The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-28
CROSSING WAR.
New Ordinance for the
Lehigh Valley Railway
Company May be
Passed at Once.
PACIFIC AVENUE BRIDGE
Level Controversy Reopened
by the Supreme Court
Ruling and All Work
Stopped.

The decision of the Supreme Court, set
ting aside the ordinance passed by the
Street and Water Commissioners for
the relief of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company in crossing Communi-
paw avenue at grade, caused surprise IN
official circles The Street and Water
Commissioners meet this afternoon and
it is expected that a new ordinance will
be introduced. There are many reasons
advanced for it's introduction and passage
without delay.
In anticipation OF gee5V1agE VaEea RaiIroad
Company had filed with the Street ana
Water Board papers agreeing 10 Ihe con con
struetion of the neW bridge over t4s ihe MoLl oId
grade. This would save the taxpayers
thousands of dollars, as, If the, company ny.
exercised it's right to force a ene nrlogf 81
fourteen feet over the Canal, the grade
of Pacific avenue, both SIDES OF n me
| bridge would have to pc cnangeo; g lme me
county would therefore nave TO hiahe eA-
tensive damage payments. a.
Residents of Lafayette are opposed 70
the change of grade of Paclhc avenue. sin
| They saw it would depreciate valuations
greatly. Some of the Street and water
| Commissioners also say that tne peopie
prefer the grade crossing at Communl-
Pacific avenue. Until such time as the
| company is empowered to cross Com
munipaw avenue, the agreements relative
| to the erection of the bridge are not OPP
erative.
| Pacific avenue has been closed several
| months already, and the residents are
\ commencing to grumble. Business men
| insist that the bridge should pc con-
| structed without delay. Nothing definite
will be DONE however, until the company
| gets the relief it seeks.
| If the new ordinance is lntrouuceu W u d.. a.
| today's meeting it will be passed as soon
| thereafter as practicable. Mayor Hoos
is on record as being opposed to grace
| crossings, no matter what the condltlonS
| may be, and it may be taken for granted
4 that he will again veto the ordinance.
| This will merely necessitate the passage
| of the ordinance over his veto IN the
4 same manner as before.
/ Counsellor Charles j. Thompson, Wne
succeeded in getting the ordinance SCI
aside, had long talk with Mayor Hoos
on the subject today.
| Some Republicans are already ad.
! yancing the theory that Mayor Hoos hat
| no right to appoint Colonel Smith for the
| full unexpired term. They think-or say
i they do--that the appointment should bt
to the next election. They intimate tina
it is not at all improbable that they viii
4 arrange to nominate three instead OF IVY
Street and Water Commissioner candi
dates this time, one to take the plac'
which Colonel Smith now holds Demo
Gratis are paying no attention to thl
/ threat Mayor Hoos has already beel
advised that his appointment of Colone
Smith will hold good. Colonel Smith him
self says he is satisfied that he canno
| be disturbed.
Counselor Midlige says there is no doub
about the Colonel's right to his seat fo
the full term for which he was ap
pointed.
The complications arose. it will be re
membered, by reason of the Coloneps ac
! cepting a commission as a voluntee
i officer Any attempt it is thought, by tn
i Republicans to unseat the Colonel at M
juncture will be severely rebuked. Tn
Republicans want to oust the Colone
merely because they might have chanc
Of regaining control of the Street an!
Water Board should there be three candi
dates instead of two. With two candl
dates the Republicans have no chang
whatever to gain the Board as the hold
over members, Hauck, Nolan ana Smlth
are all Democrats.
| Prominent Republicans have alread.
declared that If the Street and Wate
Commissioners take up the Communipav
| avenue grade ordinance at this time the.
will make 1t campaign issue. The Dem
ocrats say that such an issue would no
hurt them in view of the fact that Paclh
avenue will have to remain closed unit
something definite is done for the relic
of the company.
The company has the upper hand a
present as it has the power of saving o
costing the city $4,000 in the matter Q
| changing or leaving the grade of Paclh
avenue as it is at present.