The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-20
ERIH'S SLAUGHTER PENS.
Hired Counsel Defends the
Railroads Right" to
Kil1on the Crossings.
ARGUING AS TO EXPENSE.
Messrs. Parker, Corbin and Edwards
Fight 1t out Before the Street
and Water Board.

A lively legal wrangle between Mr.
Cortlandt Parker, of Newark. counsel for
and director of the Erie Railway. on the
one side, and William II. Corbin and
Corporation Counsel w. d. Edwards on
the other side, was the principal feature
of the meeting of the Street and Water
Board this morning. When the Board met
there was present in the body of the
audience, a committee representing l,oO0
persons, members of the organization to
agitate the question Of raising the
Erie tracks at grade crossings.
Among them were John Casey, A. J.
Corcoran and Mr.. Fred Winter OF the
firm of Winter g. Ball. umbrella manu-
factureis, and Mr.. Barr, OF Henderson q
Barr. A letter was reed from Mr.. II. }.
Cook, one of the officials of the Erie Kali
road, in which he stated that MI. staples:
general agent of the company, was III OF
pneumonia and that Chief Engineer Nor
decai was laid up with broken leg and
could not be present.
PARKER BEGINS IT.
Mr.. Cortlapdt Parker was given the
floor and the legal mill began when Mr..
Parker said
lam here as counsel for the Erie. and
a director in the company. When left
here last, l desired Mr.. Mordecai to give
thorough attention to the matter. and to
give full consideration to any plans which
best meet the interests of the citizens of
Jersey City; to inquire into all accidents
at the crossings, 50 that there could be
full inquiry into their causes, SO that the
city could come to some understanding.
Mr.. Parker said he knew nothing OF the
accident TO Mr.. Mordecai, and the sick
ness of Mr. Staples. Mr.. Parker said the
company he represented was willing TO
do all 1t could TO meet the requirements
1.-THE Erie" he said, "was the prey of
fraud and wrong. Some vino hear me
know of it, and have heard of Gould,
wateredstock, and the creation of bonded
stocks. On $4,000 of stock, not one dol
lar has ever been received.
1.-THE company" he said, "was still
struggling. The company, when Ii first
came into Jersey, found the streets
wilderness"
dents, he said that, as counsel, no such
number as reported had come under his
cognfzance. He doubted the accuracy OF
come to me as counsel" he said.
''1hey were taken from the State re-
ports" said Mr.. William ii. Corbin, who
was present.
81 still doubt their accuracy" said Mr..
Parker. "Mr. Corbin will bear me out
that there is a company in New York
which takes up these cases and sues for
them-it is a regular Incorporated body,
TO uffer legal services, etc"
Mr.. Corbin said the list was on file Sin
this Office" and Mr., Parker said he
would like to have the list. In reference
to the cost, Mr. Parker said the Pennsyl-
vanfa railroad and the Delaware. Lacka-
wanna and Western railroad could buy
and sell the Erie and he hoped the press
would get the facts and publish them.
THE P. r. R. CASE.
Mr. Corbn then said that the Pennsyl-
vania railroad had built its elevation on
the streets. but that the Erie had its own
land to build on. Mr.. Corbin then read the
report of the State Comptroller in which it
was stated that 246 accidents had appened
in one year, and ninety-nine were at
grade crossings. He said the record was
frightful one. He estimated the cost at,
least 10 perform what the citizens asked,
at between S400, 900 and S500,000 and he
didn't believe that the road should hesi-
tate about assuming the cost OF doing
this much needed work.
tsThe bridging of the Streets" con-
tinued Mr.. Corbin, "is the greatest item
OF expense, and / cannot see why the
Erie should not assume that expense"
Mr.. Parker presented then the argu-
ment that the growth of the portion of
the city through which the Erie runs is
due to that railroad, and that, In a meas
ure. the city was as much responsible as
the road for the safety of the public, and
that, furthermore, the City should aid the
road in that particular.
ERIE'S AGGRESsIoNS.
AT this point Mr.. Edwards interposed,
saying that when the Erie was laid out.
the probable freight was $40 600, and that
it now amounted to $500, 000, and that not
single street had been laid out over its
tracks since then, but that. on the con-
trary, the Erie Railroad had vacated four
or five streets.
After desultory war of words, mo-
tion offered by Mr.. Dugan that further
hearing to be given on rne Erie tracK-rais-
sing question be deferred to two week
from today was carried.