The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-13
WHERE ARE We At?
Lafayette Association Not
Agreed About the Lehigh
Grade Crossing.
LIVELY MEETING OF CITIZENS
Committee Will Make a House
to House Canvass to AS
certain Views About
the Tracks.

Building and Loan Association Hall on
Wilton street last night to discuss the
proposition of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
that in exchange for the privilege of
crossing Conlmunipaw avenue at grade
with It's tracks it viii lower the grade of
the new Pacific avenue bridge twenty
two inches.
The meeting was called by the Citizens
Association. that there might be a free
discussion of views on the subject. If dis
cussion was what was desired the meet
ing was a tremendous success. Those
present talked from eight O'Clock until
after midnight and when they were
through they were no nearer agreeing on.
the matter than they were before the
meeting began. At times the discussions
were heated and interruptions were fre-
quent.
Two gentlemen in the audience almost
came to blows. Ex-Mayor Oliver, of
Bayonne. an extensive property owner in
that section, was taking, when a man in
the back of the room, not member of
the association. interrupted him repeat
edly with insinuating and annoying re-
marks. Finally Mr.. divers son. who
was with him. rose and ordered the med
dler to keep still. In spite of the hot
discussions and differences of views the
meeting broke up in harmonious man
ner and men who opposed each other Bit
terly on the floor in the heat Sof debate
walked off arm in arm.
The meeting resulted in the appoint
ment Of a committee of eight members
whose duty it will be to circulate petit
tions among all the property owners of
Lafayette, and find out how they stand on
the subject of a grade crossing for Com
munipaw avenue. and the proposition of
the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The mem
bers of the committee, who were appoint
ed by DR.. Lampson, President of the as
sociation, are
George Snyder, Aldorandi, Edward f.
Smith Henry Wittpenn, Daniel Black.
George Fountain, George Bunnell. Frank
Radcfiff. The men are about evenly di-
yided as to their views on the subject.
Each committeeman Will be provided with
TWO petitions. One will be In favor of
granting the concessions the Lehigh Val
ley Railroad ask and the other will be in
opposition to the grade crossing. The
committeeman will canvass every street
in Lafayette, Each property owner viii
be given the two petitinns and asked TO
sign that petition which expresses his
views. The committeeman are supposed
to refrain from advising one way or the
other In this way It is hoped that fair
expression of opinion will be obtained.
Each man will be entitled to one vote
for each lot he owns. No person not
property owner Will be asked to sign the
petitions.
DR.. Lampson during the meeting stated
that Mayor Hoos would probably sign
the property owners in Lafayette were
in favor of it, but not otherwise. The
petitions when completed will be present
ed to Mayor Hoos and the members of
the Street and Water Board.
The discussion last night was opened
by F'reeholder zumbusch, who TRACED
cifc avenue bridge, which he was largely
instrumental in obtaining He rehearsed
the fight over the grade which was. car
ried into the higher courts and which re-
Court that the Lehigh Valley Railroad
was entitled to a clearance of ten feet
at all parts OF the bridge.
THE engineers, said Mr.. ZumbuSch,
decided that in order to pass under the
trestle of the National Storage Docks
road 1t was almost impossible to give the
length Of so feet. The Lehigh Valley
finally consented to come down in its de-
mands and to be content with clear
ance of 10 feet for only. % feet Of the
way. We finally succeeded in getting per-
mission to lower the north side of the
bridge four feet in order to get clear
ance for loaded trucks and trolley cars
Mr.. Zumbusch then pointed out that
the improvement would be great boon
to truckmen and advised that the grade
crossing be granted the Lehlgh Valley In
return Tor CnS lowered pIIlEG.s w III d
lower bridge the grade OF Pacific avenue
from Johnston avenue to the canal would
be an easy one.
George Snyder who owns an apartment
house on Monitor street, delivered long
diatribe on how a grade crossing across
Communfpaw avenue would atfeet the
property he owns and that of his neigh
borss In the course of his remarks he
said that Commissioners Hauck Smith
and Nolan would sign for the grade cross
ing but that he did not believe Mayor
Hoos. would.
Mr. Hauck's brother and several other
gentlemen who were In the room took ex-
ception to his remarks and made him re-
tract them He finally admitted that It
was merely his opinion that those gentle
Captain Bouker spoke against the grant
ing of the grade crossing He said he did
not see how anyone not an employe of the
railroad could be in favor of it. If the
grade of Pacific avenue was wrong and
needed changing he believed in changing
it, but not at the cost of running the old
est thoroughfare in the county IF you
vote for grade crossings he said, you
vote for the sacrificing of human life"
Edward Smith said that the Lehigh Val
ley Railroad if it was permitted to cross
eff, st gra n ib neW oa Il Woud
bring hundreds of wDrkmen to Lafayette
and would fili the houses and stores now
When When Mr.. William ID. Edwards arose to !
talk on the subject. George Snyder, who
had just preceded him with a second
speech jumped up and asled:-
s.Nhat business are you IN s'
Il am a lawyer by profession said |
Mr.. Edwards in his most courteous man |
i'ssy .s5vho are you persisted Snyder.
II am William d. Edwards. Who are
your retorted Mr.. Edwards,
II am a locomotive fireman, replied |
0nf NJ. Edwards continuing, as if he had
never been Interrupted, said:-"A grade