%n FIBST COIJKTY PAEK SYSTEM 



Hulbert, Gardiner Colby and other representative citizens, 

 ^yitll Attorney F. H. Sommer, spoke for the parkwa^'S. 

 These arguments covered the nsual wide range, including a 

 suggestion by Mr. Hulbert for the appointment of a ''^com- 

 mission to investigate the whole subject and report/' The 

 corporation attorneys made the usual meaningless promises 

 and defined ^^curbing the gutters, laying brick pavements, 

 paving the roadway as desired, planting grass between the 

 rails, keeping it watered and cut," as "parkway treatment." 



The usual tactics of the traction company's representa- 

 tives were followed, when Law3Tr A. J. Baldwin exclaimed : 

 "The Essex County Park Commission never kept a promise 

 made to East Orange, and never made a promise !" 



The final struggle over the franchise was postponed. On 

 May 16 the limited franchise question was officially injected 

 into the situation on Councilman Farnham Yardley's mo- 

 tion to limit the terms of that ordinance to twenty years. 

 This was unanimously agreed to. The public was excluded. 

 The executive sessions doors of the Council Chamber were 

 opened just wide enough to admit E. W. Hine and Attorney 

 Baldwin, of the traction company. This gave the interested 

 corporation the "secret session" secrets and the opportunity 

 of watching and "checking up-' their own representatives 

 at that important juncture of their franchise affairs. 



The trolley agents said the company would not accept a 

 limited franchise; would not allow the city more than 

 $1,000 a year compensation ; or make any more favorable 

 terms than the perpetual franchise adjustable at the end 

 of fifty years, the same as the franchise of two years be- 

 fore. That settled the question, apparently to the satis- 

 faction of six of the councilmen, who continued to espouse 

 the trolley company's cause to the last. 



The test came at the council meeting May 23. The ordi- 

 nance was then passed on first reading. Every amendment 

 offered by Councilmen Lloyd, Brownell and Yardley for the 

 protection of the city, was, by "the six," voted down. The 

 matter of transfers, limit of franchise, even of decent com- 

 pensation and other important restrictions, all went by the 



