The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-03
MAYOR HEWITT HOT.
Hearing Before the Senate
Committee on the Erie
Bill.
Special to the Jerscu Cstsy Neacs.

TRENTON, March 8, 1896. .-Ex-Mayor
Abram S. Hewitt of New York appeared
before the Senate Committee on Rail-
roads and Canals and spoke for the bill
which legalized the lease of the Green
wood Lake Road to the Erie. He said
that he became President of the road
seventeen years ago. 1t was formerly
station of the Midland Railroad. 1t
was organized in 1870, and failed in 1878.
He accepted the receivership without
compensation. Then the road could not
earn its operating expenses At his re-
quest the Court relieved him of the re-
ceivership and Garret A. Hobart succeed
ed him. A new road called the Mont
clair and Greenwood Lake Railroad was
organized and spent seven hundred thou
sand dollars and failed Mr. Hobart
again became receiver. In the meantime
debts piled up and it was practically
abandoned.
Mr.. Hewitt said he thought the road
could be made ito pay, and he took hold
of it again. 1t was wreck, and he had
to raise over 100000 to pay its expenses
Not dollar has ever been paid to the
stockholders, as all the monty had been
paid to employees. One Of the causes of
the roads bankruptcy was the terminal
Hewitt made arrang gements whereby no
terminal charges were made. When the
Erie was reorganized the Greenwood
Lake. road was notified that it would
nave to pay the terminal charges. Then
he made the proposition that the Erie
lease his road. # this, bill passed the
lettering the road.
Mr.. Hewitt said he was astonished
when he was told that the bill had
garded as most peculiar He Thought
that New Jersey had got beyond the
old idea that assacrffice must be offered
that the tracks should be elevated in
Jersey City, but he saw no reason why
the inha6itants OF Essex and Passaic
cause Jersey City could not get what
it wants.
THE friends of Jersey CITY," he said,
million dollars cannot be spent for
them a half million cannot be spent
for the benefit of the patrons of this
Mr.. Hewitt emphasized the point that
unless the bill passed the sum of So, ,000,-
900 could not be raised for his road. Mr.
Hewitt then became warmed up and
For one I object to being made the
l,in nlGlm Ira Gf Local interest represent the
% They have rshfs % and # iey Is yor ~ rhiwag 1w Y
protect their invested property.
When Mr.; Hewitt had finished James
fAlieu, tue I1rle SSeats SAID lnat the road
was not really interested in the bill.
Would not the Erie be benefited by
the passage of this bill?'' asked Senator
DAILY Mr.. Allen broke in and said
Mr.. voohees then wanted to know what
was the cause of Mr.. Aliens great So
licitude for the. BILL Mr.. Hewitt corro-
borated Mr.. Allen. This led to a run
ning discussion between Mr. Hewitt and
Mr.. Voorhees, to show how the Erie would
be benefited by the bill
But you come here's asking for fa-
vor," said Mr. Voorhees,.
No. sir: ask for no favor of New
Jersey shouted Mr.. Hewitt throwing
his papers into his silk hat with bang
But there is such a thing as justice, and
] demand justice, and corporation is
entitled to justice as much as an individ-
ual.''
Yes, but justice should be for the
highest as well as the lowest" replied
Mr.. VOORHEES,, "and that is what we
Senator DAILY next spoke. He referred
to great citizens meetings at St. Lucy's
Hall. Jersey City and the resolutions
adopted there urging the Legislature not
to report the bill until track elevation
The tracks. he said. would continue to
be menace to life and property as long
as they were at grade. Life was endari-
gered every time a train Is run over the.
railroad. He declared that the railroad
had never conferred any benefits on Jer-
sey City. The property between the
erie tracks and the Hobokan line was 4
market until the cracks are elevated.
The end to be achieved 5l1stIfied the.
lnAans the friends of elevation were TAX
inn. s