The Jersey City news., 1906-08-21
Many Millions of Dollars
Recently Expended On
Local Traction and Steam
Roads and Millioas More
to Follow
NoarHJeRsEY'sRApIDG GROW TIL
JERSEY CITY WILL GET 100000
WAGON ROAD FROM CENTRAL
r. r. CO.-PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANY'S NEW S1oo,ooo,o00
POWER HOUSE

Traction improvements in North Jer-
sey, planned 0r completed since January
1. aggregate fully $20,o00,000. This in
dicates that, while New Jerseys railroad
mileage, already comparatively larger
than that of other States is not being in
creased to any great extent, the work of
improving and amplifying the traction ia
cilities in the State is being carried out
at a remarkably rapid rate. The Won
derful growth of New Jerseys manufac-
lures, the resultant increasing freight
tonnage within the State, and the in
crease in population, have made such ex-
tensiye improvements necessary.
The work of grading, shortening
through lines and eliminating grade
crossings has continued vigorously dur
ing the present year. This, however, is
railroad work that has been progressing
steadily in North Jersey for many years.
More notable is the project of the Cen
tral Railroad of New Jersey to spend
100000 in building a long wagon road
of granite blocks and concrete from the
Lafayette section in Jersey City to its
terminal at Communipaw. The railroad
hopes by this means to build up an eX-
tensiye trucking traffic for its ferries.
OF general interest is the proposition
of the Pennsylvania Railroad to spend
some S3,000,UO0 in constructing a new
freight line through Elizabeth The lines
will pass through the city as an elevated
road being carried on solid masonry, or,
in the narrower streets, on steel spans.
This subsidiary freight line through a
rod will VrAatlv n q
the movement of freight on the Pennsyl-
vania throughout the State.
The Erie Railroad is expected to spend
about $S,O00000 in making its terminal
at Jersey City one of the most extensive
and best equipped in the country, both
for the handling of passengers and
freight and for switching. At present
the road is handicapped by the fact that
all trains have to move through the two
track tunnel under Union Hill. Recent
ly, by the purchase of 100 acres of land,
the railroad was enabled to make the
first move toward its plan for a new
four-track cut through the Hill, and when
this is completed the old tunnel will be
used for freight exclusively. Much land
is also being purchased for the improved
terminal.
The Lackawanna is making splendid
progress on its new two-track tunnel I'M
der Union Hill, and when the bore is
finished and the tracks laid, the road will
have double its present facilities for in
gress to and egress from New York
The new fireproof terminal at Hoboken.
which will be intellectually one of the
handsomest terminals ever built, is also
being rushed to completion.
The remarkable series of trolley eX-.
tensions which have made New Jersey
conspicuous i'll recent years in the matter
of street railway activity have evidently
come to an end, so far as the Public Ser
vice Corporation is concerned, since tht
passage of the twenty-year franchise act.
Officers of the company have gone on
record as being of the opinion that the
great outlay involved, both for construc
rlon and acquiring realty and rights OF
way, in building Il new extension. entails
too great a risk when the company cam
not be sure that it will be allowed to
operate its road Tor more than a few
years. But traction Improvements, so
far as the trolley is concerned, are not at
standstill. Conspicuous among these
is the new power house of the Public
Service on the meadows near the west
end section of Jersey City, which was
opened for full operation at the first of
the year. 1t has a capacity of 10000
kilo- watts and is said to have cost 81
100000 The power house will event
ually be enlarged to four times its pres
ent size, and in additions a S250,00 re-
pair shop is planned. Not behind thie
improvement in general Interest," are the
ninety-fiye new cars being added to the
company's lines representing the highest
type of street railway car construction
yet obtained
These are some of the indications that
few States in the East equal the rate
at which traction Improvements are being
pushed in New Jersey.