The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-03-03
THE FRISKY
TROLLEY
Strong Move for Cheap
Transportation.

The Old Prophecy, Carriages
Without Horses Shall Co., May
Soon Be Realized in Morris
County Those Who Are Pushing
Along s'the Good Thing"
The CHRONICLE learns from good au-
thority that the directors of the CONSOLE
dated Traction Company of New Jersey,
either as company or as individuals,
recently acquired controlling interest
in the Morris County Electric Company,
whose headquarters are in this town, and
who possess a well-equipped plant and a
valuable franchise for laying wires in
underground conduits through nearly all
Morristown streets.
The same parties have bought ma
iority of the stock of the Dover Electric
Company, much to the disappointment
of the Philadelphia Traction Company,
which, it is said, had hoped to gobble up
majority of the stock at price greatly
under its par value through the former
treasurer of the concern, l.. D. Schwarz,
who is supposed TO have acted in its
interest.
While Mr.. Schwarz was dickering,
however, the directors of his own COM
pany gave an option on their personal
holdings at par. They then called
meeting Gast week. and elected new
treasurer in Mr.. Schwarz's place, and
issued one hundred more shares of stock,
which they Immediately purchased.
This new stock issue, it is said, is in
cluded in the former option.
The New Jersey Traction Company
controls the trolley lines in Passaic, Ber
gen, Hudson, Essex, Union and Middle
sex counties, and includes in its director
ship, Edward F. G. Young of Jersey
City, B. M. Stanley, E. B. Gaddis, DR..
Leslie D. Ward, David Young, of New
ark and John I. Waterbury of Norris
| town.
These men and the company they rep
resent have been thoroughly honorable
in their business dealings, but of course
it is not to be supposed that wealthy
corporation is buying up these electric
companies for philanthropic reasons; un-
doubtedly their purpose is to operate
trolley lines from Lake Hopatcong,
Budd's Lake and Port Dram to Dover,
where, it is said, they practically have
franchise, to go through Blackwell
street. From Dover the line will run to
Rockaway Denville, Camp Tabor, Nor
ris Plains, Morristown, Madison, Chat
ham, Summit and Milburn; at the lat
| ter place connecting with the rest of the
system.
A line from caldwell, via Whippany
to Morristown is also spoken of.
1t is also rumored that a majority of
the Board of Freeholders of Morris county
view trolleys with favor 1t is just pos
sible that South street, Madison avenue
Speedwell and Morris avenues and Wash
I ington street would have been safer as
| city streets than as county roads.
Friends of the trolley in this neighbor-
hood will no doubt rejoice as they read
this, and its enemies will find it hard
fight to upset plans so carefully laid.
If trolleys are to be laid in Morris
county-the CHRONICLE sees no reason
why they should not-it is to be hoped
that the freeholders, town and township
officials will bear in mind that trolley
franchises are valuable, as may be seen
from the high price paid for the road
from Elizabeth to Plainfeld.
Trolley companies, like other corpora
tions, make as good bargains as they can,
and the interests of the public should be
guarded.