The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-25
per year, and to make absolutely clear

per year, and to make absolutely clear
the question Of transfers.
eThe proper course to pursue was to Sc
cure proper transfers rather than a small
tax continued Mr.. Edwards. 9Th
company has also promised to keep the
streets sprinkled, and that will cost the
company thousands of dollars. which ex-
penditure must necessarily be a vast i'm
provement to the storekeepers of the city.
The company, unfortunately. has not paid
dividends for many years. and a great
| deal of its obligations are still outstand-
ing. The great bulk of the property own
ers on Grove street and ~storekeepers Of
the city have petitioned the company for
the change.
Il haye stated said Mr.. Edwards,
some things the company will do, and
] am now going to say something which
the company wont do. 1t has an absolute
right on Grove street. and it is not going
to pay a tax for twenty years and then
have no rights at all. That Is a species
of c~onhscation which means anarchy, and
is not the view Of this company. MI.
Anderson having referred to my equal
taxation speech, / want to say that |
had no fault to find with the North Hud-
son Company, for of all tie companies
which dealt fairly with Jersey City, the
North Hudson was the one. 1t asks no
favors, but is willing to pay. and has paid
the same tax as the individual"
Mr.. James e. Banks, of the Merchants
Association, insisted on a percentage on
gross receipts and a limited term OF
years.
President Myron j. Furst, of the Board
of Trade, who also represented the busi-
ness men of the lower part Of the city.
said it was an uniication Of two com
munities which should be regarded as a
principle of great moment. There was
no question that the North Hudson mad a
vested right in Grove street, but there
were certain matters to be considered be-
fore placing the tax on the as
fixed by the objections to the petition. He
advocated splitting the roposed five per
cent. tax. He would like to ask Mr.. An-
ders0n what lie would charge on a street
through which no trolley had run De-
fore3
MIR. Anderson made another speech, in
which he said 8 per cent. was the approxl-
mate sum, and he woul oppose any
shaving OF that sum.
you don't want to let him get away
with it?H interposed Commissioner Nolan,
amid general laughter.
President Furst said that the company
had fifty-five miles of lines and two miles
in Jersey City, therefore they should be
taxed 21a per cent. OF POO of the gross re-
ceipts, and that would give $3.50 for the
year, and It would grow more
DO understand, ~interposed Mr.. Bolt
wood, that President FuTst of the Board
Of Trade differs from Mr.. Furst, the
business merchant
II beg your pardon" said Mr.. Furst,
but i preside over the meetings of the
Board OF Trade and am not responsible
for individual opinions ".
aI'm getting tired of this DR.. Jeykll
and Mr.. Hyde way. OF opposing one Ihlng
and Advocating the ordinance as a busl-
ness merchant, said Commissioners Boit-
wood. warmly. You formerly asked that
it should be put through Without cost ana
now you ask for d tax.
Mr.. Furst quietly ~retorted that he APP
peared as a business merchant, and ne
had a light to give his views in hat ca
pacity. and he proposed to exercise 1t
Whenever he saw fit. Mr.. Boltwood's I'M
Outstanding to the contrary notwithstand-
Mr.. Fred Klein hoped that the company
would agree to pay a percentage. He
disapproYed of the attitude of the COM
parly, which said. "WeIl give you this or
no more He believed. however, hat the
company would recognize the interests OF
the city and the Importance OF paying a
fair tax for a franchise.
Lawyer George FL. Holmes, attorney for
the mpan regretted that only associa-
lions and not individuals were present at
the hearing He proceeded to review the
dfnanee and cited the action of the Su-
preme Court in regard to trolleys, which,
he declared absurd. Mr.. Holmes SAID
that there was a grave legal question.
whether the city had any right to prevent
the . from putting a trolley on
Grove street where its rights were un-
questioned, but the company recognizing
tie tone Of opinion of citizens, Il not
willing to ~antagonize the people, was
wiling to give the sum of 5000, sprinkle
the streets and perfect the system of
transfers as a concession and only on that
ground.
The hearing was adjourned until next
Monday afternoon. Later when the
Board went into its business session the
proposed ordinance was introduced.