The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-08-23
How Our Transportation and
Financial Interests Have
Been Affected.
THE BENEFIT OF THE R. v. R'Y.

inati0n Of grade crossings on existing
lines. Grade crossings should, and
will be, sooner or later a matter Of
history, at least In this part of the
country. Modern civilization is de-
manding that those death traps be
done away with, and the corporations
who own them are seeing the econ
omy in so doing.
No less than three corporations Tor
would-be corporations are at our
gates asking for franchises, and the
d., +. 81 w. R. r. a corporation al
ready In existence and doing business,
is asking us to help them bear the ex-
pense of an improvement to- their
property which they feel too poor to
bear alone All these things are too
much for the equilibrium Of quiet and
conservative Morristown. What shall
we do? What is the best thing to do
to strengthen our financial and social
conditions? Before attempting an
answer let us look for few moments
into the past.
IN 1892 the r. ". R'y was built into
this place or nearly to it. Up to that
time the D., L. 8 W. r. r. was the
only line doing business in this place.
The Z. v. R'y has been and is to-day,
let us say, only an apology as an oppo-
sttion line, but even SO, / think we
can prove that 1t has been vastly bene-
fetal to the business and financial in
terests Of Morrlstown. For instance,
before this road was built Lehigh coal
was prohibitive In this market on ac>
count Of its price. Scranton coal was
being sold here at large profit, and
the dealers we're getting an inferior
article at that, due to the lack Of COM
petition on a competing coal line.
This is all changed now. We get as
good Scranton coal here as they do at
tide water We also get Lehigh coal
at 81. 90 per ton less than we did, be-
fore this line was In existence.
Taking these two facts into consid-
GRAFTON, quality and price, means a
saving to the coal population Of at
least s25, 900 per year, in IL years dur
ing the history Of this road 100000,
this is on coal alone. During the win
ter Of 1920 as a result of the mem
orable coal strike, had it not been for
the r. ". R'y one-half Of the popula-
Z tiOn of Morristown would have been
without coal during the whole Of the
winter This is fact that can be
proven, the benefit of which cannot be
estimated in figures. But you say
coal is higher now than it was before
we had this opposition. This is true,
but this is caused by conditions that
did not exist then. Coal lands and
the cost Of labor are more expensive
now than then. This is one reason.
The other reason Is, the conception
and growth of the trust method Of do
ing business. This problem you will
have to solve at the polls next Novem.
Der, or at some subsequent election
Going back then to the price ques
tion as conditions exist to-day, and as
they existed before 1902, there is not a
doubt but that coal would be selling
for at least s1.0O per ton more now
than it does, So much for the coal
quest ion.
Taking other freightS into consider
alton, / do not think we would be fai
out OF the way in estimating saving
Of between $4,000 to 100000 dollars
per year This would allow us te
build new public school every yeal
or pay our city expenses. This is an
object lesson.
Now you asked us what shall we dc
with the trolley? We say let 10 come
grant it franchise the terms of which
are fair to both sides, but above al
make provisions to have this franchise
lived up to to the letter, without hav
ing to go in expensive law suits. 1t is
a truthful saying that corporations
have no souls. Such is the greed fol
revenue, that when they get the
power, they will trample on the rights
of the public who have granted them
the power I \ say therefore, grant
them a franchise under which they
can give us the best Of service, but
safeguard those rights and privileges
in such way thai it will be unneces
sary for difficulties and contentious tt
arise. would also say In rural dis
tricts like this, where nature and man
have combined to make earth pleas
ant place to dwell in, that al far as
possible keep the trolley companies of
our county roads. Let them acquire
private right Of way along side, 1t Is
just as cheap for them in the end, i
hot cheaper. Then when they strike
= the towns, use the streets that neee
The trolleys most, the streets that are
well populated and farthest from bust
ness centefs.
Now M reference to the D., 4. y w
Improvement. When railroad build
ing was in It's infancy and even in late
years, it was hard TO induce capital tx
take hold OF these vast enterprises. II
sfa,.aS if,rf q f4rac thlfnS n tt.Ie ma n far