The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-14
NEW PLANK ROAD
PLANS PROPOSED
TO FREEH0LDERS
Public Service Will Not Contrib
ute Toward Cost of Inn
prOvement.
NEW LEGISLATION BEFORE
IT WILL MOVE IT'S TRACKS
Proposition Includes New Bridge
Across Passaic'River-More
Land Will Be Needed.

That an improved plank road is in
sight was made evident at the Febru-
airy meeting of the Board of Free.
holders last night. where former
County Engineer James Owen, acting
upon previous instructions, presented
plans and specifications for the better
ment of the highway between the two
big towns.
The plans also provide for a new
bridge across the Passaie River. and
the engineer told the Freeholders they
were fairly we'll worked out"
After making this statement, Free
holder Fred l.. Baldwin moved that the
question of acquiring sufficient land to
widen the road to the 100 feet called
for be turned over to the committee on
free bridges.
County Counsel Elvin w. Crane n
the boards committee on legislation
were requested to ook int the need
of legislative enactment.
The Freeholders were told by Mr..
Owen that he had called the attention OF
the Public Service Corporation to the
PLANS and had received a reply from
the president, Thomas n. McCarter. jr.,
in which the latter said that he was in
sympathy with a wooden road taking
the place of the old one, but that the
trolley company had a perpetual right
to maintain it's tracks in its present
place, and that he had been advised
that the tracks could not be removed
to the centre without injury to the
franchise.
This difficulty, the president wrote to
the engineer. might be overcome by
proper legislation.
He added that the company did not
see its way clear to contribute
financially under any plan proposed,
but would not oppose the Improvement.
Mr.. Baldwin's motion was carried,
after Freebooter Frank f. Ward had
said that 1t covered the two points in
volved and after he had reported that
the bridge committee had already taken
up the question of acquiring more land.
Another bridge and trolley matter
that came up was hat relating to the
amount of money that the company is
to pay for the use of the Clay street
bridge. Freebooter Emmett J. Quinn
reported, as told at the time, that the
joint free bridge committee had decided
upon $4,000 a year for ten years for the
privilege. After some discussion, how
j ever, the board referred the matter
back to the committee to get better
terms.
Close Central Avenue Bridge.
The Freeholders, after resolving to
close up the Central avenue bridge
across the canal While the new $4,000
structure is put in place, c%oncurred in
the recommendation of its building
committee to award the contract for
the laundry machinery in the Jail and
its connections to Ralph B. Schmidt at
81, 49,, and passed two resolutions OF
coincidence, one IN the death of the
late Freeholder Lawrence A. Reilly, of
the Fifth Ward, and another on the
death of the mother of Freebooter
Henry NJ. Trabold, of Orange.
Director Michael Barry put Free
holder Quinn at the lead of the New
ark free bridge committee in place Of
the late Freeholder Lawrence A. Reilly,
and his successor from the Fifth Ward,
Francis A. Foley, who appeared in the
board with his credentials. in every
place ON other committees held by MIR.
Reilly.
The Democratic members held a
secret caucus before the regular ses-
sion, presided over by the majority
leader. Mr.. Eaton, who has just
returned from a trip to the Bermudas.
1t is understood that it was for the
purpose of acquainting him with cur
rent events of county interest and to
coach the new man from the Fifth
Ward,
Engineer owen explained at length
that the plan was to have the
9,400 feet of road increased from its
sixty-six feet of width to the 100 feet
suggested long ago; to have W side
walks of liz feet in width and a CEN
trail space for the trolley tracks of
twenty-one feet. Provisions are to be
made for the necessary sewers, ETC.;
there are to be five kinds of pavement
twd driVeways of twenty-eight feet
each, while the trolley tracks are not
only to be moved from the side, where
they now are. to the centre, but raised
from six to eight inches above the leveI
of the roadway. In the section be-
tween, the Passaic and Hackensack
rivers it is proposed to accommodate
the Improvement TO h layout of the
Hackensack Meadow Company.