The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-20
Grand Jury to Investigate
Rumors of Bribery By
The Rutherford
Company.
MAYOR FAGAN VERY BITTER
A Crime to Grant a First Street
Franchise and Refuse one
On Washington.

Mayor Lawrence Pagan, City Clerk Mo-
Dermott and Aldermen Murray, Sturker
and Fox of Hobol1en have been subpoe-
naed to appear before the Grand jury
and testify as to what they know rela-
tive to the rumors of bribery in con-
nection with the granting Of a franchise
to the Rutherford Trolley Company
through First and Second streets. Ho-
boken
The Jersey City, Hoboken and Ruther-
FORD Railway Company has been trying
to get into Hoboken for the past two
years, and until very recently it looked
as If it would never succeed. Only one
or two of the eight Councilmen were
in favor of granting the company a
franchise, while the others were bitterly
opposed to it.
w men the matter came up a few weeks
ago, to the surprise of the lobby and
the public, the ordinance passed it's first
reading and now it seems sure to pass
Its second and final reading, as the ma
Jority of the Councilmen told a Jersey
City News reporter that they would
vote in favor of it.
Mayor Pagan, when seen by reporter.
thls morning, relative to the franchise,
said
Il am most certainly opposed to allow
ing the Rutherford people or any other
concern to come through First or Sec
ond streets. l have always been against
II and take the same stand today that 1
did when the company first applied for
franchise. The streets are too narrow
TO permit of even a single track. Be
sides the Rutherford road has offered
no inducements to the city They do
nol no. look fayorably upon the widening Of
accomplished. and they want eyeryihinS w
for f nothing; They could come down the
Hfbalers9hn fbroh FLANK road to Newark street.
5nrough to Bloomfield street. with a
double track by widening the street from
willow avenue to Bloomfield street and
IRON IRON Bloomfleld to the ferry. which is
aiong with ngle track.
Il am not opposed to the trolley sys-
e. lem go coming into HoboRen if it viii bene-
lt the city any way, but 1 do not see
how this road can possibly be a benefit
by coming, in through streets which are
hardly wide enough for TWO large trucks
Why here is the North Hudson Coun-
tty Railroad Company trying for the past
their Washington street line from horse
power, to the trolley system, and the
fSanci fpsn has ao refused ,sin to grant it, Yet
corporation to gobble up one of our best
streets, which the people are almost
how the council can conscientiousiy vote
TO give this Rutherford Company fran
'4The company has misrepresented to
the the people everything it intends 10 do.
exit out of Hoboken, namely the Pater-
son Plank road, and now it wants to
steal one of our best business streets.
Yes, It is surprising TO me how the
Council can grant to the Rutherford
kailroad the right to run cars on First
and Second streets. where the people are
entirely opposed to it, and not grant to
the North Hudson County Railroad Com
pany right to run trolley cars on
Washington street where the people are
in favor of it,"
Councilman Offerman in an interview
trolley but voted against it at first be-
cause Mayor Fagan asked me to. The
Mayor at that time was looking for
second term, and he said If the company
got the franchise it would interfere with
his election
When Mayor Fagan was made acquainted
with what Mr.. Offermann said. he laughed
and said that he had told Offermann that
if he voted for the franchise he would de-
feat him (Offermann) for the councilship.
Couneilmen Murray and Capell wers
very guarded in expressing their opinions.
but seemed in favor of the trolley. Coun-
Gilman Timken is decidedly opposed to it,
while the others. Councilmen Fox Snyder,
Weinthal, Sturken and Offermann are in
favor of it, providing the city is compen-
sated.
The Rutherford people have offered s20-
600 to the city in consideration of the fran
chise. but Chairman Ti.nken thinks the
sum entirely too small He. like the
Mayor, also thinks the Council will do
wrong in granting the franchise. when
Hudson County Railway one through
washington street