The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-06-11
NE LICK JOHNSON
Trolley Kings Schemes Par
allelled by a Hunter
don Speculator.

All last AL. Johnson, 'sThe Trolley
King" has rival The gentleman who
thus leaps into the amphitheatre of fame
is none other than Hunterdon county
citizen by the name of ]. Il. Melick.
Mr.. Melick was prominent in the con-
struction OF the Roekaway Valley Rail
road. which extends from Whitehouse to
Morristown, distance of twenty-seven
4 miles. He was for several years Super
intendent of this line.
| While Mr.. Melicks ideas of rapid
transit may not coincide with those OF
Mr.. Johnson. there is no question of his
sincerity of purpose, even though the
proposed road may never be carried to
a successful completion.
The proposed trolley line from New York
to Philadelphia can scarcely be considered
| in the light of a competitor of the John
son line. inasmuch as it traverses an en-
tirely separate territory, where there is
at present no trolley service.
Mr. Melick proposes extending a line
| from Newark. westerly to Morristown,
and thence over the Rockaway Valley
road to Whitehouse; thence to Fleming
ton, Lambertville, Newhope, Doylestown.
Willow Grove and Philadelphia.
Several changes of cars would be neces-
sary to complete the journey, as it is
not part of the plan to absorb or con-
/ troll any of the lines already built, with
the exception of the Rockaway Valley.
This route would be 107 miles long, and
would pass through territory which it
would greatly benefit.
The necessary links to be built in this
line are from Orange to Morristown,
Doylestown, thirty-four miles, making a
total of 6fty-two miles of track. Under
this plan it would be possible to run
continuous cars from Orange to Doyles-
town, Pa, distance of seventy nine
miles.
This road would, necessarily, depend al
most. entirely upon the local travel, as
! there would be no inducements to the
through passenger, aside from a sight
seeing trip.
Indirectly, this line would be of great
benefit to Trenton, as it would put it
into direct touch with a section which is
now more or less difficult to reach The
building of such line to Lambertville
would afford connections via the Penn
sylyania Railroad, or line might even
be extended UP the river from Yardley
to meet this road.
Should this line be built it would mean
the passing of the present day Rockaway
Valley Railroad, as many improvements
would have to be made before trolley
car could be satisfactorily operated over
its tracks.
The Rockaway Valley. is constructed in
the most primitive manner and is one of
the most unique specimens of railroading
in the world. The equipment at present
consists of one passenger car-the loco
motive being rented from the Central
Railroad of New Jersey.
Although the engine is what is common
| ly known as a ten-wheeler, built for heavy
pulling, the best it can do over the entire
line is. to pull the passenger coach and
three freight cars. Even at that it is an
every day occurrence of the engine to
have to buck some of the numerous
hills several times before the ascent is
finally accomplished.
It is over this line that j. E. Melick
! proposes to run trolley cars to compete
with the johnson syndicate.
1t is understood that well known New
York financier is backing the project,
but whether he will stand by it until the
cars are actually in operation remains
to be seen.
The reports that have been emanating
from Hunterdon county to the effect that
representatives of the johnson syndicate
have been looking up rights of way in
that section, have been a mistake. 1t
is understood that it is the Melick in
terests that have been at work in that
county.