The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-12-04
PAVING ADVICE
TO P. U. BOARD
State League Of Municipalities
Suggests Commission Outline
Plan for Paving Streets.
ALTERATIONS ON BUSES
Agreement Of Consolidation Of Com
panies With Public Service Cor
poration Has Been Ratified.
Foree.-y Program Endorsed.

Trentfn.--ln q letter TO the PuDllC
Utility Commission Secretary Sedley
H. Phirney of the State League of
municipalities has suggested the COM
mission recommend to the coming
legislature recommendations for a
plan to better the system by which
street car corporations are required
to pave and maintain parts of streets
in which trolley lines operate.
Last year an effort was made to
have The companies relieved of this
obligation, which is imposed in their
franchises, and municipal authorities
expect the attempt will be renewed
at the coming session.
The purpose of Mr.. Phinney is to
have action taken by an authoritative
body and not have some hit-or-miss
enactment put on the statute books.
In his letter. Mr.. Phinney wrote:
an the absence of such forward
looking action on the part OF public
representative, bill dealing With this
matter was introduced in the last
legislative session and it was rumored
that the Introduction was at the re-
quest of the Public Service Railway
Company
"This was Assembly No. 371, and
required street railway companies
that disturb street paving during con-
struction work to replace such road
surface after construction, and this
obligation is in lieu OF any and all
other paving obligations.
"The bill was warmly opposed bv
the League of Municipalities and
many others on the ground that it
relieved trolley companies of obliga-
tons and placed those burdens upon
taxpayers and nobody was in a posi-
ton to know the amounts Of money
involved.
"The bill remained quiet until the
last day of the session, when 1t was
rushed out and barely failed of pas
sage.
st is probable that similar bill
will be introduced this year and votes
will again be secured for it by one
means or another.
1.-THE sums of money at stake in
this matter are considerable. For
example, in Kearny in 1923 the cost
of paving assessable ont trolley
company was 100000. In Trenton
the sums in the last few years were
as follows: 1921 s49500 1923. $685.
100; 1923. ss497OO. 1924. SS5.3OO. In
Elizabeth the trolley company made
the fc lowing payments to the city
for n. wing work: 1921. $4,000: 1922.
s16.6C0; 1923, s3410O; 1924. s2S 900.
In Plainfeld the sums were 1921,
$4,000; 1922. SIT 900; 1929. SGT 900.
These paving obligations which
from these few available figures are
evidently a large sum in the aggre-
gate. were assumed by the trolley
companies in part payment for the
valuable franchise rights that they
obtained to use the public streets for
their transportation services.
Not in Public Interest
"It hardly seems in the interest of
the public to give up such valuable
consid srations without receiving ade-
quate return.
"What the return shall be. or what
considerations shall be worked out by
which an equitable aDportionment of
expenyes between the trolley COM
panies the jitnev buses and the mu-
inequalities should be carefully deter
mined by some one familiar with all
the facts and the principles involved.
at is surely not in the interest of
the public to permit this great issue
to go bv default and to be solved by
the Public Service representatives.
themselves.
"It would seem to be the province
and function of your board to make
such a determination and present. in
a report to the governor and in
bill to the legislature. definite solu-
ion for this issue"
Forestry Program Induced
At the regular monthly meeting OF
.he Executive Board of the New Jer-
sew Federation OF Women's Clubs. re-
gently he'd at the Y w. C. A. in
Newark. the members voted to en-
dorse the forestry program of the
State Department of Conservation and
DEVELOPMENT and to use their influ-
ence during the coming session of the
legislature this winter to see that the
departments request for 100000 for
the purchase Of forest lands be in
rluded in the annual appropriation
bill
The department program includes
the purchase Of some 200 600 acres Of
waste land. part in the northern part
of the state and part in the south,
this land to be reclaimed by refor-
estation and made productive for the
benefit Of the people Of the state.
Come will be used for recreation pur-
poses. This conservation work as
planned by the state department is
along the line recently urged by
President Coolidge, and should re-
ceive the hearty endorsement of all
the Women's Clubs In the state.
Junior work recently started by
the federation under the direction OF
Miec Ma rv DnuieIs second vice DreSi-