The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-08-25

in TRAVEL
Trolley Line to Run Parallel with
Pennsylvania Railroad.

Pennsylvania Railroad.
Scheme to Unite all the Electric
Lines in the Northern and Eastern
Section of New Jersey May soon
be Possible to Board the Trolley
at Almost any Point In this State
and Ride to the Capitol of the Ma
tion-EIectric Power to RevoIu.
tionize Travel.
1t is altogether probable that in the
near future people will board electric
cars at any of the New Jersey cities and
ride to the capital OF the nation. A dis
patch from Trenton announces that the
Pennsylvania Railroad company has be-
gun work on a trolley line that Is to run
parallel with its steam line through that
city, and will cross the Delaware river
to the Pennsylvania side. The map filed
showed that it would enter the city from
the turnpike leading to Princeton and
New Brunswick. Those familiar with
the operations of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road company declare that when the
value Of electricity as motive power
for cars was demonstrated few years
ago the prominent capitalists in the
'Pennsy'" arranged plans for the future.
They had been confronted with a serious
problem. The pe1senger and freight
traffic had increased to such an extent
that its carrying capacity, even with its
four tracks, was taxed to the utmost.
They then decided that the electric sys-
tenn would furnish relief for many years,
and capitalists made the test between
Jersey City and Newark. They owned
the majority of the street car lines in
Jersey City, and substituted electricity
for horses. The test was satisfactory.
They obtained control of the Newark
street car lines, and constructed two
lines between Jersey City and Newark
to relieve the heavy passenger traffic be-
tween the two cities. A slightly cheap
er rate Of fare was offered on the trolley
routes, and the bulk of the traffic was
diverted from the steam route.
The capitalists in the enterprise then
realized that by the trolley lines, which
can be operated at comparatively
small cost, considerable passenger traffic
could be won from rival lines, and the
combination acquired title to all the
lines in Essex county, including those
running through the Oranges parallel
with the Lackawanna railroad. A few
weeks ago the trolley companies in Hud-
son county were absorbed, and the lines
running parallel with the tracks Of the
Erie to Paterson were secured.
1t has leaked out that negotiations are
pending not only to unite all the electric
lines in the northern and eastern section
of New Jersey, but also the electric
light and gas companies. The negotia-
tions, it is said, have advanced SO far
that the amalgamation of the several
companies is practically settled. The
original object has not been forgotten,
as the negotiations include the trolley
lines in Union County, and when COM
pleted line can be opened from Jersey
City to Elizabeth and its suburbs, dis
tance of twenty miles The line will be
continued to Trenton, fifty-six miles
from Jersey City, and will pass through
New Brunswick and Princeton.
While these plans are being executed
in New Jersey the same capitalists and
their agents have been busy along the
thirty-three mile stretch in Pennsylvania
from Philadelphia to South Trenton.
This section is dotted with fourishing
cities and towns, which have required
the running of local trains at short in
tervals. These towns are only
few miles apart and are united by
trolley lines Below Trenton are South
Trenton, one mile from Trenton; Nor
risville, mile from South Trenton; Tul-
lytown, five miles beyond; Bristol, four
miles south of Tullytown, then comes a
seven mile run to Torresdale, four miles
to Tacony, two miles to Bridesburg, and
then close together are several flourish
ing suburbs of Philadelphia. Between
these populous and busy towns are
smaller and rapidly growing settlements,
and as soon as the continuous trolley
line is finished between Jersey City and
Philadelphia the route will be patronized
by many who now ride on the local
trains Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany, and that corporation will then run
fewer local or short trains and more
through express trains to meet the in
creasing demands Of through passenger
traffic.
The plan does not contemplate only the
relief of local passenger traffic, but in
cludes the transportation of freight for
the relief of accommodation freight
trains, and it is said that Immediately
after the through electric passenger line
is opened freight cars will be run, or
that tracks for freight line will be con-
structed if the passenger traffic is SO
large that freight cars cannot be operated
without interfering with it.
An official of the trolley combination
said: "The Pennsylvania road is wisely
providing for the future The use of