfere. He knew what was being
done all along. His action is rather
strange Evidently he has forgotten him
self. If there should be any trouble. of
course, we will look to the Jersey City
Electric Company to fulfill its contract.
president Struble, of the Electric Light
Company. says the Mayor can do moth
ing. The ordinances passed in the inter-
est of both the Jersey City and Bergen
Railway Company, and the Jersey City
Electric Light Company covers the
ground completely. That in the interest
of the railway company granted the COM
pany the privilege of running electric mo-
tor cars. and that in the interest of
the Electric Light Company granted the
privilege of supplying electricity on all
the streets and alleys in the city. II Mr.
Cleveland's attempts to interfere with
the running of the electric motor cars we
will fight him to the bitter end in the
courts. Ihave placed the matter in the
hands of Counsellor Herbert Potts, who
fcr nf