New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-02
TO SAVE THE POST ROAD.
IRELAND's GIFT TO THE TROLLEYs MAY
BE BLOCKED.
THE ADJOURNED HEARING AT MAMAh-
oNECK-sHARP QUESTIONS PUT TO Mr.
JENNINGS. THE COUNSEL FOR

!
oNECK-sHARP QUESTIONS PUT TO MR.
JENNINGS. THE COUNSEL FOR
THE CoNFIsCATORs.
ANY misconcepuon which may have remained III
,ho Wind. q, those who attended the public near
tho ot tho Weayer-st schoolhouse, Mamarohech'
IN January Ok 10 consider the Application OF 'he
Tarrytown White Plains and MainaroncoA RAJ
road TO Law trolley tracks along the bos'o" ''''
Road from the village limits OF Mamarohech ~
EewRocheIle as the result OF that hearing was
efect,lally disposed OF yesterday. IL VIII DC re-
/ called that that hearing was adjourned ny Ca'oO
Ireland the Highway Commissioner OF Ma'h",o
neck until yesterday. in order-as IL was sene."'y
understood-that the property Owners Si'o' ~
an opportunity OF examining the coholuons Vi '.e
franchise under which It was proposed TO operate
,ha railroad The adjournment was asked for prin-
cinalv because Commissioner Ireland whose re-
markabe utterances while acting In )uoioiaI ca
pacity made It obvious that he had determined oe-
forehand to give away to the company every '',"e
| Il asked for was unable TO answer any inquiry
made OF him upon the possible conditions OF the
franchise or OF the obligation the company would
take upon Itself in return FOR the enormously
valuable privilege OF conhscating the roiIey sES-
TEN on the famous turnpike OF Westchester county
II was believed by the opponents TO the encroach-
rent that in obtaining the adjournment they would
still have opportunity TO press their case against
the contemplated destruction OF the Post Road II
was with some surprise. not TO say Indignation
therefore that the property-owners VINO were rep
resented at the hearing read In these columns tha'
Commissioner Ireland had. despite the adjourn
ment privately informed the officials OF the COM
many that they could have their franchise. One OF
the influential residents OF the town, who vigor-
ously fought the granting Of the application al the
hearing called personally at the offices OF The IT'D
une and denied that Commissioner ireland had
reached a decision. pointing out that the hearing
oIio nad nd
therefore not possible. The Tribunes Information
was based upon the unqualified assertion OF A. T.
Jennings the company's counsel, TO the village
trustees on the same evening that he had secured
a franchise 70 operate electricians IN the town.
shin. That Mr. Jennings did make that statement
was corroborated yesterday at the adjourned near
ing by Mr. Jennings himself. Neither did Com
missioner Ireland deny that In his haste to show his
sympathies with the trolley conhscators ne was
willing to buy pig in a poke"-or. In other words
he agreed 10 the demands OF the company without
the least knowledge Of Just what the company
uopted or without the least regard the interests
of the community or the rights Of the property
owners
OBSTACLES IN THEIR WAY.
y vos made clear Yesterday. however. that de-
snite Mr. Ireland's championship Of the privately
centralized and rapacious concerns that are out
10 ruin irretrievaby the finest riding and driving
road Of the county. the trolley people Will nave 10
overcome more difficult obstacles than they found
IN the friendly Highway Commissioner OF Mamar-
/ oreck II has already been determined that should
the corporation attempt to put down railroad
tracks without first obtaining the necessary con"
sents Of two-thlrds OF the abutting property-own-
ers-consents II is safe to say. which are not likely
10 be obtained-the company will he Immediately
! enjoined
| Whom the adjourned hearing was convened in
/ the Weaver-st school house yesterday afternoon
! MI Jennings produced the terms Of the franchlse
his company wished 10 operate under. The various
| clauses were practically identical with the charters
the corporation has already secured from neghoor-
ing villages and towns where It's cars are now run
ming The franchise provided that trolley lines
/ should be built along the Boston Post Road. the
! COMPANY I'm turn promising 10 replace the roadned
! I'm as good a condition - Il was found. that any
motive power but steam should be used. that there
! should 10 a one-hour service between MamaronecK
/ and New-Rochelle with a five cent fairs The usual
volumInous technical specifications also set
out al length. Among right-ofwsy privileges asked
! for was that carriages should pull off the tracks
when signaled to do so by gonss Of the cars
During the reading of the franchise How
eli c Perrin appearing behalf Of l..
l.. Bushc. who at the previous hearings put
! in the signed protests Of owners Of prop
erty TO the value OF several hundred thousand
dollars suggested several amendments One OF
these was that nasmuch as the company had
pleaded that a trolley road would benefit the
| poorer class Of residents better service than Of
| ono-hour Intervals should be provided and an
! other that only five cents should he charged 10
| Harlem Bridge. Mr. Perrin contended that the
people OF Mamaroneck should have the same
privilege as the Inhabitants of New-Rocheile.
I'VE cannot promise that" said Mr. Jennings.
although a week before he had Informed the trus-
tees Of Mamaroneck Village that If his company
could get the village franchise traffic agreement
or a transfer system would be arranged with the
Union Railroad which now reaches New-Rochelle.
ole. hat he he a $50
was TO run was one hundred years. while It
| left to the Highway Commissioners to decide
whether the company duly performed its promises.
What is the driving space which the company
will leave beside It tracks," asked w. ii. Mills.
we leave that to the Commissioner answered
Mr.. Jennings.
EVERYTHING LEFT TO IRELAND.
1T seems TO me" went on Mr.. Mills. that every
thing IS left 10 the Highway Commissioner. SO far
as I can there is nothing specific mentioned in
the franchise. The exact space you propose 10
leave for driving purposes ought to be specified In
order that we may know to what extent our priv
ileges are to be protected"
I'VE have tried TO be liberal" Mr.. Jennings said.
''by leaving everything TO the Commissioner"
You leave too much to the Commissioner" In
sisted Mr.. Mills. mfr. Ireland may be faithful TO
his trust He may do his duty 10 those who elected
| him but we would like to know what is before
! Mr. Ireland may not be in office when this road is
being constructed. II that should ever come about.
and we have no means OF gauging what his sue
| cessor may do You place too much power in
| mans hands Tell US exactly what you want. give
the people OF this town opportunity 10 decide II
| your proposals acceptable to them Anyway,
| YOU are somewhat premature in arranging these
details Before you can begin TO up the Boston
| Turnpike Il will be necessary for you 10 get the
consent OF two-ihrds Of the property owners"
We'll. we will get them" Mr.. Jennings replied
You never WILL" Mr.. Mills maintained Il can
promise you that the people will not allow you to
| take the Broadway OF this county away from