The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-03
Brooklyn Bridges Builder
Won't Clear the Snow
From His Sidewalk.
NOVEL QUESTION RAISED
Claims That As the Supreme Court
Says the Traction Company
Controls the Walks 1t Should
Clear the Snow Away.

TRENTON, IAN. 8, lS95.-Colonel Wash
ington Roebling, one of the m~illionaires
of es7s7 city, was a defendant in the
polirr @s5nrt on the singular charge OF
! neglecting to have the snow removed
| from the front of the magnificent Roe
cling mansion on West State street,
just beyond the State House. Colonel
Roebling was summoned by Police JUS
tlce Coulter for violating a city ordi-
nance passed six years ago, which COM
pels property n to have the snow
| removed from the sidewalk six hours
after it falls. Lately many people IN
this city nave winked at the law and
they let the snow lay, to rufle the tenn
per of pedestrians.
Acting under the advice of Mrs. Roe
bling he told his half dozen servants
to let the STOW alone. This worried
many people, because his pavement ex-
| tends $50 feet in front of his elegant
residence. 1t is located in the most
fashionable block in the city and on the
| river side, where all the fine residences
of the place can be found. There is
but a narrow path through the sheet
of snow, which is sloppy by day ana
treacherous by night:
NO DIFFERENCE TO THE ROE
BLINGSS
1t made no difference to the Colonel,
or Mrs. Roebling, for he has a stable
full of horses and electric touch buttons
innumerabIe that connect with the sta
BILE, but it did bother his ~neighbors who
had to keep to the other side of the
| street. Patrolman Charles Schenck in
vaded the Roebling mansion yesterday.
He walked by the immense stained glass
in which is the Brooklyn Bridge made
up of colored mosaics. The sight of
the brass buttons astonished the butler,
but he knew it was useless to tamper
with the law. so he informed the Colonel
and Mrs. Roebling of the caller, VINO
it coolly and Mrs. Roebling smiled ana
said:-'iWe expected it; just give us
time to consider with ex-Judge Lanning,
our counsel"
The patrolman did not think that the
Colonel would vacate his $500 house
and become a fugitive from justice, SO
he withdrew with the understanding
tina the Colonel would answer the sum
mons at the regular session of the po-
lice court. Later ex-Judge. Lanning ap-
peared and arranged with the Police
a day or two. The penalty for violat-
TRACTION OWNS THE SIDEWALK.
Colonel Roebling will fight this case
through ali the courts. He holds to the
position that he would be guilty OF con-
tempt of court if he removed that snow,
because the Supreme Court decided
when Mrs. Roebling objected to the
railroad company putting poles on her
pavement that the railroad company
had control Of the pavements. Mrs.
Roebling herself prevented the workmen
from putting up the poles, and she was
prepared to protect her property through
the entire night and only yielded when
there was indications of a small riot.
She carried the case into court, IN
which suit she was worsted by the COM
pany, and the two black poles went up
in front of her elegant home. She takes
the position that it is the railway COM
| pany's duty to keep the pavements clean,
since they have control Of them, as
stared in the opinion of the Court. It
is likely to be a celebrated case. A
number of persons were arrested for the
Same offense. The police authorities
are being criticised for the arrest OF
Colonel Roebling, charging that it is
| persecution because Colonel and Mrs.
Roebling nave become unpopular be-
| cause of their opposition to the extension
| of the trolley out State street. 1t is
| charged that there are violators much
nearer to the police station than the
Roebling mansion.