The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-24
THEY ARE DANGEROUS.
Number of Witnesses Sworn at the
Hearing in the Olyphant Grade
Crossings Injunction Case.

There was hearing before Judge
Jessup in chambers yesterday in the m
junction proceedings of the Delaware
and Hudson Canal company against the
I.ackawanna Valley Traction company
and the Olyphant Suburban Traction
company. The complainant company
seeks to prevent the defendants from
crossing its tracks at grade at Dunmore
and Hudson streets in the borough OF
Olyphant. EX-Judge w. III. Jessup and
w. n. Jessup. jr, appeared FOR the
Delaware and Hudson company and eN-
Congressman Lemuel Amerman and
ex-City Solicitor |. II. Burns for the de-
PENDANTS. The evidence heard yester-
day was all offered in behalf of the COM
plainant.
Detective Martin Crippen was the
first witness sworn. He said there
We're two different routes by which the
trolley road of the defendant company
could get over the Delaware and Hud-
son tracks at Dunmore street without
crossing at grade and that there was
one feasible way for crossing at Hud
son street. He had secured options on
property that it would be necessary to
use i'm adopting these routes and he
offered to transfer the options TO the
defendants. He told of a number of
serious accidents that had occurred
where electric cars became stalled ON
steam roads when trains We're APP
preaching.
TROLLEY CAR RUN DOWN.
Attorney ]. Elliot Ross testified that
.l,;l., Ia i.lt oil Nvn
avenue i'm q trolley car 1t was run down
by train on the Johnson switch.
X. f. Mason. a civil engineer EN-
ployed by the Delaware and Hudson
company. testified that he had made
maps of the routes testified to by Mr..
Crippen and that they were feasible.
He also testified to the cost of these
routes. r. +. McDermott told of his
experience in a trolley car at Archibald
which was struck by a train. George
Roal, Charles Van Why. ID. c. Ben
scooter, $. q. Cobb John zimmerman.
Christopher Carlson. n. II. Davis. j. b.
Barker, Robert Simrell. Merritt Gard
ner. engineers. and j. II. Musselman,
fireman; William May, gateman at
Scott street crossing. Wilkes Barre:
Michael Noon, gateman at Halle street
crossing. Wilkes Barre; George Jen-
nings. John Gallagher, trainmen; NJ.
ID. Farnham. signal man at the Carbon
street crossing: Michael Needham,
motorman of Traction company; Elisha
Beers. brakeman; william Peters. car
runner on the Gravity road. and Mich
tel Mccarthy, conductor testified to the
great danger that always existed where
a trolley road crosses a steam road at
grade.
TROLLEY WIRE SAGGED.
W. F. Davenport. station agent at
Parsons, swore to an occurrence that
came under his observation. A trolley
road crosses the steam road near his
station and one day the trolley was re-
leased by its fastenngs and swagged
down. Soon after a freight train came
along and the trolley wire swept 10
the ground brakeman who was walk
ing on top of the cars. Frank Keifer
and Edward DimnIick. brakemen, who
were pulled off trains by similar trolley
wires. testified to the danger to railroad
employees that exists where q trolley
wire hangs above track.
Frank Timmins.a Delaware and Hud-
son lineman, gave it as his opinion
that no trolley wire can be erected that
is absolutely free from liability to be-
come wrenched from its fastenings and
allowed to drop down. This morning.
the remainder OF the testimony on the
part of the complainant will be heard
and in the afternoon the defendants
will offer testimony.