The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-09
FRANCHISE PASSED.
Hoboken coulicilmen Hear
Some Spicy Allega-
tons by Angry
Citizens.
TROLLEY LINES FOR FIRST STREET
North Hudson County Railroad
May Run Stages Through
the Streets.
TROLLEY LINES FOR FIRST STREET

At the meeting of the Hoboken Com
mon Council, yesterday afternoon, the
ordinance granting a franchise to the
Jersey City, Hoboken Rutherford
Railroad Company to operate a trolley
line through First street. passed its Sec
ond and final reading. by a vote of . to
:, Councilmen offerman. CapellL, Sturck-
en-. Snyder and Fox voted in the affir-
NATIVE and Councilman Murray and
Chairman TimkenLvoted in the negative.
Councilman Weiathaf was absent, but if
he had been presenT-the vote would have
been six in the afirmAtive, as he has
expressed himself right zralong as being
in favor of granting the franchise.
When Chairman Thinker asked the old
familiar question, if anyone was. present
who objected TO the trolley. one of the.
old timers. Henry Wilson, who has made.
himself quite famous in that city by
his numerous speeches against the road
at the Council meetings, stepped within
the enclosure and handed a memorandum
to ex-Judge A. 1. Smith, counsel for
the company, which had the result of
the conference between Leader Schflling
of the directors and Mr.. Tom Jordan of
the company. upon 1t.
Ex-Judge Smith explained the note by
saying that the company had agreed
not ton begin to construct the road right
away providing the franchise was
granted yesterday, hut would wait until
some fnal settlement had been made
regarding the widening of the street. In
the meantime. however, the company,
Mr.. Smith said, would use Third street
if the Council would allow them.
eff all the Third Sfraot Draperty ho1d-
ers came up here and objected it would
be no use. said Mr.. Wilson. sWhy,
you can't find five on First street who
are infavor of the road. They are all
crying against it."
Councilman Snyder interrupted him
saying that two years ago nearly every
property owner on the street and signed
1T. -
Mr.. Wilson replied that a good many
had signed it illegally. Continuing, he
said
.Creyier signed away 12O feet of prop
erty which he was only agent for and
a nunber4of others did the same thing
Another case of an illegal signature was
that OF an Old woman seventy years of
age, who owns a little house way dowr.
near the meadows. She said she would
sign providing Blackwell, a neighbor of
hers, signed. The agents told her that
Blackwell was in league with the North
Hudson County Railway Company and
that that company was doing all in is
power to prevent them from getting the
franchise. That is a lie, for / know
Blackwell never was interested in the
matter either way, more than any other
property holder who objected to the road.
That is only one case of rascality out
OF a dozen l could name and they can't
deny it."
At the conclusion of the harangue. ex-
Judge Smith said that if the compan
didn't lave the majority of the signers
they didn't want the franchise
But" he added, they have the ma
jority and the people are clamordng for
the road"
During the session several discussions
arose between Councilman O~ffermann.
who is the champion of the trolley road,
and Chairman Thinker and Councilmen
was for p~ostponing the matter again,
but Mr.. Ofermann wouldn't lave it and
ne gained his end by pushing it through.
Mr. SNYDER objected to granting the
company a right to run a stage line
through the city, when Mr.. Offermann
presented the resolution to that effect,
five minutes to explain to Mr.. Snyder
the great benefit the stages would be to
the people. 1t made no difference to
Mr. Snyder, however, and he voted
however, and the ordinance allowing the
compan a right to run stages through
the city passed its first reading.
Chairman Thinker in voting against the
franchise, said that he did not oppose
rapid transit coming into the city, but
he did object to It coming into First
street, as he did not think it the proper
street. ~ kH
At noon today the company set a force
Of about 500 men at work laying rails and
erecting poles for the new road. The
work was begun at the Paterson Plank
Road sonsthe city line, and will be pushed
forward as rapidly as possible, gangs
being kept at work continually night and
day. 1t is expected to nave cars running
tosthe Hoboken ferry by Saturday. This
energetic action is said to have been
taken to anticipate any action by the
courts with a view to reviewing the
granting of the right of way through
First street.