The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-02-26
THE TROLLEY
ONCE MORE
Another Intellectual Attempt
to Gam Speedwell Avenue
for Trolley Tracks
ANOTHER MEETING FoRAPRn y
Last Fridays Meeting Developed the
Fact that there is Powerful and
Bitter Opposition to the Laying of
trolley Tracks ON Speedwell Ave-
nue In Norris Township. Action of
Township Committee.

Township Committee.
Upon the application Of the Morris
County Traction Company, public
hearing on the granting of trolley
franchise was held in Morris Town
ship Hall last Friday afternoon. At
the meeting were a number of resi-
dents along Speedwell avenue where
the trolley company proposes to lay
tracks from the Hanover township
line to the city limits. There was
also at the hearing City Counsel
Henry Young, of Newark, and Ed
ward K. Mills, of this city, who is
counsel for the organized opposition
to trolleys in the county.
Mr.. Young came in behalf of the
opponents of the Traction Company S
scheme in the township, and he made
"a strong argument against the grant
ing of a franchise.
1t is necessary to have 81 per cent.
of consents of the property holders
along a proposed route, and this the
Traction Company claimed to have
but when asked to produce them,
Superintendent Alleman, of the COM
pany, stated that he did not intend to
file his consents at this time, as the
law did not require it, A motion
was then made to the Township Com
mittee, who were conducting the
hearing, to have the application of the
trolley company dismissed, but after
a brief conference the committee de-
cided that the petition for the meeting
was called to hear public opinion, and
therefore refused to grant the request.
The opposition did not take kindly
to this and several remarks were
made to the effect that the Township
Committee was acting as tool for
the trolley company.
Failing to convince the committee
that they were wrong in not forcing
the Traction Company to expose its
hand, ME-. Young addressed the meet
ing on the causes and effects OF a
trolley franchise. He said that d
franchise once granted was in force
forever That the township had no
power of revocation. Franchises, he
declared, originated from the sovereign
and proceedings to annul could only
be brought in the name of the State.
The Newark counsel then questioned
the right of the township to grant a
franchise. As to the value of such a
grant Mr. Young cited Newark. He
said the worth of the franchise of
Newark was estimated at 5000, 900,
and yet recently the trolley had mort
gagged its franchise for $40, 10000.
John NJ. Mills, member of the
Township Committee, asked Mr..
Young TO explain statement made
by President McCarter, Of the Public
Service corporation, that il the
governing body of jersey City re-
moved the cOmpany's tracks in ceR-
tain streets it would be the means of
running every bank In Hudson
County.
II don't believe Mr.. McCarter meant
exactly what he said," replied Mr..
Young; she was only trying to bluff
the people Of Jersey City,
Edward K. Mills informed the
Township Committee that the Nor
ris County Traction Company was
Backed by Pennsylvania capital.
That il the committee would only
refuse to grant the petition Of the
company it would be doinga public
service, as the trolley company would
buy right of way within years
time.
AS property-holder on Speedwell
avenue, George G. Freiinghuysen
entered his objection. He stated that
he represented other property-holders
on the avenue, all of whom were
opposed to the granting of any fran
chise. His principal objection to the
trolley was it's running on the high
ways If a franchise was granted
this company TO run on Speedwell
avenue, it would destroy the avenue,
which he said was one of the finest in
New Jersey.
Gordon Sherman another property
holder denounced the trolley scheme,
saying that the road was the only one
leading out of Morristown to the
northern part of the county, and that
the county had macadamized it at a
great expenditure of money. That
he had worked for years to have
Speedwell avenue as it is to-day, a
beautiful driveway, and that the
obieetion Of the residents along the
road should be taken into consider
ation before any franchise was grant
ed.
Letters were then read from a
number of men living in that vicinity,
obiesting to trolley. Among them
were, r. A. McCurdy. L. A. Thebaud,
Henry r. Taylor, Thomas w. Cauld-
well, Fred @. Blanchard, Charles
Bradley and Robert III. MCCurdy.
No action was taken by the Town
ship Committee and the hearing was
Adjourned until April IL.