The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-26

Central Elevated Transit Co.. BY tae use
OF these two awards any part of that sec
tion OF Jersey City eau he reached in less
than ten minutes from the Central Ferry:
while by the routes of the Consolidated
Traction Company running upon the sur
face OF crowded streets. where the tracks
can never be elevated because OF the
great cost thereof aud the distractions
now existing in The streets OF The city
real rapid transit cannot b. given.
The policy of the present street railroad
monopolies of Jersey City has beeu TO
center the traffic at the Pennsylvania
ferries. Thus. to this day lhcy have
barred rapid transit.
Your petitioner further insists that
while they have inserted In their ordi-
nance plain and simple provision for
the payment and collection OF the taxes
to become due to the city, that the or
dtnancs OF the Consolidated Traction
Company now pending before you. IS
upon this point, vague. uninteliigibla
and uncertain. Under 1t Jersey City will
never be able TO collect a dollar
without constant litigation. In
visw of the fact that this
co mpany has rights in the streets by
reason of its location; that it came 10 the
city authorities by the grace of, and not
In spite OF. the property owners; that
lsrge sums of money have been expended
in procuring its present routes; that it
has offered 20 the city fair and equitable
terms for its franchises; that it has made
its offer in simple and plain language;
and finally. that it affords the only solu-
lion for rapid transit from the Hill to the
ferries. This company submits that the
ordinance of the Consolidated Traction
Company should now be vetoed, aud if
passed at all only in conjunction with an
ordinance for this company, to the end
that competition and not monopoly may
result.
JERSEY CITY RAPID TRANSIT Co.,
GARRETT VAN HORN.
Vice President.
"HoRACE E HAND,
Secretary
The petition of the Central Elevated
Traction Company is no less specific IN
its objections that the above. A perusal
of the above and the following petitions
will give clear idea of the only manner
rapid transit can be attained. It will
also be seen at a glance that il the Con-
solidated Traction ordinance is passed
rapid transit will not be attained. and
the people will suffer. One point In
particular is worthy of consideration in
the following petition:-"The Consoli.
obtaining the consents of the property
ownsrs. nroeursd the passage of an act
by the Legislature last winter dispensing
with such consents. AS A MONOPOLY
THEY FEARED TO FACE THE PEOPLE" The
fc llo Si1g Is size petitien:-
TIE RoBRFR UNMAsKED.
Hon. Peter f. WGnser:
'tThe Central Elevated Transit Com
pany RESPECTFULLY demonstrates against
the approval of the ordinance recently
pass ed by the Beard OF Street and Water
Com rn1ssIopers of Jersey City giving the
Consolidated Traction Company loca-
tion of its tracks in certain streets of
J ersey City.
This company was organized in the
year 1859. for the purpose Of constructing
ana maintaining an elevated rail road
from the Central ferry across the termi-
pal ia ri OF the Central Railroad of New
ersey, through tombstone avenue to
Oswego street, through Oswego street
across private lands to Summit avenue:
thence westerly along Summit avenue to
West Side avenue.
CURED to obtain, In the first instance,
the consent to the location and construc-
tion of said railroad, of the owners of a
majority of the lands fronting upon each
OF the streets above mentioned. After
great labor, these consents were obtained
and application was then made to the
Hon. Board of Alderman of JERSEY City
for the passage Of an ordinance author
izing the construction of said railroad.
After full and fair hearing before said
Board, an ordinance was passed on the
23a of December, 1889, and was approved
by the Mayor OF the city shortly there.
after.
Tror,a5f,taIv, ,,co,, 81.
ordinance an application WAS made to
Judge Dixon or the Supreme Court for
the appointment of Commissioners to
condemn the rights Of the non-cansent-
Ing properly owners along said streets,
as under The statute Of the State they
were entitled TO compensation. His
Ferris BsD1ama Eass es'fS and arkooe isaac
Romano as this Com mission There
were about 119 OF these non-consenting
owners OF property along the line of the
route An examination was made by the
Com missioners of their damages upon
actual notice to every property owner.
While these proceedings taken there
under swere unconstitutional and void;
these cases were argued before the Su-
preme Court In 1890, ana, after some de-
lay, aia opinion WAS rendered confirming
the teoceed1ngs taken by this company
III every respect; henceforth there
could be no dispute as to the
legal rights of this company,
These suits suspended for short time
the action of the Commissioners, but,
upon the decision thereof the Commts-
sioners took mp the lie eases and ia the
month OF November, 1891, flied their
report Under the act of 1883 this was
referred back to the Commissioners by
His Homer Judge Knapp, for considera
tiou. The Commissioners again gave
notice to all the property owners, and
heard all objections which were presen-
ted against their report. On May Is,
1893, these Commissioners filed their
hnal report. confirming In all, but six
items of their original awards. The
application to cJnflrm the report was
oulY advertised, and no objection being
prseentsd, on May 81. 1898. His Honor
Judge Lippiucott confirmed the same in
all respects, thus after delay of nearly
four years, caused by almost constant
litigation, and, In the face OF every
obstacle, this company had finally ac-
quired the right to build its road without
further obstruction. Meanwn1s this
company bad spent large sum of money
In acquiring the right of way for this
road from Summit avenue TO Cornelison
avenue, across private lands; In acquiring
the right TO cross property on the norGn-
east corner OF Jolnston avenue aud
Grand street In order TO avoid heavy
curve. In acquiring the title to land
whereoR to build It's power house and
station. it had also built its foundations
for its columns across large portion of
the terminal yard of the Central Rail-
road OF New jersey, and in all about
$4,000.
''1hfs company respectfully objects to
fh a n "a 1rfo frnl lau b.