New-York tribune., 1891-04-23
AFFAIRS IN BROOKLYN.
FIGHTING OVER THE TROLLEY SYSTEM.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS GIVE A HEARING
IN THE CASE OF TWO ROADS.


RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS GIVE A HEARING
IN THE CASE OF TWO ROADS.
The State Board Of Railroad Commissioners sat LOT
The first time In the City Hall yesterday 10 near
arguments for and against the substitution oi .no
electric trolley system for horses In the propusion
of street cars Two companies, the Coney Island anu
BROOKLYN and the Atlantic Avenue, have apphe" iO'
permission TO introduce the trolley system on portion
OF the routes controlled by them. Commissioners VIM
ian E. Rogers. Isaac v Baker, IT, ana N'oii'. INV,
ard were present. and the frStnamed pre>ioe"' i'o
two companies were represented by their respcuV'O p
presidents General Henry w. Slocum ana "''i'""'
Richardson, and counsel. The protesting p'oPo," "
owners included Elijah II. Kennedy, Frank Squcr'
W. NJ Brashear sydney V. Lowell James Eu""'I9'
Alexander Pearson, W. J. Tate. and ParR Coi"','
sioners Brewer, Luscomb and Cross, epc9en'i"s INV
city. A., e.. boar
commissioner Rogers explained that the first near
Inc upon the application Of the Coney lsi"'u ""I
Brooklyn Company had been gwen al t'e '"'i"O. y,
Commerce I'm New-York. and at the susSes"oh y,
cornoration Counsel Jenks the present hed''Is nov
been ordered. The first protest was preSe"Ul -
SYDNEY V Lowell. who represented properly ~ '''
ave- between Eleventh and Twelfth stS'' WNo" .i ~
ovns and the estate of Mrs. Elizabeth hSa'V' III
same street between Thirteenth and fo,r'een." -"
He opposed granting the application OF the oonp'n!
for the ight to operate the trolley system III
st. and in Ninth-ave., from F1feentI-Sl' 10 .a
which WAS asked In Boston, he said, the system wac
q nuisance. ,,n .bo
Z. r. Kennedy sad that it was unwise 70 Des,n ."O
oncration Of a crude and imperfect system OF eiecri'
oaIe,or rbor preot improvements were likely 10
80 ,oahe in a few wears. He characterized the uOlo'
system as a "death-dealing incend.ary" IL was
fact that the unguarded use OF eiecUlciy -
many fires. Insurance men aurOuHu '"o nv
BOSTON on Thanksgiving Day, 1oSo' "heh ProPC'"
v,rth a. 100000 was destroyed, to the trolley WIS
rrith he
electric clocks The fire insurance premiums In New
vi, op,opntcd 10 $4,000 900 annually and In BrooN'
,vn could not be much less than Sl'oOo'ooo'
introduction OF the trolley wires wouiu increase Wv
cost Of insurance in the latter city abont qoooOo'
The insurance companies regarded all plants lor PIo'
ducing electricity unsafe rshs' tor tnc'o vas
danger which was feared. but not uhders'oou'
H,or nroror+v owners who protested were Aexanuer
- ~, lanes Edwards and W. VI. BIashear' l"0
la,t-n.med denounced the railroad companies d "9uP
lers of rights which Gar would no' uare '1h.
Protests in behalf Of the city against '"e -. .h
~ the trolley system across the f'rh NN''c ' W
ocean Parkway made by PARK
pro,ror and Inscomb Mr.. Brewer said thal tio oo'"
many had not secured the consent OF nan '0 D"'''3
pro opccty-owners along the line as prospect ram w
on one side and consents had Deeh Sc'",'u ~
from the city authorities. Mr. LuscomD ri''''O "
the danger Of frightening horses s
General Slocum responded that the electro roau i'u
boon In oneraton at Concy Island fol year anu Ho
borscs had been ~ightened. Electric cars were III"
in Washington and Albany, and no horses TOOK ald'"
,rl hearing WAS we'll advertised, and yet there was
only a beggarlv array of proestantS. Mr' brdNi''
nrotcsted against being called beggar, ana UeHci'
slocum had 20 cxpla that he meant no personal IL
Gections in what he said. Mr.. Kennedy heIpeu nni
ont by suggesting that he meant to quote "a OegsaH
away of empty benches QaugherJ
The law points in the case were presenter ny AS
.sisant Corporation Counsel salmon for the CITY anu
". n Dvlman for the company, and they disagreed
entirely in regard to tine consents secured Inc Oon
mission held that in estimating the property the con
sent of whose owners must be secured the PARK Idu
was 10 be considered of equal value to that opposioe
TO IT, Briefs will be handed up in ten days
The Atlantic Avcnuc Company's application 10
change its motive power In portions OF Fhteenth anu
Twentieth sts and seventh and Ninth aves' was thch
heard William Richardson presented the case Tor the
company. Some of the prOtestants as wece hcau
hclorc smoke again. Mr.. Richardson produced some
elect:ical experts who gave testimony to show now
advanta geOus the trolley system is one siIu thit
500 900 600 people annually carried, and no one
was hurt Another said he had frequently had the
electric current of trolley wire pass through ms s
tenn and he was as well 1t was sad tlat tle
noise complained of culd be gotten rid OF almost com
pIetely. ,,., III, 4. Ia
anpication Of the Atlantic Avenue Company to intro
duce the trolley system in Fifth ana Audhuc aNeS'
will also be heard