Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-27
STRONG FIGHT TO
Be MADE BY BOTH
SIDES AT HEARING
Great Interest Being Shown
by All Municipalities Con-
cerned in Trolley Strike
MANY PETITIONS FILED
Public Service Will Also File
Answer to Writ in Supreme
Court

NEWARK, Aug. 27:-A statement
charging the Public Service Railway
Company with fraud in the canvass
of citizens of the state to sign petit
tions favoring the company's settle-
ment plan, and in representing to
the Public Utility Commission that
these petitions are valid expressions
of those citizens, was made by c. J.
Gallagher. president of the New Jer-
sey Bus Owners Association. at a
meeting of bus representatives in
Jersey City today.
Mr.. Gallagher's statement. made
in behalf of the bus owners OF the
state,' said that he wished to caD
attention to thousands OF letters and
! petitions of alleged citizens-ia faixh (
of the McCarter plan, which "pati-
tons are being signed by the Public
Service with the aid Of q large army
of paid solicitors. who are soliciting
individual citizens and nlisrepresent-
ing the situation and are thus IN
ducing citizens to sign the petitions
under misapprehension in many IN
stances and in many cases the agents
are signing them themselves.
THE letters and petitions thus
gotten up are being forwarded to the
Public Utility Commission under the
impression given out that they rep
resent the sentiment and are the re-
suit of spontaneous action Of the
citizens of the state.
This is in effect fraud. Very fex
of the citizens have any interest in
the situation and would never with
out solicitation sign these petitions
of Mr.. McCarter.
THE public should remember that
these petitions represent the expend-
iture of many thousands of dollars
all of which goes into the expense
account of the Public Service Pail
way Company and must be paid for
by fares that Public Service has
taken in or viii take in in the future.
We don't believe the members OF
the Public Utility Commission or any
municipal officials can be fooled BY
such scheme to fake public opin-
Jon"
George L. Record, counsel fs- the
New Jersey Bus Owners Assoeiatss>,
Mr.. Gallagher, representatives nt
]
lresentatives of busmen in other
northern sections of the state attend
ed the meeting. which was for the
purpose of determining the stand
the busmen's representatives will
take at the Public Utility hearing
here Tuesday. Mr.. Record win at
tend tomorrow's meeting for the
bus owners association. Mayor
Frank Hague, OF Jersey City, will
ALSO attend. Both will oppose the
trolNey company's settlement plan.
Major parties interested in or af-
fected by New Jerseys trolley strike
were mostly marking time today, as
they had over the weekend, await
ing for Tuesday, when action will re-
commence in two directions. The
| Public Utility Commissions public
hearing on the Public Service Rail-
way Company's settlement plan viii
! command the greatest interest, It is
| foreseen, as representatives of n1u-
inequalities affected by the trolley
tie-up, company officials. busmen
and counsel, labor Organizations, the
| striking trolleymen, and interested
citizens will appear at the hearing.
The second action will be the fling
by the trolley company Of their re-
| turn in the supreme court at Trenton
in answer to the courts issuance ten
| days ago of an alternative writ OF
mandamus to compel the Company
| to resume service. Following the
fling of the company's return the
court viii set a date for hearing
on the writ, at which the companr
/ is called upon to show cause why L
should not be compelled to resume
vice.
| q he Public Service company.s can
vass for expressions upon their set
Element plan was continuing with 4
declared indication OF overwhelming
favor for the plan. according to the
lcompany. The ballots returned to
local newspaper show the opposite
stand.
Busmen in Elizabeth are circulaf-
Ing petitions against the com 2aE1
settlement plan, more than 20,0a1
persons having signed them VI 70
to-day, when the petitions VII be
PRESENTED TO Mayor Kenah and the
Board of Public Works.
(Continnen on page