Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-10-16
Walter Goemann Fine Argument
On The New Highway In Clifside
Along The Trolley Right Of Way
Invalid Boy Paints Sensible and Business like Picture
of Benefits to Come to Borough, If Public Service
VIII PemH NeW Street to Be Constructed Along Its
Tracks, The Land Being At Present ValueIess.


! The public meeting called by Cliff
side Park Council for Friday even
ing, to debate the question of the
trolley roadway, October 8, was we'll
attended, and brought out some very
creditable speeches. The various as
poets of the project, and its necessity
as community betterment were
we'll developed. The commercial
phase was presented by Mr.. Leeger;
the real estate by Mr.. Carney; the
public service by Mr.. Goemann; the
relation of the roadway to the fire
protection OF the borough by Mr..
smith. Mr.. Hearn also spoke as did
Mrs. Callaghan. The engineer OF
the railroad was also present
1t cannot be questioned that both
the borough and Its citizens will de-
rive great DEMENT'S from the improve
ment which Is under discussion to-
night. we are here to request the
Publlc Service Co. to permit the con-
struct1on OF public roadway upon
their right OF way. We realze that
the first duty OF the directors and
officers of the Public Service Co.
must be to the stockholders who have
invested their money IN the stocks
OF the corporation; every project
must be examined by them with one
thought In mind, Will it improve
the financial or political position of
the company 2"
We understand THAI if these negd-
tiatlons are to be carried to a sue
.nS ,tlII
this question to the satisfaction OF
the company. Here are the facts,
we only ask that they be given
candid and impartial consideration.
In the first place it must be under
stood that the interest of the Public
Service Co. is tied up in the delevop-
ment of all sections served by 1T,
which is so self-evident that it seems
foolish to mention it. In this Dor
ough the Public Service Co. has an
absolute monopoly in the transporta-
ton of the public and supplying of
gas and electricity, every additional
resident is by force of circumstance
a new trifold customer for the com
pany. Under these conditions, it is
not necessary to point out that the
stockholders interests demands that
everything shall be done to assist
the fullest development of this sec
ton. A small minority of our citi-
zens claim that we are unreason-
able in our request because of the
fact that the right of way of the
Palisade Car Line is the private
property of the Public Service Co.
| am not lawyer and it may be
that the Public Service Co. has a
legal right to fence in their private
property. can only say while it is
good law it is poor business. A bust
ness man cannot always extract his
pound of flesh; he must conciliate
and cultivate the good will of his
costumers. Let US analyze this ques-
ton of private property.
A generation ago, the preceederS
of the Public Service Co. acquired
this land for the purpose of con-
structlng thereon a steam railroad,
this in course of time has become the
present electric road, the Company
has no use for this land outside Of
the transportation branch of its bust
ness. If it would permit US to con-
struct roadway, it could still carry
on the operation of this line without
"let or hindrance," it does so in
Woodcliff, why not in Cliffside?
By permitting the operation of a
trolley line along this route, the
land has served the purpose for
which it was purchased, what
further use has the Public Service
Co. for it? If it intends to con-
tinue the Palisade Car Line on its
present route, it can never dispose
of this land, so we have the
peculiar case of private property
which cannot be sold
This question very likely will be
answered by recalling to our memo
ries, the express tracks which it is
the intention of the Public Service
in the dim and distant future The
engineers of the Company are very
we'll aware of the fact that this is
a physical impossibility; its lawyers
realize that an express line could
not be operated for even one day,
without being stopped by the courts
or the Public Utility Commission
Their right-of is private only
to a limited extent. Within this
borough they cross, at grade, II
public highways and six or seven
private roadways. Does anyone in
this room imagine for a moment
that they would be permitted to
cross these roads at the rate of sc
or 40 miles an hour? 1t must be
remembered that these public roads
will not decrease in number but