Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-23
VIEWS OF CITIZENS
SOUGHT AGAIN ON
TRACK ELEVATION
Situation in Orange to Be Dis
cussed at Public Hearing on
January II.

Citizens of Orange will have an
other opportunity on January Il to
air their views concerning the pro-
posed elevation of the Lackawanna
railroad tracks. The Board Of Com
aaissioners decided yesterday to call
a public meeting In the city hall. At
present all negotiations between the
city and the railroad officials are at
:, standstili.
Mayor Daniel F. Mlnahan brought
the subject up again at the meeting
Of the commissioners yesterday. He
suggested that the city either take
up the abolishment OF the grade
crossing with the Public Utility Com
mission or resume negotiations with
the railroad. Unless the commission
acted, he said. the matter would so
over for two years.
The discussion became so free that
Commissioner William Calhoun
thought 1t unwise for the officials to
show their hands for the benefit OF
the railroad and called malt He
said the tracks were In their present
location for more than sixty years.
and could remain there few years
longer If necessary
The railroad estimates that the cost
of elevating the tracks in Orange will
amount to about S1,500,0OO. The rail-
road wants Orange to pay fifty per
cent. of the property damages, when
thew guarantee will not exceed $780,
600. The city's share, therefore.
would not be more than $4,000 The
citv. under the Fielder act, would
also have to pay about $4,000 for
street changes. In return the rail-
road offers to the city a strip on
Scotland street, whatever right and
title it possesses" which would be
vacated by the railroad. While the
value of this strip has not been de-
termined, the city demands full title.
The city also contends that If the
railroad wants to close Prince street,
il must provide an outlet for Hill
street by extending 1t to Oakwood
avenue. The city also offered to pay
forty per cent. of the property dam
ages, with a maximum of $4,000,
leaving the city's share OF not more
than $4,000.
Work for Unemployed.
The topic for its inspiration in a
letter sent by Henry Dalmases, of Il
Ivy Court, who sensed an opportunity
70 aid the unemployed by having the
city arrange with the Lackawanna
TO do the work now, meeting the COM
pany half way" and stipulating that
Orange residents be given preference
in employment. He had incidentally
urged cooperation between Orang6
and East Orange in the railroad
negotiations.
"The railroad has made up It's mind
- NJ Wrva mill hlz
TO take up this question. There is no
use sitting down for two years while
other communities are progressing
with their work"
"Why not have a referendum vote
on the question:" asked Commissioner
Frank j. Murray.
MAYOR Minahan said he was willing
10 agree to that proposition, and Com
missioner Calhoun said the railroad
would be back with another PROPOSE
tion, TO which the Mayor retorted
that Engineer Ray. of the railroad,
had informed him the company -ould |
go on with other work. to take two or
three years, and let Orange go for |
awhile.
THE tracks have been at grade for |
sixty years and two or three more !
years will not make much difference"
said Mr.. Calhoun. We viii get q /
much quicker settlement with the |
company If we only sit firm. The city |
viii have 70 pay in any event $4,000 |
Tor the street changes, and with our |
sewers TO finance we are not now pre-
pared to meet this expense"
Slight Difference in Figures.
"The city and railroad are nov
within $1,000 or 50 900 of each others |
fgures.' said Mayor Minahan. "It will |
he to the city's advantage ten times |
over to have this matter settled. We
see other communities building up
as a result of their improvements
while Orange is standing still"
Commissioner Harry ID. Wethling
reminded the commission that the
railroad apparently was unfair In its
dealings with the city, as they tried
% give Orange something they did
rot own, referring his remarks to
the Scotland street strip the company
offered to give to Orange as a con-
cession in the negotiations. He said
Il was not quite the right thing to
dicker with the commission and its
predecessors, the Common Council,
over the strip and then at the last
minute indicate the company did not
own the land.
Commissioner Murray, however, re-
ments to George Spottiswoode, during
a discussion year ago at the Board
II Trade rooms in which the railroad
attorney insisted the company had
perfect title to the ground upon which
Is tracks are located. Mr.. Spottis-
goode had related how he beat the
company on the same point, In the
matter of title to some land used by
he railroad.
"The company has embarrassed the
situation, however, by raising the
3ity's share of property damages,
continued Commissioner Murray. I'm
Is last communication to the COM
mission the city was asked to pay so
Der cent, while the former figure was
10 per cent. | am not impressed with
the value of the Scotland street strip,
either. We cannot very well sell 1t,
and we cannot use 1t for public
purposes"
Commissioner Calhoun said he was
prepared to go no further with con-
cessions. He spoke Of the Fielder act,
which saddles part of the cost of the
changes on municipalities, and mem
toned the years of effort by the rail-
road to get that law passed.
After Mayor Mlnahan expressed his
concern over the possibility of the
railroad waiting us out" Mr.. Cal
noun whispered to the other members
that the discussion should terminate
and 1t did.
$4,000 for MontcIair House