The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-02
FIRST STREET GRAB
Property Owners Aroused
to Action By the Expos
ures in "The News"
MASS MEBTlNGD MONDAY NIGHT
nod } 49,
Police ON s&uard. to Prevent the
Contemplated Action Of the
Rutherford Company.
LASS MEETING MONDAY NIGHT

The exclusive publication in THE JERSEY
CRY News of last evening of the rumored
intention of the Jersey City, Rutherford and
Hoboken Railway Company to grab First
street, Hoboken, with a gang of men late
last night, precluded the contemplated at
tempt by that corporation. Property own
eFs on the thoroughfare acknowledge they
have anticipated the invasion for several
days, and became so pe~rturbed over it that
they appealed to Mayor Pagan. The Mayor
instructed Chief Donovan to detail a special
policeman on First street, and in the event
of the appearance of a gang
of men to tear up the road the policeman
was to be ordered to stop operations. Chief
| Donovan communicated the mandate to
| Captain Hayes whom he told to detail the
policeman. The Captain did SO, and since
Wednesday night a special officer has
watched First street at the foot of the hill.
policeman had been especially assigned to
that watch, but a News reporter, who In
| ~vestigated, found that a policeman was in
the vicinity ready for emergency.
ANASs MEETING TO PROTEST.
So thoroughly aroused over the COM
pany's rumored grab have the property
owners become that they nave determined to
IdHt III t0R AEhhLAA3b Af DAAA
business men yesterday in consultation con-
cluded to issue an invitation for q mass
meeting.
1t viii be held next Monday night. Citi-
zens will assemble at the Council Chamber,
and will be given an opportunity
of ventilating tLeir opinions on the
matter. Among the men who carry on
business on our property on First street who
will declare war against the company are:-
Leith g. Schilling, William. Heyka, 81.
Schraeder. Philip Bohley H. Lenthe, Po-
desta Brothers, j.. Casper, Breckwold Bros,
Fischer s. Sons, H.. Klentenkamp and H.
Vorrath.
Mayor Pagan was seen in front Of the
Hoboken City Hall this afternoon and
said he would see that a sufficient
number of policemen were On guard over
First street to ~forestall any grab. g think
everything viii be all right" said the
Mayor.
MONEY E PROPERTY OWNERS.
Max Schilling told the reporter that he
has positive evidence that property owners
along First street had been approached by
representatives of the Rutherford road and
offered $50 to obtain consent to put the road
through. II shall look after that matter"
said Mr.. Shilling.
A NEWS reporter searched for counsellor
Gaede, representative of the Rutherford
Company in Hoboken, this morning, to ask
him in regard to the proposed invasion, but
he was out of town and would not be back
until next Monday.
POLICE DON'T FEAR TROUBLE.
Chief Donovan was asked this morning if
he thought one policeman could cope with
500 laborers and prevent them laying
tracks, or if an extra force would have TO
be called out. The Chief answered that he
did not think the laborers would do
much fooling with the process Of
law, and that he feared no trouble with the
Rutherford's laborers in case they tried to
tear up the streets. All that would be neces-
sary, he thought. was for the policeman to
make q speech to them n the men would
dispense.
1T think the Legislature gave the company
right to lay tracks in all parts OF the
county, said Chief Donovan. 81 suppose
they consider that they have a right to in
wade Hoboken, but they won't be allowed to
do so.n
GRAB NEVER CONTEMPLATED, HE SAYS.
Ex-Judge Abel /. Smith, another counsel
of the Rutherford road, was seen by a re-
porter of this paper this morning. He said
the company had no intention of grabbing
First street and intended acting honestly
with the people. He said Chief Donovan
erred in respect to legislation affecting the
Rutherford road.
There was no such act passed." said
Mr.. Smith. 1.-THE act was amended SO
as to require the consent of the majority of
the property owners along the route pro-
posed. This amendent was made because of
objections made by residents on some of the
fine streets in Orange where the consolidated
Traction Company had tried to operate new
streets. The Consolidated Company was de-
feated, and was forced to secure permission
of the property owners. Our company will
not try to take any Hoboken street by
strategy, but will act fairly, as | said."