New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-23
FIGHTING A TROLLEY ROAD.

, FIGHTING A TROLLEY ROAO.
MARc,Y-AvE. PROPERTY-OWNERSD DETER
MINED TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS.
A pAprrACED "GRAB' LIKELY TO BE DEFEAT
En-METHoDs OF THE NASSAU ELECTRIC
RAILROAD coMPANY-ITs PERMIT sUs-
PENDED PENDING A THOROUGH
INVESTIGATION.
The propertv-owners in Marcy-ave. are making
determined fight against the company which wishes
IN construct trolley railroad through that stree"
There Is no need for such road and no popular de-
mand for X has been made. People living IN anu
near Marcv-ave. are already amply supplied with
facilities for travel, since there is trolley ROAD
only one block away on either side-in Nostrand-aVe
ond in Tonpklns-aye But the Nassau Electric fal'-
road Company in which number OF Brooklyn TING
politicians are Interested cast greedy eyes on Marcy!
ave as ar unoccupied street and forthwith proceeded
10 confscate IT, That is the term which the inter
esed property employ, ana IN view oi al "'e
circumstances 1t does not seem too strong
The companv was organized some time ago and
secured from the Board of Aldermen when Mike
Coffey was the leading spirit In II. the right 10 pu
It's tracks in Marcy-ave. and various other suee'9'
Then II set about the work OF securing the consents
OF property owners along its route during 'he
Roodv administration the company applied 10 the
Department Of city Works for permit 10 open
Marcyave and put down rails ana put up poiee anu
wires The matter hung fire for several months Du'
finally on January 90 this year-just two days before
Commissioner Adams retired and Commissioner
White took charge Of the department-the permit
was granted. Ostenslby 1t was shown that major
fly of the owners of property along Marcy-aVe hao
consented TO the construction of the road Or course
the company lost time in setting about us WORK.
and considerable progress had been made before 'he
peope along the woke up 10 the fact that an
outrage was being perpetrated on them Then vgor-
ous measures were taken. and II was soon 1ound
that the company had by no means secured the con
sents of a majority OF the owners in interest Inc
matter was brought 20 the attention OF CITY Noihs
Commissioner White. who suspended the permit
nendng inquiries by Corporation Counsel Mcdonald
as 10 the validity of the companys claim Ihat II
was not valid plainly evident from the efforts sun
making in its behalf to secure consents.
Meanwhile the property-oWners nave lori"eu an
organization protect their interests ana last week
a meeting was held which showed that they are III
dead earnest and will resort to every measure IN
their power to prevent the construction or ROAD
which will ruin one of the few streets in that neigh
borhood yet free the blight of the trolley II the
company falls in its present effort II VIII doup'ess
apply to the General Term Of the supreme Court or
the appointment of commission whose consent 10
the building of the road If given. will stand In the
of that or the prOpeTt! II ~" AZ ~
lieved, however, that any fair commission VIII disre
gard the wishes of large majority of the owners OF
property in Marcy-ave
In talking on the subject Of the men deeply
interested in the movement for the protection OF 'he
avenue from invasion spoke TO this effect: This Is
one OF the greatest outragSs ever attempted IN 'hs
city. which has not been free from things OF the
same sort in the past This Nassau Electric Rail-
road Company undertook to seize Marcy-aVe WITH
out a shadow of right to do So and suppose IL
came near getting its road built and In operation
without Interference because the people took II Tor
granted that there no way of preventing IT,
The company has behind il men like Pat Flynn
Mike Coffey and other members OF the ring. VINO
have no regard for law or private rights. Al ieaS'
they haven't any for the rights of private QUEENS
but | rather think they will yield to the courts
Just how they secured their permit don't KNOW Out
II Is singular and suggestive fact that II was
granted on the last day but one of the old admins
tration ! suppose that the company made a pre-
tence OF claiming the consents OF majority OF the
property-owners. but know that II dldh l nave
them At any rate there was no pretence OF VERIFY
ing what they claimed. But the permit was granted
sor the men In the company had large and strong
pull Then work was begun at once. ,, l., .ho
Fortunately some OF the people mVrns ra s r
ing consents which the company pIeehII.e9u 20
nave snvbnp ali" Ike matority To show the spirit
OF the company. let me Say that the ihpnlen "!ty
discovered that certain man was interested In the
skipped over three or four blocks and began to work
ever laid the facts before Commissioner White ana
secured the revocation or suspension OF the perin.
And now the grabbers are doing their prettiest 70
secure the consents which they claimed to have IN
the first place. They are resortng TO all soFts o.
an one case that has to my knowledge they
have gone to the lawyer in charge OF an estate 70
which considerable property In Malcy,ave; oelohgs
and tried by all manner of threats and caJoings 10
secure his consent When they could not get IL h me-,
OF course this bride rejected with scorn and con
tempt They have included among their consents me
4th Regiment Annoy Tompkins PARK ana cone one
cerned l understand that the colonel did sign con
Sc IT, but TO ssmd h2w na at the IS
granted when the franchise was granted by IN, .ne
the High School stands in the name OF the Board OF
Education. and, understand, Is not incuded I IN tne
All the churches along the avenue are stouty OPP
posed TO the road and have Joined In the nght.
at does not seem possible for the company to &C
conplsh its purpose though 1t is trying desperately
to do So It's Representatives go 10 the people ana
get on the cars here and ride all the way TO Sleeps
head Bay Can6rsie for cents But what Is thal
to us? I'VE don't want go to Sheepshead Bay or
or any other sum. There is absolutely no local de-
mand for a road here The Nostrand-ave cars are
one block away on one side, and Tompkins-ave cars
one block in the other direction and there Is not the
slightest need of another road OF any kind here The
occupied street that would enable 1t to get down to
the ferries and to s s4as in the city of
BROOKLYN This company will not succeed in getting
the Of majority of the ,h
ants in a row OF houses have signed petition
as Commission hna presume but get fair
mission think win surely be able 10 70
road in view OF the almost united opposition against
it. we are working hard and we mean 10 win ana
ready laid win be taken up and the R0g taken coSn
And there won't be another attemP, 10 srao II IN
good many years, can assure you.