The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-05-06

LIVELY RAILROAD WAR.
Priority of Street 0ccupa-
tion Causes Controversy
Between Companies.
TRANSIT AND TRACTION FIGHT.
A Bitter Dispute Between the
Companies Over Use of
the Streets.
TRANSIT AND TRACTION FIGHT

City Rapid TRANSIT Company ana liz
Consolidated Traction Company for thu
right to operate their respective SYSTEMS
on certain streets and avenues has awak
ened lively interest In the financial anc
business world.
The controversy has also brought uI
Interesting questions relative to thu
course being pursued by the oppos
ing companies. The rapid transit
lays claim of priority on
many streets where the Traction Com
pany has mapped out it's intended lines.
The difficulty will, no doubt, be amicapl,
settled, but just at pr esent there is
great dispute as to the rig htof the Trac
tion Company to step in at this late date
and infringe upon the rights of the Rapid
Transit Company.
ONE AND THE SAME.
The Jersey City Rapid Transit Com
pany and the Central Elevated Transit
are virtually one and the same. The Cen
tral Elevated Transit Company is an old
concern and It's officers nave made heavy
outlays of money IN acquiring the right OF
way, purchasing property and construct
ing foundations for its road. The Ele
waited Transit Company has its franchise
ed its scheme before the public, which is to
give people rapid transit to the Central
Railroad ferry, it met with great favor.
In fact, the hill residents SO desired IL
that the company experienced NO diff
Guilty in securing the consent OF more
than half of the property along the pro-
posed route, which extended from the
ferry to Jewetr avenue.
PROPERTY OWNERS WILLING.
Having secured majority of the con
Eents the company then proceeded TO con
uenln the right of way across :ne lands
of objectors.
A commission consisting of DR.. Edge
Garwood Ferris and Isaac Romaine was
appointed to condemn the property. Thai
commission is now ready to submit its re-
port to Judge LiDpincott. In anticipa
Iion of establishing this mode of rapid
transit without any difficulty the COM
pauy proceeded TO erect massive founda.
tions for its elevated structure, which eX-
tends over the Central Railroad property,
Today twenty-five foundations have
been completed and stand upon the pro-
perty of the Central Railroad Company.
The fact that the elevated line extended
merely from Jewe5t avenue to the Cen
tral Railroad ferry showed on its face
that the company at the time it received
the elevated franchise had in CON
temptation the scheme to build
DIEBCu EOauS, ulCu NDulQ Ud 1ceQElS "
the elevated road. This would have to be
done 10 insure the snccess of the ven ture,
speaking from a financial point of view.
THE COAIPANY'S PLANS.
Accordingly the projectors of ths ele-
vated road formed what is now known
as the Jersey City Rapid Transit
Company. This company proposed u
beginning at Summit avenue, extending
through Summit avenue north Co Acad-
emy street, through Academy street &c
Tonnele avenue, and thence through
Crescent. jackson and Bergen avenues,
to Bidwell avenue In Greenville. This is
TO bs ths'main feeder TO the elevated road.
ADVANTAGES OFFERED.
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages
that the Rapid Transit Company offers is
that it will give real rapid transit to the
people of the Hill, as the electric cars
would carry them to the elevated and
thence to the ferry in very few minutes
There would be no delay, no dangers OF
any kind to be encountered In thus get
ting to the ferry, as there would be nc
being similar to. that of the North Hud-
son County road, over all streets and free
from delays of any kind.
SECURING CONSENT.
At the time wnen the Rapid Trausit
Company was formed the law required
the obtaining of the consent from prop
erty-owpers on the streets through which
done that and has secured more than
the required number Of conseuts. TIE
law also now requires tnat $1,000 shall
be deposited with the State Treas ursr for
every mile of road to be operated, and
to fill statement OF the plans
of the company with the Secretary oi
State. The Rapid Transit Company has
yoaf oil fhoGa raoutraypantc and uoyp
stands ready &c begin work upon Its
works and give rapid transit to the people
of the city as soon as the Street ant
Water Board will grant the necessary
franchise.
The projectors OF the scheme see M
reason why at this time the Traction
Company should step In and en6eavor tc
gst the streets they claim to have con
sent to operate on unless it Is TO BLOCK
the Rapid Transit scheme.
RAILROADS DISAGREE.
There were adjoining streets which the
Traction Company could have taken, but
either intentionally, or Internationally
the Traction Company has made a move
TO get the same streets as the Rapid Tran
sit Company. The latter company sought
TO run road to the Central ferry merely
because 1t Is an utter impossibilirv fol
any corporation to reach the PeunsyI
vania ferry. In fact the law prohibits
the laying or the tracks Within tWc
blocks of The J. c. and B. r. r. and,
under the circumstances, it is impossible
to reach the +. r. Il. ferry. and it would
be folly to endeavor TO run an elevated
road to this ferry.
The Rapid Transit Company has made
written arrangements with the Centra
Railroad Company to have a waiting
room reserved for its passen gers, and
also an agreement whereby boats connect
with their cars
RAPID TRANSIT PLANS.
The Rapid Transit Company officers
have also discovered that the Traction
Company's plans provided for set q
tracks on Oswego street., aud what woult
be Oswego street. were it dedicated. Il
private property occupied by a gardene
named Frost, and is owned b.
the Rapid Transit Company, having
been purchased at fancy price. Tas
Rapid Transit Company has also hao
plans prepared for its power house
which Is to be located at Johnson aveDu ne
The Rapid Transit Company, consider
ing all this, believe that they have prio
rights in the city over the Consolidated
Traction Company.