CHAPTER XV. 



TOT OFFICIALS. 



With the influences for the traction company in control 

 of the freeholders and of the East Orange and Orange gov- 

 erning bodies, and the Park Commission as to the parkways 

 nowhere in live evidence, those who had believed in and 

 worked for practical parkway results, found themselves be- 

 tween the Scylla of doubt and the Charybdis of adverse con- 

 dition. The decision, not to turn back, was soon rendered. 

 On the morning of May 3, 1902, directly after the passage 

 of the railroad ordinance in East Orange, William J. Baer, 

 as secretary of the Joint Committee on Parkways, sent a 

 written request to Mayor E. E. Bruen asking if he would 

 "kindly indicate the time and place" for the conference, 

 "agreeable to your conversation with Mr. D. S. Walton.'^ 



The Mayor had stated that he should take the full time 

 allowed by law in acting on the measure. No reply was re- 

 ceived. On May 6 the committee learned that the Mayor 

 had gone to Boston the day, or day but one, following the 

 passage of the ordinance, and that he had signed it before 

 leaving East Orange. 



There was public indignation. Charges of improper in- 

 fluences in the City Council were openly made in the local 

 papers. The proceedings were referred to as "the gift of 

 the Central avenue franchise," and much more vigorous lan- 

 guage was freely used. A well known citizen who was pres- 

 ent when the ordinance was "jammed through" declared: 

 "It was the most disgTaceful proceeding I ever witnessed, 

 and worse than Tammany Hall." 



The Park Commission was also severely criticised. "We 

 should simply say, we don't propose to trust you any 



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