The Penn's Grove record., 1916-02-25
JITNEY OWNERS
FIGHT TROLLEY
Declare Pending Bill Will Sound
Their Death KneIl
PLEA OF PUBLIC SERVICE
There Was No Demonstration in Num-
bers, the Speakers Being Princi-
pally Lawyers-counsel Says
People Have No Redress.

Especial Trenton Correspondence
Trenton.-Tender solicitude for the
lives and limbs of imperiled Jersey
folks was feelingly expressed by coun-
sci for the Public Service Corporation
at a hearing ON the Hates Jitney bill,
the measure which has been batted
about for some weeks. Backers of he
jitneys were u to oppose the bill,
asserting that efforts had been made
to jam it through the Legislature De-
fore they could get a chance to study
it or to turn a hand to prevent its
passage. The bill had been given
favorable report from committee in
the House the week after Mr.. Hates
had introduced it, but the jitney men
ran full tilt into it, held it up and
managed to have it recommitted for
hearing.
There was no demonstration in num-
bers, the speakers being principally
lawyers for or against the measure, al
though DR.. Underwood Cochran, of At
lantic City, who is not a lawyer, made
an earnest plea for the jitneys as a
cheap, elastic and very convenient
form of quick transportation. Others
declared the bill was drawn for the
specific purpose of putting the cars
out of business because of the dras-
tic bond requirement, such as remov-
ed them from the streets OF Philadel-
phia.
DR.. Cochran said the jitneys had be-
come Immediately and immensely pop
ular in Atlantic City because the troll
ley service there had failed to give
the service required and demanded by
the travelling public. He said it was
true that they had caused heavy loss
es to the trolley line, but that that
was inevitable, just as was the loss
to the old stage coach by the intro
duction of steam railroads. Board of
Works Commissioner Gillen, of New
ark, declared that The bond feature
of the bill was what the jitney men OBJ
jected to, as it would undoubtedly put
them out of business. They did not
object to proper regulation by the mu-
nicipal authorities, but saw no pres
ent necessity of placing them under
the control of the State Utility Com
mission.
Former Senator Edmund Wakelee,
chief of the legislative legal staff of
the Public Service, told how anxious
that corporation is to safeguard the
lives and limbs of the travelling public
and why they desire to have the jitneys
under bond. He said that 500, 000,-
900 is invested in the corporation, with
its many r~amifications touching every
part of the State, and that it has
$4,000 employees, all opposed to the jit-
ney. "If they should parade through
the State House." he said, this bill
would pass unanimously" Mr.. Wake
lee referred to the action of scores of
municipalities in which the jitneys
had been placed under bond to guaran
tee redress for citizens who might be
injured and he read a long list of fatal
accidents for which the hated trolley
rival has been responsible. He was
also fearful that there might be repe-
titions of a case in Newark in which
some jitney drivers had abused a a.
year-old girl, and it seemed as though
his heart fairly ached for the victim.
The Public Service, Mr.. Wakelee said.
paid more than $4,000, 900 a year in
taxes and other charges to the munich
palities of the State, while the jitney
men, proposing to use the public
streets, were unable to see that thew
should pay anything for an exclusive
privilege. The corporation had paid
last veal s750,00O in damage claims
because it was held responsible for ac-
cidents to residents, but without a
bond the jitney men escaped all liza
bility. The jitney men claimed that if
they took out liability insurance the
public would have ample protection in
case of accident.
The committee did not make known
its purpose concerning the bill. but
the opinion appears to be that it will
be again favorably reported. That will
precipitate another fight in the House.
and it is doubtful if the measure can
get by.
To the plea of Mr.. Wakelee were
added those of former Judge C. l..
Cole, receiver of the Atlantic Citv
trolley roads and former City Counsel
Harry Wooten, of Atlantic City, both
claiming that the jitneys at the resort
should be placed under such proper
regulation and restriction as the bill
proposed.
A measure passed by the House was
Senator Ackley's bill appropriating
$4,000 to encourage egg-laying contests
in the poultry industry.
Bread Lines" for Birds"
Hunger and cold are not felt so
much among the birds now for So
cieties have established "bread lines"