The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-21

end is sadspendent in its viesos on all local
questions.
The Police and tho Snow Storm. =
Among those who have written letters
to Mayor Hoos, on the subject of the
snow blockade. is Mr.. H. w. Winfield, an
able lawyer and a citizen of high stand
ing. The letter was, printed in the Even
ing journal of yesterday. In it, we find
this assertion
1 think that your attention should be
called to the following ncident:LInis
morning as the Bayonne trolley entered
the deep canyon of snow on 1ork street,
just below Grove, it was blocked by some
six SsaS or Eight igg d, fr = d Wag4nis sha and ei1 wyedged
on the track between the tnsurmountapie
walls OF snow; the delay caused was long
and many of the passengers, incluulnS
myself; decided to walk. In front of the
block and calmly regarding the same was
a tall and able-bodied police OFFICER, VINO
to order; but on being asked, by a trolley
conductor, how long his car was TO pc
stalled, replied:-"H-! why don't you
CLEAR the street? Your FRANCHISE cans
for II. s
winfield would not say it unless 1t were
strictly so. it is Mr.. Winfeid's duty, as
a citizen, to go before the Police Board
and prefer charges against this shame
fully derelict policeman. Mr.. Winfeld's
charges being proven, it is the duty OF
tie Board 20 instantly dismiss the ruffian
from the Department.
The expressions and the conduct of this
s'officer" go far to explain the incon-
genience to which the public has been
subjected since the snow blockade began.
That any policeman should assume to
fudge for himself of an issue between
the city and a corporation, and that he
should make his own opinion of a large
question the excuse for neglecting an i'm
mediate duty is a proof of Generalization
in the force. to which Mayor Hoos should
indeed give immediate attention.
Mr.. Winfield says that when this officer
was asked by a conductor to do his duty
by breaking up the blockade. he replied
with a brutal exclamation, and an inso-
lent comment on one of the largest or
ganizat tons in the city. Certainly dis
in the Department when such a hin
could take place in the open street, in
presence of hundreds, in broad daylight.
( -
THERE is something strange about the
course of the Police Department through
out the blockade days. On these days,
the police disappeared absolutely from
Grand street, the main scene of trouble.
On first principles, one would assume
thai Chief Murphy would post every
available man along the main lines of
travel to control the hoggishness of in
dividuals and keep traffic moving. In
stead, one might almost think the regu-
lar patrols had been d~esignedly with
drawn. Perhaps this was not so, but it
IS a fact that no policeman was ever
seen interfere to remedy the constant
tangle Of trucks and trolley cars.
We have eight or ten mounted police
men in this city. On last Monday, Tues
day and - ednesday they might have
been Of vast utility on Grand street. In
stead they were chasing will-o'-the-wisps
somewhere on the Hill, where they were
nbout as much use as skates would be
In South Africa.
Perhaps the ailur of the Department
to give the public any help may have
been due only to lack of enterprise and
executive ability. but the expressions
quoted by Mr.. Winfield suggest hat there
IS something behind this painful story of
indifference and neglect. 1t almost looks
as II some one had a grudge against the
Traction Company, and found this a good
opportunity to indulge it.
OF course, we do not pretend to adj
Indicate between the city and the Trac-
ton Company on the subject of snow
removal. The city's claims may be all
right or all wrong. What we claim is
that the police have no concern with the
merits of this controversy. Their bust
ness is to make the best of the actual
situation, for the general advantage. to
compel every driver or motorman to act
with such self-restraint and discretion as
to give very one an equal opportunity.
Fully half the delay is entirely unnec-
essary. 1t is produced by reckless con-
tempt for the general convenience. Nine
ty-nIne times out of a hundred the guilty
man is the greatest sufferer, for in tying
up other vehicles he e~ntangles his own.
But every driver has a crazy notion. It
would seem, that all the others are try
ing to crowd him out, and so he drives
right into the midst of chaos, regardless
OF how he is to get out. This is the sort
Of thing the police could and should pre-
vent.
ADJUSTMENTS.