Palisadian., 1916-03-11


spread the huge bulk of the Palisades
to the south Of Cliffside Park bor
ough, and their citizens which in
habit them, are being brought face to
face with questions of great moment
these days.
On Thursday of last week at q
meeting Of the five Commissioners OF
Jersey City the government decided
to pledge itself to support the state
wide movement launched by Mayor
Donnelly,s of Trenton, to force a gem
eral reduction in the rates charged
for electricity by the Public Service
CORPORATION of New Jersey. The
movement is embodied in the League
of Municipalities of which Mayor
Donnelly is president.
The case will be heard before the
Public Utilities Commission, and Jer-
sey City will pay $4,000 Of the $12,-
900 which Commissioner Breusinger
has figured it will cost to fight the
case. The Commissioner made
very stirring appeal to his colleagues
to support the movement. he SAID
that the crux Of the whole matter
was whether there was $50, 100000 OF
real value in the securities OF the
Public Service Corporation as claimed
bv them. because it was upon this
contention that the company sought
to Justify it's high rate of charges for
electricity.
Commissioner Brensinger said:
"The Public Utilities Commission has
employed Dougal Jackson, an expert,
to make a physical valuation OF the
Public Service Electric Light Com
pany's property. His report upon all
classes Of property, excepting real
estate and underground condults, Is
in. There will be hearing before
the Public Utilities Commission dur
ing the latter part Of this month. !
am satisfied that the valuations Of
propery shown will at least justify
the cutting in half of the present
rates charged for electricity. That
would mean saving Of 100000 or
more year to the people of Hudson
county alone. When the Electric
Light Company has fought it's fight
and put upon the values it places
upon its property we will be able to
use the figures in making our assess
ments and believe it will net US
from $50, 900 to 100000 additional
taxes"
In Hoboken on the same evening a
rather remarkable speech was made
by Corporation Attorney Fallon be-
fore meeting of the Retail Mer-
chants Association at Odd Fellows
Hall. Mayor Griffin could not be
present, but his secretary, John F.
Lewis, was; also County Clerk Nc
Govern.
Mr. Fallon referred first to the
lamentable lack of interest in public
affairs as Indicated by the small num-
ber at the meeting. He said the same
thing was painfully evident at the
hearings before the Public Utilities
Commission on the matter of secur-
ing three cent car fares. At Jeresy
City where the hearings were now
being continued, practically nobody
was ever present except those who
had to be.
Mr.. Fallon paid glowing tribute
to Hoboken's Board of Commission
ers, saying that there had never been
any five men who had done so much
for the city. He invited his hearers
to visit the city fathers in the City
Hall more frequently. This would be
of mutual benefit. It was what the
men were there for.
Mr.. Fallon spoke warmly of the
work of Commissioner Londrigen in
improving the city streets; of Com
missioner Bach, as Director of the
Department of Revenue and Finance,
in reducing nearly by half the in
terest charges to the city on bor-
rowed money. The speaker said that
plans were making for better educa-
tional facilities for the children, bet
ter lighting, better building, COM
merce and trade.
March 8, the directors of the West
New York, Hudson county, Board of
Trade received delegation of Of
ficials and citizens of the borough of
Fairview, Bergen county, in the
Municipal Building and heard their
request for the linking of the two
communities by a continuous troll
ley line.
The plan submitted contemplated /
the asking of Superintendent Bolen,
of the Public Service Railway to /
take under consideration the linking
of the former Turnpike trolley, pass
ing through Ridgefield, with the pres
ent West New York line. Probst
avenue and not Dan Kelly's Hill is
suggested as the best connecting
thoroughfare, as it is an easy grade.
The plan of campaign, as outlined
by the Fairview delegation, was to
secure the presence of Superintend-
ent Bolen at joint community con-
ference to be held in West New York
on April z or IA, at which representa-
tive citizens of the two sections could
be present. Maps and other data are
being gathered for the meeting.
Notices are to be sent to civic organ Z
izations and officials of Union Hill,
North Bergen, Gutenberg, Fairview,
Ridgefield Park and others
to be present.
An agitation as also started at the 4
Board of Trade meeting to get Ber- I
rro,, H,,dcov7 ov,d ESSAY counties ~