The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-01-01
Morris Township Committee De.
clines to Cali 4 Meeting
to Consider Question.
TROLLEY COMPANY'S PETITION
Mr.. ALBANIAN for the Trolley Company
Presents one Petition, with Another
MP His sleeve, and Asks the Town
ship Committee to Call q Public
Meeting to Ascertain the Sentiment
of the People in the Matter.

A special meeting of the Morris
J township Committee was held in the
town hall last evening for discussion
of the advisability of calling public
meeting to consider the trolley ques-
tiOn. Present at the meeting were
the three members of the township
committee, Messrs. Miller, Clark and
Parsons, and Counsel John M. Mills.
For the Morris County Traction Com
pany there appeared MeSsrs. Allamans
and Frapwell. The opposition was
represented by Lawyer e. K. Mills.
MI. ALBANIAN introduced the matter
by saying that he was prepared to pre-
sent one petition and to file another.
5. He accordingly presenteda map OF the
proposed road which is to be a double
track affair running on Speedwell ave-
nue. from the Hanover township line
to the city limits 1t is hoped to lay
the tracks in the center of the street
with poles at convenient intervals.
The line is to be operated by power
from overhead wires. Mr.. Allaman
asked for the passage OF resolution
authorizing the calling OF public
meeting to get the consensus of opin-
ion in the matter He further said
that the company thought that the
people as a general thing wanted the
service and that the opposition was in
the minority. In fact he claimed that
81 per cent OF the abutting property
owners had already consented to the
plan. He said the company was de-
sirousof getting the public sentiment
in the matter and that the action Of
the members of the township commit
tee in calling a meeting would not af-
feet the matter of a franchise.
Mr.. e. X Mills, for the opposition,
stated that the proposed railroad. al
though perhaps a good thing for some
property owners, would, on the other
hand, greatly impair the value OF other
property interests. He said that he
thought that itwas advisable to go
slowly in the y kter, as he could see
no. reason for the trolley company
wishing to gain the right of way on
this strip when they had not as yet OBJ
tanned the permission of either
Hanover township or Of the town OF
Morristown. He cautioned the mem
bers of the committee against grant
ing the railroad company the right'of
a public hearing.
Further, he argued that the grant
ing of asdouble track road to be laidin
the center of a much frequented
thoroughfare between Morristownsand
Morris Plains would seriously inter
fere with the driving interest. Again
neither Hanover nor Rockaway town
ship and Rockaway borough had the
matter put before them as yet, and he
claimed that once Norris township
granted she petition the fact of their
granting it would be used asa reason
for thei0ther places doing likewise.
The opinion Of the committee was
lin line with that of their chairman,
who.stated that he thought it inad-
visahle for the present gathering to
take action in the matter before the
regular meeting, which will be held
on January II, and it was accordingly
so voted Sufficient time wherein to
consider the matter was the reason
advanced for this decision.