The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-11
MONOPOLY'S SLAVES
queer Action of the Repub-
licans In the Senate
Yesterday.
SENATOR DAILY TRIOKED
A Trolley Law That Meant Much
More Than at First Under
stood.
SENATOR DAILY TRIoKED
snecioI q The .Jerscu Citv Nears.

Special 10 inc JeTScU SHy AttHc-
TRENToN. May II, 1894. - If any one
doubts that this Legislature is the abJect
slave of the corporations he should have
witnessed a peculiar transaction in the SEN
ate yesterday morning. Early in the session
Mr.. Storrs introduced a bill the purport OF
which was to check the trolley octopus,
whose far reaching arms are rapidly COB
bling up all the desirable streets and ave
nues of the municipalities Of the State. The
main object of the bill was to provide that
no poles could be erected or wires strung
along any street or road until a majority OF
the property owners had consented thereto.
Tho committee to which the bill was re-
ferred gave public hearings upon the meas
ure. to which the representatives OF the
various traction companies locked IN force;
They objected to features OF the DILL anu
persuaded the committee TO accept various
amendments, which were prepared by the
o lawyers in their employ. These, OF
course. were all in the interest OF the dear
people. but the deep concern which the rep
resentatives of the traction companies
evinced in the passage OF the pla aroussu
the suspicion of those VINO nad gwen one
matter any attention.
THE N BmL
The bill as amended, and after being
printed three times, passed the House In 1nls
shape
after the passage of this act, be constructed
in. over and upon any street, avenue, high
way. land or other public place IN any mu-
nic;pality, town, township, village or Dor
oueh of this State, except upon the consent
of the governing body of such m~unlclpaIty'
town, township, village or borough, wnlcn
consent shall only be granted upon q petl-
ton of the corporation desiring to construct,
operate or maintain a street railroad upon
any of the streets, avenues, lanes, highways
or public places of such municipality, town,
township, village or borough, filed with the
clerk thereof, nor shall such PERMISSION re
granted until public notice of such appilca-
lion shall nave been given by publication IN
one or more newspapers published or clrcu-
lating in said municipality, town, township,
village or borough, for at least fourteen days
before the meeting of the governing Dody
thereof, at which said application snail pe
considered, which notice shall specify tue
name of the corporation presenting such pc
zion. the date Of the fling of the same: the
character of the road intended to be con-
structed, operated or maintained, the motive
power to be used thereon, and the street OF
which the same shall extend; that upon
the date liked by such notice, or upon
such subsequent date as the hearing OF
said petition may be adjourned to, by the
governing body of such municipality town,
township, village or borough, said munich
paIty, town, township. village or borough
may, by ordinance, and not otherwise, grant,
or by resolution may refuse, permission TO
construct, maintain or operate such street
railroad as prayed for in said petition, or in
zheir discretion may consent to the con-
I struction, maintenance or operation OF sucn
street railway upon part OF the streets, mgr,
WAYS or public. places designated In SAID
petition or notice, and refuse permission to
construct, maintain or operate said street
railway upon the remainder of such streets
or public places, and the location thus
granted by the governing body OF such
( municipality. town, township, village or
borough shall be deemed and taken to be
the true location of the tracks of said street
railway, if an acceptance thereof IN writing
nv the CORPORATION making such petition
shall be fled with the Secretary of State
within thirty days after receiving notice
thereof, and a copy thereof deivered 10 une
clerk or other equivalent officer OF such
municipality, town, township. village or
borough: provided, however, that such petit
tion for the designation of route, construc-
ton. maintenance or operation OF a street
railway company shall not be granted by the
governing body Of any m sdnop
this State, until there be filed with
the clerk of such municipality, town, town
ship, village or borough, or other equivalent
officer, the consent in writing of the owner
ar owners of at least one-half in amount IN
ianeal feet of property fronting on such
street, highway, avenue or other public
place. or upon the part of such street, high
way. avenue or otherR public place through
which permission to construct, operate and
maintain a street railway is asked, and any
such consent may be signed by an attorney
in fact thereunto duly authorized and by the
executor or trustee of any deceased owner
or owners: provided, however, that II any
consents have been heretofore obtained to
the location of the tracks and the construc-
ton and operation OF a railway in, along or
upon any street, road or highway IN this
State, and have been filed with the clerk OF
any municipality, town, township, village or
borough wherein any application by any
railway company is now pending Tor the
necessary consent and permission to locate
Z. its tracks and to construct and operate Its
railway, such consents, under any appilca-
ton made under this act; shall have the
same force and effect and be entitled to be
considered and counted the same as any con-
sents obtained, given and filed after the pas
sage of this act.
..That the provisions of this act shall not
apply TO any case in which a location has
heretofore been granted, and the work or
construction commenced, as provided for I'M
der any existing law. and all applications
neuding shall be proceeded with in conform
ity with the provisions of this act"
IT AFFECTED
The bill went to the Senate and there Sen
atr DAILY discovered, among other things,
that it had be amended in the interest OF the
Rutherford Traction Company. as stated IN
these dispatches yesterday. Other Senators
soon saw that the amendments made the
measure decidedly favorable to the trolley
companies, instead of putting a check upon
their rapacity, as was intended by the in
PRODUCER, and they hung it up.
Thon fine trolley eOmDanieS served notice
unon the Republican State Committee that
unless this measure, which was supposed to
be for the benefit of the people and against
the Traction companies, was not passed,
they would hang up the committees parti-
san measure. Pressure was brought to bear
mon Senator Stokes, chairman of the Com
mittee on Railroads and Canals, to report
the bill by the State Committee, while Mr..