The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-03-02
Freiert Franchise Granted.


, was raining hard at the time fixed for tn
meeting, but there was number of cit
, zens present 1t was not a public meet
ing in the usual term, but it was a meet
ing of the township committee at whic
the public was given a chance to expires
views on the subject.
Chairman Dill announced that any on
was privileged to speak, and Franklin B
Lewis was the first to respond. He state'
that he had been requested by numbe
of taxpayers and others interested in tn
matter to speak for them. He wanted /
distinctly understood that he was not op
posed to the trolley company; on the con
trary, he felt very kindly to the corpora
ton as he knew it had done the towI
much good in some ways, in Others thu
coming of the trolley had been disappoint
ing, as the improvements expected did no
materialize. There had not been large
number of new citizens take up theil
residence here, nor had real estate ad
vanced in value. There are just as many
houses to rent as formerly and very little
building going on. Mr.. Lewis thought
there should be some changes in the ordin
ance which had been read. The clause
providing for the unloading of freight
should read so that it would not be posi-
BILE to stop cars for that purpose between
the siding on Washington street and the
switch where the cars go over the bridge
to Burlington. Another point to be
considered was the sprinkling of the
streets. There was no doubt that the
residents in the upper part of the town
had Just cause to complain of the dust
raised by the cars and it would be small
item for the trolley company to do away
with that annoyance.
Mr. Lewis called attention to the fact
that an ordinance of the character OF that
now under consideration could not be re-
pealed, and he felt that the length Of time
that the trolley people ask for should be
very carefully considered. Twenty five
years seemed pretty long period. The
township committee is the guardian of the
interests of the taxpayers and Mr.. Lewis
told them they ought to consider the sub
ject very carefully and see that justice is
done to the town.
Charles Fl. Folwell presented petition
which was additional to that which first
asked for public hearing. This paper
contained the signatures of many women
who live along the line and pay tax, but
who were unable to attend the meeting.
This petition asked that the streets be
sprinkled and that the life of the franchise
be not over ten years. 1t also asked that
the places where freight could be unload
ed on the streets should exclude that space
between the Washington street switch and
the fair ground switch.
Mr.. Lewis was here asked to give reply
to question Of legality. He was asked
if the idea of restricting the unloading
of freight to the points named would pre-
vent the trolley company from unloading
and loading freight at it's car barn on
High street. Mr. Lewis declined to an
swer the question, saying he was not
there in legal capacity.
Mr.. Folwell, however, gave the an
swer, and said there was no such inten-
ton, as it was generally conceded that
the car barn was private property and
could be used by the owners as they
pleased, unless they made the place pub
lie nuisance.
On the subject of restriction for I'M
loading freight, DR.. John J. Flynn did
not see why the residents of West Wash
ington street should not be protected. and
he suggested that the point of unloading
should be extended further out that
street.
H. L. Walters thought that the COM
pany should have the privilege of putting
small packages off at store doors if they
wished to. He also felt that a competing
freight line would be beneficial When
the Board of Trade was in existence two
thirds of the applicants for information
respecting sites on which to locate manu-
featuring plants refused to give further
consideration when they found there were
no competing freight lines, in consequence
of which our freight rates are high. On
the subject of sprinkling the streets the
speaker said he could not see why pro-
perry in one portion of the town should
receive that particular benefit and other
locations not along the line were ignored.
William B. Pearson was not opposed to
the franchise but he was heartily in favor
of having the streets sprinkled. This
should not be confined to one section,
however, and the line should receive
attention from one end to the other.
Joseph Cross did not take much stock
in the idea that competing freight privil-
eyes would help the town any. The fact
that the steamboat Vansciver carried
freight had not caused the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company to reduce its rates.
Edward D. Stokes was of the opinion
that it would not require much effort or
the part of any one to show that the troll
lev had benefited the town in many ways
If, by granting the freight privilege, the
financial condition of the trolley company
could be improved he thought the citizen
should lend their aid to that end.
Howard NJ. BOUCHER, president of tn
Burlington County Railway Company
spoke on the financial end of the PROPOSE
ton, and as he is carrying the main por
ton of the bond burden. he certainly wa
in position to speak understandingly
He gave very clear idea of how finan
cial matters stood. The street sprinklin
idea, he said, would be too much Of
burden.
DR.. Charles Harker said he would Xix
to make speech if he could, but talkin
, In public was somewhat out of his line
He felt as if he was on both sides OF th
question, and while he wanted to see tn
, franchise granted, he thought there shout
be more restriction than was named
the ordinance.
Mr.. Cross wanted some expression fror
/ the township committee and Mr.. Clin
said he thought the committee ha
spoken in the ordinance. This was col
strued by the obstructionists in a way
suit themselves and to make it apes
that the committee had determined wins