The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-02-22
The Trolley Franchise,

/ OLhJ vi AVA 0ctC OA babuL06y Alkhts
The Trolley Franchise.
The proposition that is to be considered
by the Board of Freeholders next Tues
day relative to granting trolley road thu
right of way through this county is at
tracing much attention and is considered
by many to be the most important ques
ton ever presented to our county COVER
nors.
/ A resident of the section through which
the road proposes to pass has sent to THE
News the following suggestions:
GAN roads that the trolley company
use must be at least so feet wide. If MOI
already of that width, to be widened a
the expense of the trolley company.
'All trolley rails must be laid 124 FEEL
from centre of road to centre of track
All rails when laid and road completed
to be level with road bed, and all switches
and turnouts to be laid so as to be con.
venient for the travelling public to cross
| at all times. No T rails to be laid. All
distractions, such as electric light, tele.
phone and telegraph poles, trees-in fact
all obstructions-to be moved, if neces.
sarY, at the expense of the trolley com.
pany.
GAIL small bridges needing strengthen.
ing or extending, shall have such i'm
provement at the expense of the trolley
company, which shall keep all small
bridges in repair at It's own expense.
"All draw bridges over which the trolley
road desires to cross must be inspected by
competent engineers to be mutually
agreed upon by the company and county.
If the decision is that the bridges are not
strong enough for the trolley and new
bridges must De built, the xpense is to be
equally divided, the trolley company to
keep the bridges in repair and place
motors on them to operate the draws.
GAN stone roads now built are to be kept
in repair by the trolley company, or the
latter to pay stipulated sum per mile for
repair of stone roads each and every year
it operates the road, the amount of mile
age to be determined by the maps of stone
roads on file with the county clerk. The
trolley company is to do all grading at
its own expense, to conform to the maps
OF the stone roads on file, and the trolley
company must be responsible for all dam
ages done to the travelling public while
the road is under construction, after com
pletion and during the entire term of it's
operation.
"AIl crossings, public or private, that are
necessary to the residents on the line OF
the road through villages, towns or farms
shall be graded by the trolley company
80 that the owners or renters of property
shall have free access to and from the
public road at all times. All ratings erect.
ed by the county if removed by the trolley
company are to be replaced by the latter.
In all township roads hereafter stoned by
the county, the trolley company must pay
one-half of the county's share and keeE
the same in repair. All roads that the
tAOIlOy NOnp6hy OOCuRAOb 6uhll WAOn bAc
trolley is completed be left so that the
travelling public can use the entire road"
A prominent taxpayer of Burlington
township. in last weeks Herald, thus ex.
presses himself:
II am not opposed to trolley roads. /
believe they are good thing, and will
help develop this section of our county
but | am opposed to giving them the right
title and interest in one half our public
roads for nothing. There has been too
much of that sort of thing done in the
past, and for one will oppose any more
of it. 1t has cost the taxpayers a good
many dollars to keep these roads in repair
and shall we practically turn them over
rent free to a foreign corporation who
give US nothing in return but the privilege
of paying our fares, and who would fight
us to the court of last resort in case we
sued them for any damage done that
might be the result of their carelessness
Suppose the steam roads asked the priv
lsge of laying tracks on our public roads
What howl there would be, and justly
SO. There is practically no difference be-
tween the two except that the trolley men
run over and MAIN more people, One
of our Chosen Freeholders told me the
other day that the trolley company was
willing to pay half the expense of rebuild.
ing and strengthening the county bridges
over which the road would be run. rs
that all p l asked He said he thought
that was enough, as the company didn
expect to make much money at the start.
told him that was the way with mos
concerns of the kind, and they were hard
er to get along with after they began Il
make money than they were before
could see by his manner that he was tax
ing a rather unusual interest in favor O
the plan, and think I'll find out before
long whether he is the agent of the people
who elected him, or of the traction com
pany. The idea then is for the county Il
give the company the roads rent free ant
pay half the expense of rebuilding thu
bridges. A beautiful prospect, surely. l
the company agreed to pay all the expen
ses and guarantee to lay stone roads on al
the thoroughfares occupied by them i
would be something like an adequate con
sideration, but even then it would maxi
the roads much narrower for the use o
vehicles. Take the road from Merchant
vile to Camden for example. Do you
suppose if the people had their time to q
over again they would give that to tn,
trolley lines? Not by great deal. Why
If farmer attempts to drive on the ca
tracks they ram car up against bis wsU
on, ring their gongs and then have hin
arrested for obstructing travel. People
will find that public road is no longe
public when the trolley companies get
foothold on it. The Board of Free
holders should 60 slow in voting sway
such valuable franchise"
Friends Home.
The members of the Soc iety of Friend
of Burlington, Mercer and adjacent coun
ties have formulated definite plans for til
opening of Friends Home" for the in
digent of their sect.
The home is to be located in Trenton o.
! the CadWalader tract. and will be opene