New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-21
TROLLEY ENCRoACHMENTS.
GRABS THAT HAVE AROUSED oPPosI-
TON IN wEsTCHEsTER-

some SCHEMES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL
BECAUSE NOT FOUGHT WITH SUFFICIENT
v1ooR-uEws OF JOHN z. PARSONS
ONE PLAN TO DEFAcE THE BOSTON
POST ROAD THwARTED. BUT
OTHERS ARE SPRING
ING UP
While the trolley roads built in suburban
territory are In many ways OF undeniable
benefit to the communities connected and
served by them, in not few instances the
promoters OF these lines have in their deter
rn,nation to put the road through" acted in
entire disregard Of the rights OF towns and In
dividuals and this policy has often been sue
cessful. owing to lack Of vigorous opposition
on the part Of the interests threatened An
attempt Of the sort which is now being made
by trolley company In westchester County.
however. is being fought with an energy which
bids fair 20 make the result Of the contest
victory for the taxpayers, whose rights are
assailed
The principle involved is the right OF the pri-
vate stockholders OF the trolley road TO seize and
largely destroy the public property OF the COM
n,unities through which they run by stealing
their right OF way. instead Of buying it, a
steam road has TO DO; locating their road along
the best-existing thoroughfare. instead Of sur
veying a new line and acquiring title and thus
largely destroying the road for the purposes for
which Il was built in order that the trolley
stockholders may put down their track more
eheaply than II they had 10 buy and grade a
line for themselves. This right TO confscate the
public property for the benefit Of the private
stockholders who want a right of way, II
granted would almost justify claim for sim
liar right 10 conhscate also for terminals. sta
tons and Offices, and the public injury alone by
this last conhscation would often be far less
The Port Chester Street Railway Company
was organized more than a year ago TO con-
struct line extending from White Plains
through Port Chester. Rye and Harrison to
Namaroneck. with branch from Rye to Rye
Beach. on the Sound. II proposed use West
ehester-ave. for its line be ween White Plains
and Port Chester. and the Boston Post Road
between Rye and Mamaroneck. These two
avenues are noted in that county Of fine roads
for the excellence Of their construction and the
beauty Of the country seats which line them.
They are wide, mac adamized, always kept IN
perfect order and exceedingly popular for driv-
ing: and the action Of the trolley company in
laying claim to them for Its car-line without
offer Of compensation and without considera-
ton OF the availability Of other routes, which
would answer fully as we'll for trolley purposes,
was regarded by the taxpayers Of the neigh
borhoods menaced with this nuisance as
extraordinary efrontery
The road, as now built and In operation since
July r. has total trackage Of about three
and one-haf miles, and consists Of three sec
tons which meet in the centre of the village
Of Port Chester One Of these lnes runs alonG
Main-st.. Port Chester. easterly one-haf mile
10 the Connecticut State line at Byram Bridge
The second runs north for about three-fourths
Of mile along westchester-ave, stopping out
IN the open country. in the middle OF nowhere
The third extends to Rye Village. and is one
Of the crookedest railway lines ever built APP
preaching Rye II comes through the golf
grounds Of the Apawamis Club to point only
a few feet from the tracks Of the New-Haven
Railroad then making sharp turn runs
parallel with the steam road for few hundred
feet until II reaches the Boston Post Road,
uhich here crosses the New-Haven's tracks on
a bridge. The trolley cars turn the other way.
down the Boston Post Road for about two hun
cred yards and then go down Purdy-ave a
short distance 70 Purchase-st., the principal
business thoroughfare Of Rye, the terminus
being only a stones throw from the railway
station. The trolley company had no opposi-
ton IN Port Chester. because its route there
antagonized no interests 1t got through the
grounds OF the Apawarnis Club by laying us
rails there on Sunday, the man in charge OF
the work telling the protesting club members
that IL they attempted 70 interfere with his
laoorers he would have them all arrested for
playing golf on a Sunday. The little strip OF
the Boston Post Road which the trolley uses
was taken without permission and without op-
position II is said--just taken. The opposition
20 the company's scheme OF selling the Boston
Post Road for its line through Rye 10 Mamsro-
reck was so powerful however. that the plan
was abandoned the route already mentioned.
down Purdy-ave. 20 Purchase-st.. being suosu-
,uted The plan OF the company contemplated
the extension OF the line down Purchase-st. for
some distance toward the Sound. turn 10 the
hight being then made into another avenue
leading toward Mamaroneck
rNJUNcTIoNs SUED OUT
Pu.ehase-st. is a macadamzed highway. none
100 wide and in summer. the only season at
which there is any business activity in Rye,
great many carriages and wagons are always
traversing IT, Some Of the merchants doing
business in the street objected seriously TO this
busy thoroughfare being devoted 10 trolley
uses and two OF them last fall when they
FOUND that the company was tearing UP tAe
street and laying its tracks in front OF thelr
stores, got injunctions from Judge Dykman' o.
the Supreme Court sitting at White Plains ana
the company was forced 10 cover up It's track
These iniunctions still stand. On apphcaton
Of the trolley company, a commission Oh thtec
was appointed by the Supreme Court 70 oe-
terrnine whether or not the company SHAH De
permitted 70 use the highways it desires 70 Sc
cure and whether or not il shall be authorised
70 construct & line 10 Rye Beach. This Com
mission has for the last three Saturdays held
sessions IN the Lyceum al Rye. and has heard
the testimony OF witnesses both for the troNey
company and on the side of the Rye Taxpayers
Association, which is standing behind the mer-
chants referred TO. and another hearing is set FOR