The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-05
run BY TROLLEY.
Assembly Kills a Bill to
Make Companies Pay for
Their franchises.
NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE
Republicans in Both Houses the
Mere Tools Of Corporations
Adjournment Drawing
Near.
NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE
Special ! ,the Jersey cifv Nc,ra.

TRENTON. March 8, 1896.--The com
plete name in which the big corpora
tons have this Legislature under their
thumbs was emphasized again in the
House yesterday Afternoon. Mr.. Reeds
bill ~forbidding any municipal authorities
from giving trolley. companies franchises
unless the companies pay $1,000 for single
track and $4,000 per mile for double track,
came up on final passage. Mr.. Reed
made a mastery speech in favor of his
bill. He is n of the most forcible talk
ers in the House and received the close
attention of all the members. No doubt
the ttrolleys had been beneficial. he said,
in developing rural territory. but he
thought the turning point had been
reached and the time had come when
municipalities must place a value upon
the franchises they gave away. In the
mad rush to secure trolley lines munich
palities had given away everything and
now they were rushing to the Legisla-
ture to get back some of the rights they
had in their overzealousness thrown
away. His bill. he insisted, struck at
the root of the evil, and was intended to
put the municipalities in complete con-
troll of trolley lines hereafter constructed.
~Assemblyman Roll. who is a trolley en-
thusiast from Union county. and has
got one of those sub-cel.ar voices, rich
and mellow, spoke against the bill.
Gentlemen. this is a bad BILL" he be-
gan in a voice which caused the timid
ladies in the gallery TO start. Then he
launched forth into a good. old-fashion-
ed stump speech on the theme 1.-The troll
leys are the poor mans carriages He
was glad to champion the cause of the
trolley companies because they We're the
developer of the suburbs and rapid tran.
sit for the poor people. He knew OF
many localities in New Jersey where the
trolley was wanted, and wanted badly,
to go down in their pockets to bring
the trolley line down to doors.
AssembIyman Harvey said that the
hla wns IN me eas llne Mr. # G sSinnsr t SplsEst
the bill was a good one and he wanted
1T to take in the Board of Freeholders of
Mr.. Reed said that the Freeholders;
which referred to governing bodies; :,
tu MT, H1 oSer a themse ehaa to ofn grant I privf.
leges. but when those privileges were
once granted they were enlarged through
legislation until TIE people wondered now
taking possession Of the principal roads
and nnd.h filing e then sha W gatme tracks He to e the ani
sooner or later they. would have tracks
on Hudson's two million boulevard.
Mr.. Benedict of Essex favored the bill
and invited its opponents to come to
Newark and see the "a the trolley
companies had gobbled up the streets
there.
The bill was not strong enough in the
estimation of Mr.. Three Gem Fare Bull
lock. He thought 1t SHOULD have in
cluded three cents fares during commits
SIGN hours, a seat for every rider, vesti-
buled platforms. The Speaker immedi-
ately called the gentleman to order and
aid he must speak IN the bill and not
go wandering off on side issues.
Mr.. Roll returned to the attack of the
bill. He blushed, he said, for the mem
bers from Hudson, Essex and Middlesex,
who opposed trolley lines. Newark was
about to expend a large sum for parks.
but of what use were the parks if the
poor man could not get there in a troll
ley car. Mr.. Benedict would ride there
in his buggy. but the poor mar could
walk.
Several others spoke against the meas
ure. and Assemblymen C~oddington and
Mullin supported the bill.
The vote was taken and was very close.
Mr.. Reed called for absentees and moved
9. call of the House In short time Mr..
Robertson, who always comes to the
rescue Of the corporations, moved the
call be suspended, and the Clerk an
bounced the vote to be % for and 2S
against the measure.
cry I