Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-28
BUSINESS MEN OF
EAST ORANGE FOR
TRACK DEPRESSION
Organization 10 Be Effected
and Counsel Will Be
Engaged.

Intending to demonstrate Ia the
Public Utility Commission that other
than an engineering problem is al
stake in the depression of railroad
tracks i'm the eastern part Of East
Orange. business men Of tie section
are organizing a protective assoeia=
tion and already have engaged for
mer city Counsel Borden u. Whiting
TO present their arguments that Gle
walton Of the rails would visit meal
culable harm on their property in the
locality.
The men propose 10 recruit citizens
from all parts of the city and At
every opportunity clearly show that
other than depression in their section
would tend to destroy the future Of
the locality
The idea Of forming the association
was born i'm the minds Of the leaders
IN the movement at the conference
between representatives of Orange.
East Orange and the Public Utility
Commission this week. after City
Counsel Edward o. Stanley, ir., of
their city, had declared that the de
preston phase was an engineering
problem.
Mr. Whiting who is now town at
torney of West Orange, is conVersant
with the entire situation in East Or
ange, having represented the city
when the negotiations with the Lack
awanna for the elimination of the
Embarrassing were under WAY Two
years ago, and the business men feel
that he will be able To submit their
cases in the manner desired.
Conference of officials
rri,o,. T., how, Af6itinfr
at the conference Of officials of the
city and experts of the Laesawanna,
which will be held at the East Or
ange City Hall February II, and again
at the meeting of the representatives
OF the cities and the Public Utility
Commission on February "A.
r. T. Blauvelt, who is recruiting the
business men into the association, de-
tailed today the object of the new
organization and the plans for the
future.
"Ours will be an Independent move
ment for depression said Mr..
Blauvelt
"We possibly would have re-
GREETED not having done something.
he added 'if other than depression
was given to East Orange. 1t is our
intention of keeping emphasized the
fact that if the property in the cast
eTn section is to be preserved tho
railroad tracks must be depressed
Mr. Blauvelt remarked the thought
OF having such an organization
6awned upon him a few months ago,
and that he got busy in perfecting
the plans for the formation of the
association after the conference with
~ 4ttt &C tFllph he
attended.
Increasing Membership.
Aiding Mr.. Blauvelt in swelling the
membership of tho association are
former Playground Commissioner ".
Hallyer Ragsdale, Assessment Com
missioner James II. Muchmore, vii
liam OBrien, Edward Hunkele and
Thomas II. Lumsden, all property
owners in the lower section.
Mr.. Blauvelt explained the associa-
ton will be ready to assist the city
officials and put especial emphasis
on his declaration that the business
men are irreconcilably agains. eleya-
ton. Partial elevation, he stated,
might be possible for the city. but
that II was plain to him and the
other men in the locality that con-
siderable damage would result from
putting the tracks in the air in the
eastern section.
1t is said that another motive that
actuated the business men III or
sanizing the association WAS 10 off
set the activities of associations west
Of East Orange which were desirous
of having the tracks elevated in the
city
streets Would he Closed.
1.-THE fact that some people mightn't
like the idea of riding through Il de-
preston cut for a few blocks" said
another man active in the associa-
ton, "ought not be considered when
the harm that would result in the
section Is thought Of
1t is claimed by the business men
that the damage they feel would fol
low elevation would be most felt be
cause 1t would mean the closing up
of some streets in the locality. They
say that vehicular traffic would be in
terfered with greatly, because wagons,
etc, in the Fifth ward would have TO
take a greatly round about way to
get to Main street, which is the prin-
cipal thoroughfare now running
parallel with the Lackawanna where
heavy vehicles are allowed to travel
After enlisting others the associa-
ton will hold a meeting probably the
early part of next week to map out
plans for further steps.