The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-11
BACKING GOOD BILLS
Hearings on Erie Track
Elevation and Trolley
Reform Measures.
THE GROVE STREET SLAUGHTER PEN
Transfer, Stations, ytstibuIe Cars
and Heat-Hobokep and
North Hudson Griey-
ances.
THE GROVE STREET SLAUGHTER PEN
Nnecia1J etnc .resaeu elm Ne,us.

2 tAte<A A-A "a
the session took place yesterday afternoon
bsfore the Committee on Railroads and
Canals, when the members solemnly listened
to arguments in favcr of Mr.. Fleming's bill
for the elevation of the Erie railroads tracks
through Jersey City. Mr.. Fleming opened
the proceedings by stating that the bill was
the same as that which passed the House
last year and met its death in the Senate,
and that bill the Erie railroads representa-
tves said was satisfactory to them. Mr..
Allen, who represents the Erie in the third
House, said it was not the same bill. Al dis
c assion followed, which was settled by pl o.
c ring the two bills n comparing them. 1t
" IS found that they were almost identical.
Mr.. George McEwan, brother of the Con
gresham, made a long argument IN favor of
the measure. He said the question of abol-
j hing grade crossings was now agitatins
tn, people Of the State, and if the Fleming
bill was passed it would settle the problem
as far as Jersey City was concerned. as the
Erie was the only road which still main
tanned grade crossings in the city. He read
a number of decisions by the courts to show
that it was the duty of the railroads to
change their means of protection at cross
ings as the danger increased. The Erie
Railroad had received its franchise from the
State without any cost, and it was no hard
ship to make it pay for the elevation of its
tracks. He showed that Grove Street was
probably the main thoroughfare of Jersey
City after Newark Avenue, and spoke of the
large number Of foot passengers. teams and
horse car traffic which utilized that street
every day. He said that injury to life
and limb at that crossing was great and
quoted from a letter which Andrew j. Cor
coran ent to the committee last winter IN
which he set forth in detail tn deaths which
had occurred during the year. He said that
during a certain portion of the day fifty
locomotives cross the Grove Street cross
ing every hour. Not only We're life
and limb and property endangered at
the crossing, but the delay to bust
ness by blocking the crossing with
trains. was considerable. The Pennsylvania
Railroad Company had elevated its tracks at
its own cost in Jersey City, Metuchen, and
Elizabeth, and depressed them in Trenton.
and the Central Railroad had lone the same
in Elizabeth and Bayoane. Mr.. McEwan
argued that the existing avs applied to the
Erie as well as to the other roads and it
should be compelled to abolish its grade
crossings.
He next referred to the proposition of the
railroad company that Jersey City should
bear a portion OF the expense of elevating
the tracks. He said that as the company's
lines were much lower than those of the
citizen it was preposterous for its
y II A,~a- - --l- %I> 49,. -
making an improvement which the law com
pels them to make. Mr.. McEwan dwelt at
some length upon the recent reorganization
of the Erie and said that tine company ought
to be made put up it's tracks because after it
had taken life and damaged limb and prop
erLy, it had a way of getting out OF paying
damages. When a large numbe OF judy
nents had been recovered against it, it had
q reorganization n wiped out all those
just claims
Mr.. Allen asked Mr.. McEwan to produce
figures and statistics to prove his statements
concerning the loss of life and damages done
at the Grove Street and other crossings in
Jersey City and Mr. McEwan rep led that
he would. Mr.. Alien was asked If he had
anything to say mi replied that he under
that there were others who wished to
speak in favor of the bill and he preferred
to wait until they had all spoken and he
would then reply to all.
Chairman Lower asked Mr.. McEwau to
produce the figures Nh. Allen had asked for,
at the next hearing which he liked for Mon
Gay night after the session. The committee
adjourned.
Another hearing by the Committee on
lrcads and G n ais occu red Immediately
aIter the ADJOURNMENT of tno 44opse. 1t was
to bills 43, A and a.. introduced by
Bauer. of Hudson. No. IS was first taxi
up. It requires all surface railways tnot
steam railways,) to erect and maintain wait
ing rooms and transfer stations. Mr.. Bauer
a strong plea for the bill, mentioning
Hoboken as The most effective illustration OF
The neglect OF the car companies to provide
proper accommodations for their patrons.
Hundreds of men, women, boys and girls,
returning home at night were Obliged to
III all sorts of weaJner on the sidewalks
E9r cars from the Barclay street ferry and
the same state OF affairs existed at the trans
tsr points.
Bill No. A limits street car fare to five
cents on a continuous trip. On this Mr..
Bauer referred TO the peculiar methods Of
fares on lines running into Hobo
ken ana controlled by the North Hudson
Railway company. he said that one line
from kriepslen's hotel near the dividing
line between hudson and Bergen counties.
for the Hoboke ferry anu the
trip costs Jep cents, While on the par
allel lin running along Bergenline avenue
and to the Fourteenth street. ferry. with
OF transfer to the Washington
street line q ride costs only five cents.
1.-The inconsistency i'll fares works a great
to the poor people living along the
line running from kriepsien's notel,n said
Mr.. Bauer, land the Legislature ought to
force the company to charge a reasonable
Bin No. Is, which provides for
the proper heating and ventilation