The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-03-13
TUNNEL FIGHT
Senator Lee Tries TO Hold
Up the Bill for the
Hudson River Bore.
PUERILE AMENDMENTS
Atlantic Mans Opposition
Attributed to His Idea
That He Has Not
Been Treated
Right.
PUERILE AMENDMENTS

Especial to 1.-The Jersey CITY News
TRENTON, March Is, 1902. Sadly missed
this session is the master hand of the late
General Sewell in matters legislative. In
former days whenever a measure wanted
by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
was before the Legislature,it 1t went through
as easily and frictionless as the German
Emperors yacht went down the ways the
other day But this year things seem to
be different and the company has had
more trouble with it's bill authorizing the
construction Of its proposed tunnel under
the Hudson River than any measure it
has been interested in in years
The readers of the Jersey City News are
familiar with the worry and anxiety the
sponsors Of the bill underwent while
striving to get the bill out Of committee,
but the new trials they encountered yes
terday remain to be told Of
The bill came up on. second reading and
Senator Lee of Atlantic, offered an
amendment providing that every munich
paiity under which the tunnel is to pass
should be vested with power to confer the
necessary powers and regulate the use OF
the streets.
He referred to the fight in New York,
ences which were behind the Senate bill
had sought to secure the enactment Of a
measure depriving municipalities of the
same power but they were defeated. He
denied that ne opposed what the bill
sought to accomplish. but he wanted the
right Of municipalities protected. These,
he declared, were being more than ever
threatened by corporations which are be-
coming so daring that they will stop at
nothing
Mr.. Gebhardt, of Hunterdon. opposed the
amendment on the ground that it would
delay the construction of the tunnel for
which preparations had been made. He
thought the provisions of the general rail-
road act sufficiently covered the end
sought to be accomplished by the amend
ment
Mr.. Hudspeth also opposed the amend
rnent. saying that Hudson County. which
he represented was the only one actually
affected by the bill and the residents OF
that county were anxious for its passage.
The tunnel project. he declared, was a
magnificent enterprise, and one whose
consummation would be Of inestimable
benefit to the people of the northern sec
ton of the State.
He explained that the tunnel would start
in the Hackensack meadows and would
fniuriously affect no particular locality,
but would, in fact, be an improvement to
the meadows resulting in having a large
portion of them reclaimed.
New York. he said. had accepted the
proposition and it was to the best inter-
estsl of New Jersey to pursue like
course. The amendment Mr. Hudspeth
added, would delay the work and en-
danger the bill.
Mr.. MeCarter, of Essex, added his en-
dorsement to the measure, saying that
while no county was too deeply inter-
ested IL the movement as Hudson, 1t was
greatly desired by the residents of Es-
sex Its passage, he said, would reduce
tho time consumed in riding between
Newark and New York from IS minutes
to Is minutes. or possibly less. New Jer-
sey, he said, should facilitate and not
seek to obstruct such an enterprise.
Under present laws. Mr.. McCarter con-
tinued railroad may not construct their
lines lingitudinally on any street, with
out such consent of the municipalities.
but they may cross streets at right angles
without such consent. The latter condi-
tion, he argued, was similar to that pre-
sented by the proposed tunnel.
Mr. McCarter continued that the COM
pany proposes to construct its tunnel 100
feet and in some cases at a greater depth
below the surface Of the ground. 1t will
pass under four municipalities and he
feared that If these were empowered to
take action some one or the other might
make a strike and hold ap the enterprise.
He argued that the bill was safeguarded
in every particular and he had not found
the least opposition to it in his section
of the State.
Senator Strong next Joined in the at
tack upon the amendment, declaring there
was no power so needlessly and so reck-
3iessly exercised by the legislators as the
mower of amendment. Every time bill
was amended, he said, the State is laid
open to additional danger of litigation
The tunnel bill, he said, had been care
fully and conscientiously drawn in the
first instance, due consideration having
been given to the rights of all persons
and municipalities concerned. He saw no
defence for the Legislatures tying up one
of the greatest enterprises of modern
times.
eThe proposition to change this bill"
declared Mr.. Strong. is nothing but an
eight-cent amendment.
This remark brought Mr.. Lee to his
feet fon the jump, and he replied hotly to
the insinuation saying that the amend
ment would probably cost the railroad
more than eight cents before they were
through with it.
Mr. Lees ire was thoroughly aroused,
and with Increasing warmth he declared