The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-06-21
MEETING A
LIVELY ONE
Morris County Application Pro
vokes Criticism. Authori
ties Defer Action.
ADJOURNED FOR TWO WEEKS


Traction Co. for a franchise for a troll
ley road on Speedwell avenue through
Morris township came up before the
Morris township committee on Tues
day evening. Secretary Alleman Of
the company filed the consents for the
road. They were for the j. Nv. Rob
erts, Beers, Riley, Canfeld, st. Virgil
ius church properties and BY u. S.
Smith executor Of the David Fairchild
estate for the Fairchild property.
revocation Of Mr. Roberts consent was
fled by the objectors to the line, who
also attacked the validity Of the Fair
child consent claiming that under the
law and provisions Of the will Of the
late D. d. Fairchild his executor can
not give valid consent.
a petition signed by thirty-nine men
and women who stated that they re-
sided near the Five Corners asked that
the franchise be granted as soon as
possible.
MI. Alleman presented an ordinance
which he asked be placed on first read
ing. He said it was practically the
same ordinance that had been adopted
in Dover, Wharton, and Randolph ana
Rockaway townships. He said the
company asked the same rights on the
streets as are accorded teams and au-
tomobiles. Nine-tenths Of the popula-
tion, he said, have no conveyances Of
their own and want the trolley.
Clerk Jameson read the ordinance
which grants permission for the con
struction of a double track road. Poles
to be be of wood not less than eighteen
feet high and wires to be that distance
above the road. 1t provides that the
cars shall have the right Of way ON the
tracks, and other vehicles shall turn
off the tracks on warning by the motor
man by bell or otherwise.
The township authorities to have
the right to make reasonable regula-
tions for the speed of the cars. The
company to begin work within one
year and finish within two years Of the
acceptance Of the ordinance, unless sieA
layed by legal troubles or BY delay Of
other municipalities in granting fran
ehises.
+. G. Burnham asked if the counsel
OF the committee had examined the
consents filed and found them legal.
II there were not enough legal consents
the company had no standing before
the committee.
John M. Mills replied that the con-
sents had just been filed and he had no
opportunity to examine them.
Gordon q. Sherman said he would
challenge the Fairchild consent as not
complying with the law. Without
that consent the company does not
have the required fifty-one per cent.
OF abutting property and cannot getit.
He was willing that the trolley people
should be accorded the same rights on
the road as teams and automobiles but
teams and autos are not asking the
right to erect poles and wires and to
lay tracks.
The Fairchild consent was also chal-
lenged on the ground that the execu-
tor is an employee of the trolley COM
pany. Mr.. Alleman said he had done
some work for the company but is not
now working for the company The
| filed map was shown to the committee
which stated that it was drawn by Mr..
Smith.
/! On motion of Committeeman Bar
tron the committee went into execu-
tive session for several minutes. On
reopening the public session the COM
mittee was ready to hear anything in
favor of or against the trolley.
G. G. F'relinghuysen said he wasStill
| opposed to road trolley but in favor
of one on its own right of way This
company is willing to go on a private
right of way but wants the citizens to
pay for it, The company wants to
exclude the public from its full enjoy
ment for the promoters own benefit.
e. X. Mills said he represented A.
r. Whitney who is opposed to the use
of Speedwell avenue for the purpose
asked. He went on to say that Speed
well avenue had been improved at great
expense and now this foreign corpor
alton wants to confscate the avenue.
There are other feasible routes In Nor
ristown, he said, suggesting Water
street as one of them.
III. f. Taylor asked If the committee
had considered the value Of the rights
asked and said the matter should be
seriously considered.
Henry Young, of Newark, represent
ing the opponents, reiterated his asser-
tions of last February stating that
when the ordinance is granted itmeans
that the tracks are down for all time,
a vested right which the company can
mortgage in fact has already mort
gagged. AT Dover the company has
llaid tracks in the street but done moth
ling else 1t simply is a speculative
scheme to sell out for the particular
advantage of the promoters. The or