GOOD CITIZEi^SHIP HELPLESS 243 



farther. We have had your promises and they don't pan 

 out/' — was the way one East Orange resident paid his 

 compliments to that board. 



Other criticisms were aimed at the appointive commis- 

 sion, one that is '^responsible to nobody and can do as it 

 pleases." The East Orange parkvi^ay was referred as as a 

 way "which begins nowhere and ends nowhere, and, for this, 

 $175,000 has been expended." 



The East Orange railroad ordinance for Central avenue 

 came before the Board of Freeholders for action June 12, 

 1902. The announcement had been made that there would 

 be a hearing by the board on the question. A large delega- 

 tion of citizens and representatives of various organizations 

 were present. Director Thomas McGowan said the meet- 

 ing would be open only "for brief remarks." There was evi- 

 dently no desire that any one should be heard. W. Oughel- 

 tree, chairman of the Eoad Committee, gave the cue to the 

 proceedings by reporting the railroad franchise resolution 

 favorably, with the statement that "it had always been the 

 custom to concur in matters of this kind in the action of 

 any municipality in the county, and the resolution for that 

 reason should pass." This was stated with a sober counte- 

 nance, notwithstanding the fact that precisely the reverse 

 policy had been adopted, and for more than five years per- 

 vsistently followed by his own committee, and by that same 

 board in refusing to concur in the action March 15, 1897, 

 of East Orange, in the passage of the ordinance by unani- 

 mous vote of the representatives of that municipality trans- 

 ferring both of the avenues to the Park Commission. 



COMMISSIONER SHEPARD^S LETTER. 



H. M. Barrett, a lawyer, then announced that the trolley 

 ordinance as passed in East Orange, relative to "the terms 

 and conditions, was satisfactory to both sides." William 

 J. Baer made an earnest plea for the parkways, and then 

 read a letter from Commissioner Frederick M. Shepard con- 

 taining some general expressions, and adding : "I am con- 

 fident the Park Commission would be glad to carry out the 



