Palisadian., 1923-08-24
EDGEWATER COLLECTS
TAX FROM BUSES
Mayor Wisseps Tax Under Dis
cussion; EdgeWater's Ac-
tions to Date.

When the trolley strike became
reality the little borough of Edge
water began to take on the appear.
ane of an open air garage. During
the day and way into the night most
especially during the rush hours the
narrow streets of the town were lit
orally filled by motor vehicles either
coming off the boats, waiting to get
on or carrying passengers to and
from the ferry house to Bergen coun-
ty municipalities.
Mayor Wissel in recognition of the
seriousness of the situation took i'm
mediate steps to control the in
creased traffic by the appointment of
more patrolmen and traffic officers as
well as lengthening the hours of
those already serving. He signified
his willingness to issue permits to
buses as matter of public convent
ence but refused permits to every
Tom, Dick and Harry who simply
had car and wished to take advan-
tage of the emergency that existed.
His refusal to grant certain per-
mits and other rules and regulations
peeved number who felt that dis
elimination was being shown and
also angered those persons who felt
that in the face of existing conditions
the doors of Edgewater should be
thrown open to anybody and every
body.
Now that these matters have been
settled to the satisfaction of a ma
jority it comes to light that the bor-
ough of Edgewater is collecting tri-
butte of rs per cent from the buses.
Some reports say that only those
buses which were obtained to oper-
ate during, the strike were taxed
while other reports say that all
buses pay the levy There is much
discussion pro and con as to the JUS
tice of Mayor Wissel's tax which is
to be used we understand to pay the
additional expenses of extra officers
salaries, etc. The fund is in an Edge
water Bank under the mayors name
and Monday the approximate amount
in the same was $500.
Prosecutor Hart is conducting an
investigation and he made the follow
ing statement to the Bergen Evening
Records representative the early
part of this week.
''The report that | have is that the
Edgewater police department has
been obliged to add many men for
the handling of the extraordinary
traffic. l am told that at one time
they employed thirty additional men.
This being an extraordinary expense
Mayor Wissel determined upon the
somewhat novel expedient of asking
the bus owners to contribute a part
of their profits, and they voluntarily
so contributed.
''He placed the money in special
fund as received, from which fund he
expects to pay at least part of the
extraordinary expense. If this is
true. no crime has been committed.
IAG otdlCIli0Al WHICH, yOu QuOIC
"If these payments were voluntary
contributions toward additional ex
pense suffered by Edgewater and
were not for individuals for the pur-
pose of influencing them to do official
ly what they would not otherwise do,
I cannot see that crime has been
committed was made by me. l have
asked Edgewater for a report.
''If there has been any misdemean-
or. shall present the subject to the
grand jury. Nothing may be done
by me to restrain these acts. All that
I may do is to present wrong-doers to
the court for punishment, and, of
course, each offense will stand by it
self Mr. Allyn is now investigating