The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-18

GO SLOW! GO SLOW!
Merchants" Lie Down in
the Track of Rapid
Transit OIL Grove
Street.
WANT PAY FOR THE "FRANCHIsE''
Rage at a Baker Who Sells Bread
Cheap New Committees
Named.
WANT PAY FOR THE "FRANCHIsE''


The Merchants Protective Associa-
ton held regular meeting last night
at the Avenue House. The matter of
the North Hudson County Railway
Company's application for a franchise
to operate a trolley line on Grove street
was again the principal subject of dis
cussion.
1t was the first meeting at which the
new presiding officer, James i. Cough,
occupied the chair. He was rendered
quite an ovation.
Secretary Newton read a communica-
ton from the Retail Growers Protective
Association of Trenton, asking the Mer-
chants Association to cooperate with
them in requesting the legislature to
take cognizance of all questionable
schemes intended to frustrate honest
competition. The communication was
ordered received and filed.
vote of coincidence was extended to
the family of theeir deceasd fellow mem
Der, John B. Bruns, and the secretary In
conjunction with committee was IN
structed to draft suitable resolutions
and forward them TO the family Of the
deceased member
President Cough appointed the fol-
lowing committees for the ensuing year,
bert E. Roy, Henry Hoersch, Robert
G. Anderson, ]. w. Beach, William
Lindsay.
Beach, E. Al Kaufman, Valentine
Goelz, c. w. Riemann
Secretary Newton started the ball aroll-
ing for further agitation of the much
discussed Grove street franchise by urg-
ing the association to follow the matter
up closely and keep at the Street and
Water Board to the end so that the city
would be compensated for the use of
the street. He said that Jersey City had
long enough been made a tool of by cor
porations, that here was an opportunity
to gain five per cent. Of the railroad
company's receipts, and the association
should put itself on record against Civ
ing the franchise away.
Counsellor Anderson rehaShed the ar
meetings. He said it was a settled prin-
ciple in all large cities that these fran
chises should only be granted for sub
stantial consideration and for limited
period of time. He said that the Traction
Company paid five per cent. of its gross
receipts for operating their Newark line
from the Five Corners to the Hackensack
River and thought that that amount was
altogether too small in view of the fact
that the company paid nothing for the
other lines operated by them.
He stated that everybody in Jersey City
was opposed to granting the franchise un-
less it was to a certain extent under the
city'S control and the company agreed to
pay fair compensation for the use of
the street.
sIf there are any people who want the
company to get the franchise for nothing
they are the stockholders of the North
Hudson County Railway Company, he
James, Riley wanted to know if the
street could not be widened at the ex-
pense of a portion of the sidewalk.
no provision for widening the street in
chise'
The following resolution was then
aroussa s. Phea the o has ssn
chants Protective Association of Hud-
son county and the public press Of the
compensation to the city of Jersey City
on the grant of the franchise by said
city to a corporation desiring the
same, and also the principle that said
grants should be made for limited
period Of time only, and particularly
to the application of said principles in
the grant of the franchise prayed for
by the North Hudson County Railway
Company, now pending before the
Board of Street and Water Commits
sioners of Jersey City; and 8
Whereas, The Mayor of Jersey City
has concurrent power with the said
board in the. grant of said franchise;
therefore be it
Resolved by the Merchants Protec-
tive Association of Hudson county,
That the committee known as the
Grove Street Franchise Committee,
heretofore appointed be continued, and
that said committee be directed to
present. the resolution heretofore
adopted by this association to the
Mayor of Jersey City and to advocate
before the Mayor theeenforcement of
said principles.
James Riley wanted the association to
take action against a baker who sold a
grocer bread because said grocer sold the
bread at cost.
Henry Hoersch suggested that the as
sociation give a picnic or an excursion.
Secretary Newton thought. that all mer-
chants should unite on a certain day to
be known as Merchants Day" on which
to hold mammoth excursion. The mat
ter was referred to the Executive Com
mttee with instructions to report at the
next meeting.