The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-05
POINT OF ROCKS SUIT
Sensational Scene During
the Argument of Coun-
sci Today.
THOMPSON ACCUSES YREDENBUR GH
Says One of His Statements i;
Absolutely False--Trouble
Happily Ayerted.


Jersey junction Railroad Connecting
Company to cross at undergrade tie
tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad at
the Point of Rocks was begun today.
The legal issue before the Court was an
appeal made by the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company from the award of
damages made by the Commissioners of
Condemnation appointed by Judge
Knapp for the purpose of condemning
right of way.
AS told in The JERSEY CITY NEWS the
junction Company had originally pro.
posed to cross these tracks by meaes of q
walled tunnsl and that subsequently, the
Court permitted the Company to amend
the appeal of the P ennsylvania Company
by substituting plans for an arched
tunnel which would cause the Pennsyl-
vania Company TO elevate its tracks
but one foot and oD5. shalt instead of five
or six feet required ny the original plans
The case was set down for trial last
Tuesday, but on that day the Peunsyl-
vanla Company asked leave Of the court
to amend the amendment of the junction
Company by filing p aus for twin arch
way, claiming that inns sort Of a passage
way would obviata the necessity for any
elevation of the Pennsylvania tracks.
The case was again adjourned until
today to give the Junction Company time
to consider the last amendment pro4
posed.
THE HEARING TODAY.
This morning all of the lawyers eu-
gagged In the case were in court when the
case was caell6. The Pennsylvania
Company was represented by ex-Gov-
ernor Bedell and james B. B.Vreedensurgh,
and the interests of the Junction Com
pany were looked after by John R
Eumory, Collins & Corbin and Dickin-
son, Thompson q McMasters
Counsellor Vreedenburgh. as soon as
the case was called. said:-"When we
met before we offered an amendment to
the amendment, which we are Informed
the other side has refuse to accept
Counsel then formally withdrew the
Pennsylvanfa's amendment, but reserved
the right to present the plans during the
trial of the cause. The following jurors
were then selected from the struck jury
pRnel:-
Maxwell Abernethy. Foreman; Persy
Z. Cumberson, William H. Turner. John
Gardner. Charles F. Mattlsge. Charles
Hill, Charles Appleby. George H.
Carrick, George S. Schultz aud James f.
Crandall.
COUNSELLOR THoMPsoN's OPENING. ~
Councillor Charles Thompson opened
the case for the junction Company for
what it would see when later it listed
the grounds. Mr.. Thompson said
court to consider question
of more or less notoriety, for several
years back. which was the efforts that
were being made by the Junction Com
pany to cross the Pennsylvania. He
said that the jurors had probably read
OF the proceedings in the newspapers.
and he hoped that whatever the papers
had said, it would not influence the con-
clusions of the jury. He SAID the con-
dem ming company came to court to ask
the jury to ascertain the value of the
condemned land and the damage that
would be done the Pennsylvania Com
pany by the proposed crossing.
Counsel then related briefly the hiss
tory OF the destruction of Mount Pleas
ant and the transformation OF the rocky
hill into q great railroad yard, over
which twenty-one tracks have been
built. Counsel then described the pro-
posed crossing. the details of which are
familiar to the readers of The NEWS. aud
added that the tunnel would take 2S, ,S34
square feet of land. The tunnel proper
would be 55 feet wide and 524 feet long,
aud The height would be AZ feet from
Wards base for tindiuR elevations.
measurements in this city. The width
of the inside of the tunnel will be 28
feet. which will permit the construction
and operation OF Two tracks. The arch
way Will be strong enough to support
the heaviest engine or train the Pennsyl-
vs1ia Company would run over It. In
addition to the right OF way for the
tunnel, narrow strip FROM The Pennsyl-
vania's elevation to the Jersey City
Cemetery will also be taken by the
Junction Company. This strip Is little
more than 81 feet wide.
THE TUNNEL.
Counsellor Thompson said the tunnel
would be built in all respeets like one
that had recently been constructed by
the Pennsylvania Company In it's yard 10
Philadelphia, aud that the same plans
would be used. He claimed thai the
tunnel would pecessitate the raising OF
the Pennsylvania's tracks and yard one
one and one-tbird foot at the north
end. This would leave the grade
of the Pennsylvania Cracks east of the
junction Road but 80 feet to the naile
but the company would have to elevate
its tracks slightly to the west for shor5
distance. Mr.. Thompson said he WAS
prepared to show that the Pennsylvania
tracks in places were at grade of go feet
to the mile. he closed by saying the
Junction people claimed the right to
build the lunuel and that the only cues.
ton before the jury was that of damages
to the Pennsylvania Company.
COUNSELLOR vREEDENBURG'S ARGUMENT.
Counsellor VIeedenburgh followed
Mr.. Thompson and told the Jury how
the Pennsylvania Company viewed the
proposed tunnel. He uwalt at length on
the great damage the Company would
sustain and said among other things
that the proposed tunnel would
prevent the Pennsylvania Company
from carrying our its idea Of
making Il perfectly straight track from
the ferry to Marion. He :sald that
although the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Is
The greatest in the country, yet 1t owns
in this ciiy but ons half OF The lani
owned by the New Jersey Central Com
psny ans. less than any OF the trunk
roads hat cutter this city. He said
further that the Pennsylvania Company
was purchasing al the land it could
acquire 10 build a perfectly straight road
to Marion. While Mr.. VrsedenburQn was
explaining some details Counsellor
Thompson, who was closely following
him, suddenly exclaimed
THAT Is absolutely false"
Counsel in the case looked ut each
other blankiy aud the courtroom be came
still as death.
He says that is absolutely false,o
finally said Ex-Governor Bedle to Mr..
Vreedenburgh. his associate.
'.En, what? what did you sayPv asked
Mr.. VreedenDurgh in astonishment.
lie says that what you said is false. -
repeated Ex-Governor Bedle
Mr. Vreedenburgh hesitated for q
moment and then safd:-,ssIf Ehava said