Would Own The Town

New York, 1895

THE BIG GRAB THAT BENJAMIN NORTON HAS PROJECTED.

Conditions on Which He Will Buy the Electric Railroad Franchises Recently Granted to Hart and Others — To Substitute Cobblestone Pavement for the Belgian Blocks that Were Pledged by the Agreement — Single Tracks Instead of Double Tracks to be Laid on the Side of the Highways — Switches Narrow Streets —A Splendid Exhibition of Cheek.

The Long Island Electric railroad company is again a supplicant for relief, and it would seem to be time for the Trustees of the village of Jamaica to say to the company that it has received all the favors that can be granted.

The company has been hawking about among railroad corporations the franchises it has obtained free from the town and village of Jamaica, offering them for sale. This is precisely what THE FARMER said would happen as soon as the franchises were granted. The company exists on paper only.

It seems that the company has found a possible purchaser in the Atlantic avenue railroad company of Brooklyn, but this company thinks that too high a price is asked in view of the things the company which buys the franchise is expected to do.

One of the most important, as well as the most expensive requirements, is that the company shall lay a block pavement between its tracks and on the highways. It was the value of this road improvement to the public that induced the Highway Commissioners and the Trustees to grant the franchises. At this late day, it seems, the town and village may not receive this kind of road improvement at all. Any backing down would practically mean the giving away of the franchises. Road improvement was considered a sufficient compensation.

Benjamin Norton, President of the Atlantic avenue railroad company, has been in conference with some of the village trustees on the subject. Norton used to be Vice President of the Long Island railroad and was the bitter enemy of Jamaica. He kept the town from receiving advantages that Mr. Corbin and others contemplated giving the place. As soon as Mr. Corbin turned Norton's face to the wall, these advantages came to the town very rapidly.

Mr. Norton admits that his company is considering a proposition to buy the electric railroad franchises given to Hart and others. Mr. Norton wants the Highway Commissioners and the Trustees to amend the franchises so that cobblestones may be laid in the public streets, and he wants additional franchises by which the trolley can about gridiron the town.

Mr. Norton wants practically to be released from all of the obligations that are for the public good, and he wants so many more things granted that are not in the franchises at all, that the whole subject is opened up anew. Among other things that Mr. Norton wants done, or to be released from doing, are the following:

First — The right to bridge the Long Island railroad at Liberty avenue where it crosses Ocean avenue.

This could not be done without inflicting serious injury on private property.

Second — Amend the paving clause in the franchise so as to submit cobblestone pavement for block pavement.

Third — Amend the franchise so as to allow the company to run on New York avenue.

Fourth — Have a single track from the village line to Cherry avenue, and lay it on the side of the road, and use grooved rails.

The Atlantic avenue company has enough old railroad material, and enough cobblestones taken out of the streets in Brooklyn, to use in this town.

Fifth — Grant a franchise from New York avenue to Cherry avenue, Foster's Meadow, thence over private property to Ocean avenue, thence along Ocean avenue to and along Rosedale avenue.

Seventh (these relate to the village) — Amend the franchise to allow the use of cobblestones.

Eighth — Grant the right to lay a switch on Washington street half way between Fulton and South streets.

Ninth — Grant the right for a car stand and for switches on Washington street at Fulton street.

Tenth — Grant the right to connect with Fulton street car tracks.

This the village could not do under any circumstances.

Eleventh — The village to prepare plans for a bridge over the Long Island railroad.

Twelfth — Grant the right to place a single track on New York avenue with a turnout on the 4,000 feet from South street to the corporation line.

Thirteenth — Grant a franchise through New York avenue to the Long Island railroad station.

This is all up to date. Mr. Norton probably forgot to ask for the right to put a bridge over the Long Island railroad at New York avenue.

It would be an outrage to permit single tracks to be laid. Heavily laden wagons would have to leave the tracks and would find it difficult to get back again. The farmers who traveled on the Jamaica Brooklyn road when it had but a single track between Jamaica and Cypress Hills will appreciate the inconvenience.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, N.Y., Jan. 11, 1895, p. 1.

Note: The last paragraph may not have ended with the words "inconvenience," but there could not have been more than a short word or two. And there's no "Sixth" in the list.