The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-11-24
HELD SPECIAL
SESSION.
FreehOIderS Met to Consider Re-
quest Of Electric Light Co.

MOnth-Littie More than a Week
Had Expired Since this Action
Resolution of 1895 Rescinded
and New One Passed.
A special meeting of the Board of
Freeholders was held on Monday pre-
sumably for the benefit Of the Morris
County Electric Company At its
previous meeting the Board had laid
over until the next regular session
resolution which was destined to ex-
tend to the Electric Company the
privilege of making necessary excava-
tions in the county roads passing
through Morristown. The applicants
did not wait for this resolution to be
passed granting permission to lay
wires but had force of men at work
on Madison avenue until restraining
injunction was served on Saturday.
This latter action was the outcome of
a suit begun in Chancery by the
Board.
the opening of county roads was read
by the secretary. Mr.. Hoagland asked
if the company had complied with the
terms of this resolution and Counsel
replied that the applicants had not.
They had failed to file the proper
bond.
Mr.. Cook interposed that the com
pany had ought to present map of
the work contemplated when appli-
cation was made to the Board. He
thought that, as the company in ques-
tion had waited two years after OBJ
tanning privilege before it began
specified work, that it could certainly
wait two weeks for the next regular
meeting to occur. He moved to lay
the matter over for two weeks but
the motion was favored by only three
members, Messrs. Cook, Squire and
Smith.
Senator Pitney appeared before the
Board in behalf of the Electric Com
pany and explained that the delay in
waiting for action by the county
authorities meant severe loss to his
clients. 1t was heavy expense to
lay conduits and heavier item when
men were kept waiting pending liti-
cation. The company wanted to COM
plete the work with the approval of
the Freeholders and surely the county
authorities would prefer underground
wires to the erection of poles.
Upon motion the resolution of 1895
was recinded by unanimous vote.
That resolution was as follows:
Resolved, That hereafter all persons
desiring to open any portion of the
County roads for the purpose of lay
ing gas or water pipes or for any
other purpose whatsoever shall before
doing so, obtain from the Chosen
Freeho1ders of the township, city,
borough or ward permit in writing
for that purpose.
And, Resolved, That before grant
ing of any such permit the person or
corporation applying for the same
shall enter into bond in such sum and
with such sureties as shall be approx
ed by the County Engineer, condition
ed for the replacing of said road
wherever opened in the same condi-
tion it was in prior to the opening
thereof.
The Board next passed a resolution
which was introduced by Mr.. Dal-
rymple. 1t is as follows:
Whereas, ON the sixth day of May,
1898, the Board of Aldermen of Nor
ristown passed and the Mayor of said
town approved certain ordinance
granting permission to the Morris
County Electric Company to lay and
maintain underground conduits,
cables, wires and manholes for cleo
trical conductors in certain of the
streets, avenues and public places of
said town, under which ordinance
the said company has been and will
be obliged to open certain streets and
highways which have been adopted
as county roads by this Board
And, whereas, the said company has
filed with the clerk of this Board
bond in the penal sum of $3, 900, con
ditional for restoring said roads to
the same condition they were in prior
to the opening thereof.
NOW bu6TeIOTe. De III resolved, Indb
the consent of the Board of Chosen
Freeholders be and the same is hereby
granted to said Morris County Elec-
trio Company and its successors and
assigns, to open the county roads
within the limits Of the town of Nor
ristown so far as permitted or requir-
ed by the said ordinance and to lay
down and maintain it's system of un-
derground conduits, cables, wires and
manholes in the saidH county roads,
and to maintain and operate the same
for purposes of electric lighting and
power; provided, however. that the
said company, it's successors or assigns
shall have no right to use said system
or any part thereof for the purpose of
furnishing power for operation of any
trolley or traction road.
Then followed the passage of an
other resolution designed to stop the
suit in Chancery. Its purport is:
Resolved, That the Director and
Counsel of the Board be and they are
hereby authorized and instructed to
discontinue the suit in Chancery now
pending in the name of this Board
against the Morris County Electric
Company and to dissolve the restrain
ing order lately made i'll said cause,
the costs of suit to be paid by said
Company.
Mr.. Cook introduced a resolution