Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-03-13
SHIPPERS FIGHT
AGAINST PIERCE
CROSSING BILL
Manufacturers Claim Proposed
Measure Will Require
Change in Sidings.
RAILROAD ATTORNEYS
ALSO OPPOSE BILL
Mayors and Officials of Several
Cities Appear in Favor
of Plan.
IFrom a STAR correspondent.

TRENTON, March 13.-New Jerseys
shippers and business men appeared
before the House committee on rail-
roads and canals today in large num-
bers to protest against the Pierce
grade-crossing bills, which requires
that the railroads shall abolish one
grade crossing annually for each thirty
miles of roadbed.
The argument of the shippers wal
that the changing of the grades OF the
railroads would compel a big outlay
on their part to make relative changes
in their sidings. Their case was pre-
sented by John w. Foster, represent
ing the State Manufacturers Associa-
ton; Jean Dubois, of Perth Amboy,
representing the Roessler & Hans
lacker Chemical Company; William L.
Geddes. of MacAndrews & Forbes.
the Camden licorice makers; Joseph
Brakely, the canned vegetable packer,
of Freehold; D. V. Perrine. Of Camden,
the manager of the Clifford Lacour
Cranmer Company, Long Branch, and
several others.
Edward Nugent, president of the City
Council. of Elizabeth, said that the
shippers were sent dow to Trenton by
the railroads to be a buffer between
the Legislature and the railroads, but
he protested against the Pierce bill on
the ground that in certain instances
part of the expense might be imposed
on the municipalities.
Jackson E. Reynolds, for the Central
railroad; M. M. Stallman, for the
Lackawanna; Duane E. Minard. for the
Erie, also spoke against the Pierce
bill.
prominent in the delegation present
TO urge the passage of the bill were
members of the Mayors Association,
made up of the chief executives of
different cities and towns. In order to
secure a large attendance Of the mayors
before the Legislature Mayor Julian A.
Gregory. of East Orange, its founder,
sent out kilograms to them because Of
the activity of the railroad, and the
response was quite general.
The East Orange delegation In their
arguments claimed the Main street and
Arlington avenue crossing is the worst
death-trap in New Jersey. and told Of
many accidents at this point.
Councilman George A. Grover, Pat
rick II. Lawless and Theodore Nc
Curdy Marsh, representing the rail-
road committee of the City Council,
presented figures showing the number
OF trains and vehicles that pass over
the junction crossing in East Orange
in supplying reasons why the crossing
should be eliminated, after stating that
they gave their accord to the Pierce
bill.
The committee recited that between
7:S0 and $3.50 mornings thirteen trains
and forty street cars, containing 1000
passengers, went over the crossing, and
there was always a strong possibility
of a repetition of the Clifton avenue
crossing accident. Wagons drawn by
491 horses, twenty-five teams, eight au-
tomobiles, carrying is people, and PA
pedestrians also crossed in that time.
At the rush hour in the evening con-
ditions were even worse, they claimed,
because of the darkness. There are
$1,000 people lodging $50 trains a day,
concluded the committee. Mayor
Gregory also gave a talk illustrating
the daily dangers at the crossing and
urged the passage of the bill.