The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-08-02


they will supplant cumbersome trolley
cars. Indeed, that has occurred in
some measure with one line in Middle
sex county, which will be abandoned
at the end of the present month. No
more trolley cars will be run over the
lines from Perth Amboy and surround
ing towns because, as the officials OF
the company stated to the Utility
board, it has sustained steadily grow
ing losses. Residents of Eridgeton
came to the rescue Of trolley line
there early in the year after it had
ceased operations for the same rea-
sons, and the system is now operated
by company incorporated by local
subscribers with Indifferent success.
For the first six months Of the pres
ent year in the city Of Newark alone q
total of 44,S39,417 passengers were
carried by jitney and bus, an increase
over the same period Of last year OF
8,173,S36. In that period the city de-
rived revenue from these forms Of
conveyance Of $88,177.62.
In nearly every city Of the state
INCL . are AOW lilies VI 1uOtQl D0cCG IL
operation with apparent success and
increasing at great strides. The Pub
lie Service Company itself has appar-
emily recognized the efficiency Of this
form of conveyance, to which it took
such violent exception few years ago
by establishing feeder" lines at sum
dry points, one such having been
placed in operation in Camden in d.
rect competition with a jitney service
from the Kaighn avenue ferries.
When the numbering old stage
coaches of our grahdfathers' day.
reaching outlying sections Of the coun-
try from the cities, carrying the mails
and giving passenger service which
then appeared adequate. were put out
of business by the railroads there was
no law to check the pillage. The
weary horses disappeared from the
pixies and luxurious Pullman cars now
carry people to the seashore in an
hour, trip which could not be made
in day by the stage coach. The nim-
Bile and elastic taxicab has displaced
the ancient "seagoing" hack of Cen
tennial days, and the plug-hatted Jehu
has disappeared from city streets. but
there was no law to help the cabbies.
The Public Service Company claims
that 1t cannot financially meet the de-
mands of its employees for larger CONF
pensation, although it has been enjoy
ing an cent fare for more than two
years Maybe a strike and grant of
the demand might be an element Of
consideration in its effort to get 10
cent fare by application to some court
after the Utility Board has refused It.
George A. Seymour, who has been
one of the foremost fighters for the
titneymen In and around Newark ever
since that mode of conveyance began
to figure seriously in the affairs Of the
people, las gone so far IS to state that
the combined owners could and would
buy the trolley lines of the Public
Service Company in the three popu-
lous counties if a price based upon
physical valuation could be fixed. No
such price, however, could ever be
reached because of the fixed charges,
due to stock issues of doubtful values.
Slowly but surely the power of the
notorious owners will gain in this new
order of things, and 1t is bound to be
exercised in the sessions OF the legis-
lature. Nobody who keeps watch upon
the legislature as it has been consti-
tuted in recent years is ignorant of
the influence exerted by the Public
Service.
Satisfactory transportation has been
one of the biggest problems to which
the people of the state have been Civ
ing attention for years The existing
service, with virtual monopoly, has
not aroused any degree of enthusiast
tic Endorsement that any ordinary OBJ
server has been able to discover. The
fares have been boosted, but the serv-
ice has not improved in the same ra-
ito.
The people have not responded to
the appeals of the Public Service Off
Gals for cooperation, displaying I'M
canny. preference for the notorious
wherever that form Of transportation
is available. The appeals came long
after the people had been peeyed by
the arrogance and indifference of the
company when it did not face the bus
problem.
What then, will future Legislatures
do with the situation when the power
and influence of the united interests
in the notorious industry are exerted
over its members? 1t is very prob
able that this question will come to a
tryout in the very next session, be-
cause there is every indication that
the operators will appear with pro-
posaS for revamping the present laws
to give them a little more leeway.
Maybe a trolley strike would hasten
the crisis and settle the problem for
all time.
Lightning Destroys Bridge
The old six span wooden bridge over
the Delaware river between Stockton
and Center Bridge. Pa, was struck by
lightning and destroyed.
AS soon as the bolt struck the old