Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-12-16
TELEPHONE
FRANCHISE.
Borough Council Granted one
Last Night Water Supply
Discussed.
THE TROLLEY FRANCHISE.


last night. Present-Mayor Muir
head, Councilmen Eillman, Kerr,
Gallagher, Haines and Hoffman, Clerk
Birmingham and Counselor Pearse.
A letter from the board of Health
stating hat DR.. Haines' term had ex-
pired and asking for mis- reappoint-
ment, was read, received and request
granted.
Communication from M. J. Cronin
asking for his exemption papers, re-
ceived and request granted.
Communication signed by Michael
Welsh and M. N. Pearse and stating
that Thomas Gleason had been elected
Chief of the'Fire Department, and P.
+. Kenan, assistant chief, received
and action OF the company approved.
Application q for licenses for Mrs.
Catherine Gunkle and Ira B. Martin,
received and license granted.
Under the head of unfinished bust
chise to the Central New Jersey Tele.
phone Company was taken up. The
mayor then asked for the report of the
Committee of the Whole regarding
the franchise. Report was read and
upon motion the ordinance was then
taken up on the second reading and
adopted IN sections, subject to amend
ments.
Upon motion of Hoffman it WAS
again taken up for third reading by
title. Upon motion of Haines it was
adopted as amended.
The franchise of the Jersey Central
Traction Company was taken up on
second reading. This started an argu-
ment. The representative of the com
pany arose and said that he had an
amendment to n of the sections that
lie would like to offer. Kerr seemed
to think that the council did not have
a right to grant the franchise. Hill
man said that ne thought that ques-
ton had been argued and settled some
six months ago. Kerr again took the
floor and said he understood that the
company asking for a franchise want
ed it over the same route as that OF
the M. & s. Company, and he did not
see how they could grant a franchise
over that route to another company.
Gallagher said that the franchise OF
the Nj. 81 S. Company was null and
" - Ill -koN-1 =. fhatv fran
chise that if they did not complete
their lines in q specified time, that
settled it.
The mayor said that there was no
such conditions in the franchise.
Haines said that there was a hole in
it somewhere. He also said that the
ordinance OF the M. & S. Traction
Company was q malicious fraud.
That there was to have been an
amendment offered by the council and
the traction company had said they
didn't want to put n more expense
on the borough than was necessary
and that they would i've it reprinted
without any expense to the borough.
They did so. 1t was given to the
clerk who read it and turned it over
to the mayor; who signed it without
taking time to read 1T. 1t was not the
ono that the council wanted. So there
you are. But he thought it time that
some legal action was taken and that
all the oil councilmen would swear
that tho franchise that the M. & S.
was working on, was not the one
granted by them.
Councilman Kerr said there was no
use wasting any more time on this
franchise, and moved that it be carried
over on second reading until next
regular meeting.
The clerk stated that he had been
instructed to communicate with the
Perth Ampoy council in regard to the
renewal of contract for water and ne
bad done SO and received a reply
stating that they could have the water
at the same rate the factories were
paving for it in Perth Amboy. Upon
motion the communication was re-
ceiyed. Kerr said it was high time
that the council was doing something
and moved that the water committee
get bids for driving test wells for
water. That started an argument anu
some OF the councilmen almost had a
fit when Councilman Hillman pro-
posed to bond the town for $780, DOC
and the borough own ito own water
works and electric light plant. He
said these little wells had been tried
before in Frog Hollow. and nothing
had come of it but an expenditure Of