Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-08
TROLLEY MATTER
To BE REVIVED BY
EAST NEWARKERS
Borough Council to Consider
Tonight Traffic Over Clay
Street Bridge.

After waiting four years for the
resumption OF trolley traffic over the
Clay street bridge, the people or bas'
Newark intend putting the proposltio.
up to the members of the Borousu
Council tonight. They want aetloh-
action in the form of trolley service.
II is nearly four years ago tnat
operation of the cars was stopped the
exact date being April l, 1907, wneh' al
the direction of the Hudson n Essex
freeholders, the Public Service RaA-
way Company changed he route OF the
Kearny cars so that work could pe
begun on the erection of a new orluse'
In order to keep up the service LOT tue
people of Kearny the cars were sent
over Fourth street and Harrison We
nue. via the Bridge street bridge.
When the new Clay street bridge was
about completed the question of COM
pengation for it's use for trolleys was
brought up by the f~reeholders. Inc
company had been paying $500 a year
for the use of the bridge, and the tree
holders wanted to fix the price al So'VVo
a year This the company refused TO
accede to, and the bridge was nnisneo
without tracks being laid. which enec-
tually blocked the trolley company
from using it.
Efforts were made to reach an agree
nent between the trolley company ana
the authorities of the two counties, and
while negotiations were pending the is
sue was carried to court in the case OF
a bridge at Avenue c over the Morris
canal, dividing Jersey City and Bay
onne. In this case the Public Service
contended hat it was not liable for
any compensation, holding that the
company was entitled to use the bridge
the same as any other taxpayer, as 1t
was part of the t~horoughfare.
The issue raised in the Avenue G case
covered the Clay street bridge situa-
ton, and the matter was allowed to
rest until the court rendered its deci-
sion. Vice-Chancellor Emery. before
whom the suit was heard, handed down
an opinion recently, but the actual
decree has not been entered.
In the opinion of the court the troll
ley company has a right, under the
traction act, to cross the bridges, but
at the same time, the opinion held, that
II by virtue of the use of bridges for
trolley ears ii becomes necessary to
construct them of heavier material
than would otherwise be necessary, the
company could be compelled to pay SO
much of the cost as was represented
by the extra construction work.
The vice-chancellor suggested that II
the company and the counties could
not agree upon the proportion of cost
the court would take testimony on this
point. It is the intention to have such
testimony taken. but no date has been
fixed for the hearing. In the meantime
the matter stands practically where It
did -four years ~
At the Office of the Public Service
railway today 1t was said that the
company is not only ready but anxious
10 resume the operation Of cars over
the Clay street bridge as o % as the
differences between the company n
the two counties can be satisfactorily
adjusted.
Mayor Cornelius A. McGlennon, Of
East Newark, together with the mem
bers of the council. have been work
ing untiringly in an endeavor to have
the matter amicably adjusted. 1t is
the contention OF the borough fathers
that business has been at a stand
still since the cars were discontinued.