The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-03
GROVE STREET TROLLEY
Lively Fight in Progress
Citizens Oppose the
Double Track.

Property owners along Grove street are
at present much exercised over scheme
for rapid transit along that thoroughfare.
The proposition has its supporters. but
with each day it's list of opponents swells
The proposed motive power is the trolley.
The protector is the North Hudson County
Railway Company. There is a hitch in
the preliminary proceedings which dis
closes an interesting state Of affairs.
1t appears that about week ago a
young man named Pierce Fleming, an
active member OF the Dennis McLaugh-
lin Association, secured, through friends.
position with the North Hudson Rail-
way Company. What his duties were to
be, no one knew: but now 1t seems that
he was engaged for the purpose of secur-
ing the consent of the property own ers to
have the.trolley system operated on Grove
street. Fleming knows pretty nearly
every property owner along the line, and
this acquaintance WAS to be used in get
ting their acQuiescence in the scheme.
Fleming had placed in his hands legally
prepared petition. asking the company to
operate the trolley system, and, armed
with this, sailed forth Co get the requir-
ed signatures.
A DEAD FROST.
Prior to the time Fleming started out,
certain members of the Street and Water
Board had learned of the scheme. They
not only condemned the signature acqulr-
ing operation, but also expressed them
selves as opposed to the trolley system,
anyway. The objectors numbered two !,
but those in favor OF the scheme num-
bered three in the Roard. and these three
compose the little com hine."
About the first man Fleming encoun-
tered was PATRICK Connolly. President OF
the Citizens Street Imp ovement Asso-
citation. Mr.. Connolly read the petition
and declined to sign If. rIeming went
enlargement. In speaking to a member
of the combine" in the Street and
Water Board of the refusals he had met
with, he stirred up the liveliest kind OF
row.
Contractor M. 4. Connolly, who is sup
posed to besthe person mainly instrument
tai in securing Fleming's position. is
teenth street about 40 feet north of
Grove. The street is now being raised to
grade by Contractor O'Donnell. Com
molly wanted water at his stables and ac-
cordingly asked that water pipe be ex-
tended to his building. The necessary
excavations were male, the pipe was
placed upon the ground, and all was in
from an unknown out authorita-
tive source comes an order to fill
in the trench which had been dug
for about $50 feet and to cart
the water pipe away. The trench has
been filled in; the water pipe returned TO
the pipe yard, and Connolly stands poor
show of getting water to his stables un-
less the pipe Is laid at his own expense. 1t
is said that of the three Street and
Water Commissioners. who are in favor
Of the trolly. shut down on the work for
his benefit because he did not interest
himself actively enongh in its favor.
THE OPPOSITION.
The Commissioners who are opposed to
the trolley are backed by tue members of
the Citizens Street Improvement. The
objection lies in the narrowness
OF Grove street. It is contended
that it is not wide enough
to permit the operation of double track
and leave room for truckmen. The street
is hut 80 feet wide; the car tracks would
occupy 20 feet of this space. leaving but
feet each side for tracks. The matter
will be discussed tonight at a meeting OF
the Citizeus' Street Improvement Assocl-
alton. Resolutions will probably be
adopted, suggesting that il the trolley
system is to be operated. the railroad
company should run to Hoboken through
Grove street. returning through Heuder-
son. The petition for permission to
operate double track rapid transit
line on Grove street will probably be
presented to the Street and Water Board
in a week or two.