New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-25
STOLE 4 JERSEY ROAD.
A TROLLEY COMPANY'S BOLD MOVE UN-
DER COVER OF DARKNESS

STRING THE WIRES IN DEFIANCE or THE
ORDERS Oh THE COURTS ,yD THE
PROTESTS or PROPERTY
OWNERS
Somerville y. j.. oct. 24-Bridgewater Town
ship. between this place and the Borough of
Bound Brook. the scene Of fierce contest
day. The Sheriff and other peace officers were
defied and driven from the ground writ Of
Certorari dsregarded; tn, protests Of prop
erty owners and township officials were scored
at, and men who sought to prevent the laying or
railroad tracks through the Eastern Pike were
overawed and driven awa".
Three years ago the New-York and Phlade:-
phia Traction Company obtaired Il franchise to
build trolley road along the Eastern Turnpike
After the franchise was granted Il was found
that under the decisions Of the courts the fran
chise could not hold water and n year or so
ago the company put in application for n new
franchise 1t had to obtain the signatures OF the
property owners and more than one-half con
sented. Then the Brunswick Traction Company
Of New Brunswick. came into tho field with an
application for permission to build road over
the route The two companies met
before the Bound Brook Borough Board and
there fought out long battle. Bound Brook
finally declared for the Brunswick Company.
The battle-ground the.. transferred TO
Brdgewater Township. No franchise, except
the invalid one. has been granted but tonight
the rails down and by daylight car will be
| running over the route.
THE ATTACK on THE ROAD.
From the Somervi,ie Township line 70 Bound
Brook is about two and one-half miles. II is
ove- this stretch that the battle was fought to-
day. Last night train left Baltimore cTcr the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bearing IA com
pete outfit for building two and half miles
OF road trolley car all ready to be set on the
rails and force ol about one thousand laborers.
with foremen and engineers. They arrived at
Findernc at 1l:40 last night and roceedcd to
the turnpike This was the first n;imation that
any one at Finderno or anywhere e'se in Bridge
water Township with possible single eXcep-
tion, knew of the contemplated move. Wien
| the laborers arrived upon the road, Peter Luna
berger Of Bridgewater. who favored the Bruins
wick Company. htched up horse ana started
for the house of Edward Radel. president Of the
Brunswick Company. In New-Brunswick MI.
| Rade went at once before Justice Ludlow, or
| the Supreme Court and caused n writ OF GER
| tiorar to be issued. This a few minutes
before II O'Clock At midnight Mr. Radei started
for Bridgewater The writ was served, and the
crowd of farmers and villagers who gathered
to the scene expected TO see the attacking force
| called off.
THE SHERIFF'S ORDERS DEFIEp.
| They were never more mistaken. The writ
was slowed away, and the work went on with
| renewed vigor. The members OF the Township
| Committee were reused out OF bed and demand
made that they protect the township. The few
peace officers OF the township were poweress. so
! message was sent this place summonng
hari6 rLnf1 he rlpac
and eject the intruders. The Sheriff summoned
his deputies and went to the sceEe. He was
laughed at and the work went on. Then the
Sheriff summon d more men to act as special
deputies. and finally had fifty men under him.
This force was totally pOwerless and except for
a few arrests could do nothing. President Ra-
del sent to New Brunswick and gathered his
employees and he soon had fifty men on hand
His object was to prevent the building Of the
road in front OF farm owned by him. This
stretch Of about thousand feet was left 10y
the Baltimore men until this afternoon and then
attacked. The Rade men were driven Off and
no attention was paid TO them. The New Bruins
wick men could offer no resistance. as they were
nutnumbered ten TO one. The road was ripped
up and the rails went down.
POWER FROM a PRIVATE HOUSE
Where the power with which t. operate the
road was to come from was What puzzled all
but those in the secret In Findern lives John
c. Shaw a New-York lawyer. His place Is one
Of the largest and handsomest in Somerset
County. Consequently the residents OF the VII
lagc were not surprised when. "a short time ago,
q dynamo arrived from NeW-York ana was set
up on his place. 1t was supposed to be for the
purpose of supplying light on Mr Shaw's place.
There Is doubt now that the dynamo
primarily intended TO furnish Jower for the
electric road. At any rate. II connected
t,-its7 x1rf ic and ,t l,..
turned on before daylight.
The members OF the Township Committee SAID
| that they We're pow Werless IN the face Of such IA
display OF force. to do anything, and would
reckon with the Philadelphia coinpany later.
When the New-Brunswick men reached the
scere. 1t was expected there would be trouble,
but Mr. Radel did not cali Il sufficient number
Of men 10 make any forci5c resistance. Hadel
said this evening that he called his men for The
stard'ng it would give him In regard TO the rails
! laid in front OF his properly. As to tearing up
the rails. he would not attempt such "A thing.
| The rails put dowa in front Of his place
/ and all along the road while the Philadelphia
COMPANY wa under an injunction laid upon
/ them b. Justice Ludlow. When they proceeded
with the work. 70 his mind. they placed them
selves IN the position OF defiance to the Supreme
Court He believed the Court was powerful
enough 10 support its DEGREES. ana that the ac-
! tion OF the Philadelphia road would be resented
! I'm such a manner that New Jerseys Supreme
| Court would earn for itself the respect and fear
| of every
| The tracks will have to be guarded during the
! next few days. there IS more than n possi-
put the rails down will leave here early in the
| morning.
CHURCH DEDICATED ~ ROVE, v. y.