Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-04-16
PUBLIC SERVICE
IS TARGET FOR
DIRECTOR EVANS
Head of FreehoIders Says
Trolley Company Did Not
Keep Agreement.
MUST SETTLE FOR ONE
BRIDGE TO GET ANOTHER
Dispute Is One Which Has Ex-
tended Through Many
Years.
MUST SETTLE FOR ONE
BRIDGE TO GET ANOTHER

created at meeting of the joint
bridge committee OF the Essex and
Hudson county freeholders today
When Director Walter A. Evans, of
the Essex county board, dayed the
Public Service Railway Company, de-
clared that it did not live up to its
agreements, and asserted that he
would never again take the world OF
its officials unless everything was
put in writing.
Director Evans further declared
that he would not vote for conclud-
ing any agreement relative to the
price the trolley people were TO pay
for the use Of the JaeApon street
bridge until the freehoIders and the
Public Service Railway Company
came to some binding agreement rela-
tive to. the price which. the car COM
pany was TO pay for the use of the
new Bridge street bridge.
Freeholder Richard T. Malta pre-
sided at the meeting and, appeared
anxious to have the dispute relative
, to the use by the car company of the
bridges settled at the earliest possible
moment.
County Engineer Thomas Wasser,
of Hudson county, was the first of
those present to be called upon, and
he explained the bridge proposition
as 1t relates to the use of bridges by
the trolley company.
For use of the Jackson street
bridge the engineer thought q cost
of ss,277 a year should be assessed
against the Public Service Company.
For the use of the Bridge street
bridge he thought s3,703s0 a fair
price
Row Compensation Is Fixed.
Mr. Wassen gave figures showing
that the Clay street bridge cost about
$3.50, 900. This was one of the de-
Gliding factors, he said, in fixing the
yearly compensation. The cost of the
Jackson street bridge, he said. was
in the neighborhood of 100000.
He also explained that the Public
Utility Commission figured that $50 ,e0L
had been added to the cost OF the
various bridges by the necessity pi
making them string enough to carry
| the added weight of street cars.
For some years there has been g
dispute between the freeholders and
! the street car company relative tc
compensa ton for the use of bridges.
The first contract entered into by
the counties was with the Newark,
Harrison and Kearny Horse Railway
Company in March, 1884 This was
for the privilege of operating cars ON
a single track over the Bridge street
bridge at an annual cost of $3.50. This
was TO be used in keeping the bridge
in repair.
This contract continued in force
until March, 1891 BY that time the
railway company had been absorbed
by the Newark Passenger Railway
Company. The latter company re-
quested permission 10 run double
tracks across the bridge for the use
Of electric cars. II was granted and
the price set at $500 a year. The same
price was charged for the use of the
Clay street bridge when it was de-
sired to run cars over 1t.
The contract was for ten years and
until notice of one year was given by
any of the contracting parties who
might want to end it. While the con-
tract expired In 1901, 1t was not until
1908 that the years notice was given.
This was after efforts by the county
to get higher rental from the Pub
lie Service Company. Since then the
company has been forwarding checks
for $500 yearly 10 the freeholders each
year. They have been received IN
der protest and have not been cashed.
Matthias Suggestion Rejected.
In an effort TO bring order out of
chaos and reach an understanding.
Chairman Malta suggested today,
after hearing from the Hudson
county engineer that it might be as
well to come to some understanding
with the car company and close mp
the old account involving a yearly
rental of $500 to each county prior to
the building Of the Bridge street
bridge.
Mr. Malta suggested that further
rights be waived If the Public Ser
vice Company would pay the amounts
asked for the use of the Jackson
street and Bridge street bridges. He
then asked that motion be made by
one of the freeholders that the COM
pany be asked to pay the prices as
fixed by the joint committee
Freebolder Lacombe then arose and
said that he didn't approve of having
the freeholders make any concessions
until it was made evident what the
Public Service Company was willing
to- concede.
This was the cue for Director
Evans to speak and he did not hesi-
tate to express his opinion of the Pub
lie Service Company in vigorous Eng
lish. -
Joker In the Request.
81 don't want to see the jackson
street bridge proposition figured on
until the Bridge street matter Is set
tied" said Mr.. Evans. THE company
could stop using the Bridge street
bridge by using the jackson street
bridge. This matter has been q bone
of contention for many years, and
do not favor any concessions regard
| ing Bridge street The only way To
get anything from the Public Service
Company is to be as firm as their ofi-
cials are inclined to be.
They are independent and WON'T
deal with you and we should not give
way on the Bridge street proposition
until we have to. The tracks In
Forty-third street are In wretched
condition, and they refuse to fix them
despite repeated requests. The time
has now come when they want some
thing. and now Ia the time to insist
on the settlement of matters in dis
pute.
"I won't vote for a Jackson street
bridge settlement until the Bridge
street matter is settled up, no matter
what pressure may be brought to
bear on me-" continued Mr.. Evans.
They care nothing for the public.
They showed that in the Clay street