240 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
discussion of the subject,” replied Chairman William 
Cardwell. 
“The members of-this City Council are our servants,” was 
Mr. Scarrett’s answer. 
“Yes, you have rights,” said Mr. Cardwell. 
“Then you decline to receive our protests. Are we not 
permitted to speak?” again inquired Mr. Scarrett. 
“It has been decided by a majority of the council that 
you cannot,” was the chairman’s response. The city clerk, 
in an almost inaudible, monotonous voice, then read the 
written “suggestions” formulated by the full joint commit- 
tee on parkways. 
POINTS IN THE LETTER. 
The communication cited the various official statements 
of the Park Board regarding the parkways; referred to the 
fact that a railroad on either of the avenues “would at once 
and permanently prevent the eighteen acres of parkway im- 
provements on that side of the city; would effectually de- 
stroy the continuous features of the crosstown parkway, 
thereby preventing nearly one-half of all the park and park- 
way improvements possible in East Orange; and would dis- 
integrate the park system past recovery. Whereas a trolley 
road farther south would be a desirable improvement and 
furnish convenient communication between that section and 
Newark, and give us direct access to the parks.” 
Attention was also called to the ordinance before the 
council as being “surprisingly defective in not properly safe- 
guarding the interests of the city.” It was also pointed out 
that neither public opinion, nor the test of the future, nor 
your unbiased judgment upon a fuller understanding of the 
facts, can approve of the terms as now proposed in the fran- 
chise grant of any important street.” 
The facts as to the fabulous profits made out of the South 
Orange avenue line (a parallel avenue) were then stated. 
It was also shown how, on that perpetual franchise, and for 
less than five miles of double track, $21,000,000 of securities 
of the North Jersey Street Railway Company had been 
