The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-27

"'open cut" is completed. This led Presi-
dent Congdon to say:
These matters must be remedied at
once. The public, will not wait until the
open cut is completed"
Tit matter of using kerosene lamps In
passenger cars passing through the tunnel
was taken up. The representatives Of the
company ~endeaVored to make It appear
that the oil lamps were not any more dnn-
gerous than the gas lamps, and endeavored
to Justify their position by stating that II
them.
1t was also Insisted that because Of the
numerous sidings at this point 1t would
be necessary to move them back several
hundred feet. by "A table presented it
was shown that there was only an aver
age of 1877 trains of all kinds passing over
The crossing during twenty-four hours.
After the representatives OF the company
had completed their testimony, Track In
spector McElvey was called and he said
that he felt sure that it would not be neces-
sary 10 spend as large a sum OF money as
the company had estimated il would re-
quire 10 make the crossing safe. He
thought that II would only he necessary
10 protect the main tricks at his time,
ana then later the siding approaches could
be attended to. He also suggested that
the company could for a few hundred dol
lars install an electric automatic lock
switching device which would lock the
switches on the lines so that it would be
Impossible for the telegraph operator to
change the signals or switch once he had
given a clear signal 10 a train on the
other line.
Commissioners Whiting asked Mr.. Nc
ElVey whether he knew If there were
other crossings throughout the State sit
uated as the Franklin Junction cross
ing, and the inspector said there was.
Mr.. Whiting then moved that the final dis
position OF the present case be laid over
unti1 the commission could investigate all
OF the crossings similarly situated and
then the board would be in a position to
make an order that would apply to all
roads.
Frank T. SHEPPARD was then called in
connection with the complaint against the
company in Jersey city for the poor ne
commodations for the purchasing of tickets.
Mr. ShePhard said that the company had
not received any complaints except the
one from the commission. He added that
he and other officials We're aware of the
fact that the Jersey City depot had out
lived its usefulness and that the business
OF the company had grown to a greater
proportion than had been anticipated at the
Time the station had been built.
when the tunnel rs completed" said
Mr.. Sheppard, ''all these matters will be
renledied.' He aid that they expect to
be using the tunnel to some extent before
the close Of the present yea.
One OF the commissioners suggested that
the company could arrange the ticket
offices at Jersey city 10 the same manner
as the offices at their Philadelphia depot.
Mr.. Sheppard told the commission that
he would make a thorough exa nination of
the whole matter and submit a written
ifpufi 70 tut tbiiiHliSSlNH at All PuflN NHte.
He added that he was sure that some new
arrangements could be made Temporarily
pending the completion Of the tunnel.
Representatives Of the Erie Railroad
We're then called. They were questioned
first in connection with the ventilation or
the passenger ears. The railroad claimed
that the reason for the opening of the ven
t~ilators WIS because of a great demand
being made TO the company to have them
open.
Commissioners Congdon then interrupted
and said that he did not think that was any
excuse, as common reasoning would lead
the company to know that it was impossi-
BILE 10 get any fresh air while going through
the tunnels. They denied that trains have
been allowed to run through the tunnels
without rear-end danger lights and said
that there was "A rule which would not per-
nit trains going the same direction to
enter the tunnel until the first train had
reached the other side.
The matter of lighting ears was then
taken NJ. Although the company's repre-
%sentatives said that 1t would not average
over two or three times a year when cars
We're not lighted while going through the
tunnels. President Congdon said that he
was riding on trains Of the company on
August 3 and u of the present month, and
on both dates there was not a single lamp
Light in the ears in which he was riding.