RARITAN RIVER RAILROAD READY TO RUN EXTRA TRAINS TO HELP IN STRIKE EMERGENCY

CONFERENCE HELD TODAY BY MICHELIN OFFICIALS; AUTHORITIES HERE BUSY

Commissioner Connolly and Jitneurs to Map Bus Routes This Evening-Traffic Situation Gives Concern.

Officials of the Raritan River Railroad Company stated this morning that they would be glad to do what they could to accommodate public in the case of a trolley strike, which now seems a practical certainty beginning at 4 a. m. Wednesday. Bus service is expected to be sufficient to handle traffic between New Brunswick and most areas in the county, with the probable exception of Milltown. The Michelin Tire Company employees in New Brunswick number about 800, the great majority of whom make the trip by trolley car.

In addition to the Michelin workers who live here there are employees of other plants who commute between the two towns. The fact that the road from Berdine’s Corner into Milltown is torn up makes the establishment of satisfactory bus service difficulty. Buses have to detour by back roads, which requires a trip of about half an hour instead of half that time in which it could be made if the regular road was open.

The addition of a few trains to and from Milltown and adequate. bus service to the Raritan River Railroad Station here would doubtless take care of the traffic in satisfactory fashion. Superintendent T. Filskov of the Raritan River stated at South Amboy this morning that there had been no request for additional service but that the railroad could provide it if needed. There is practically no traffic between New Brunswick and Milltown over the railroad ordinarily. Trains leave here at 7:40 and 11:15 a. m. and at 3.41 and 5:20 p. m. daylight time. Trains leave Milltown for New Brunswick at 7:20 and 9:48 a. m. and 3:10 and 5:04 p. m.

A conference was held at the Michelin offices this afternoon to consider the transportation problem. Superintendent H. R. Meyers is giving she matter close attention, and expects to take up with the Raritan River the establishment of additional train service. “The greatest difficulty anticipated is with the shift which comes on duty at 11:30 p. m..” he said. “Three is no train from, South Amboy or from New Brunswick to bring the men here. There are trains in from South Amboy at 7:14 a. m. and 3:14 p. m., which provide very satisfactory service from that direction. There are trains out to South Amboy at 7:45 a. m. and 3:45 and 5:29 p. m., which suit our shifts finely.” Mr. Meyers said that trains to New Brunswick about 7.45 am and 5.30 pm, for the accommodation of the factory employees and trains which would get the office employees numbering 200, to the plant by 8 a. m. and away shortly after 5 p. m. are what are needed. with bus service to and from the station in New Brunswick, Bus service between New Brunswick and Milltown will be established despite the torn-up condition of the road.

Strike Vote Here

At the same hour that the 253 local trolleymen of the Public Service Railway Company vote on the question of a strike at a meeting in the Union Labor Headquarters on George street this evening. Commissioner Frank A. Connolly and the Jitney officers and inspectors will meet at the City Hall to map & schedule for the accommodation of the riding public. The meeting of the local trolleymen tonight will take place at 8 o’clock at the Central Labor Headquarters and it is expected that the large majority of the 153 trolleymen will participate in the balloting. The crews working at the time of the balloting will be permitted to vote at the car barns early tomorrow morning, at the end of their runs The Public Service officials have announced that if the men strike. no attempt will be made to move able trolleys on Wednesday morning. The riding public will be forced to rely entirely on the jitneys and private conveyances and suburban residents are bound to be affected by the cessation of traffic. The loss to the merchants of New Brunswick will be serious as the Jitneys can scarcely handle the traffic. The main lines of course will be well served but other lines will be seriously affected. Commissioner Connolly T E conference this morning with the Jitneurs when the matter of transportation was discussed. The bus line to South Amboy will be operated on a fifteen-minute schedule The Perth Amboy line will also be served with a fifteen minute headway.

Distribution of Bases

The residents of Lindenau will be served by one or two bases under a half-hour schedule. The residents of Highland Park will have a six-minute headway with the buses operating between Sath avenue and Codwine avenue. If the strike becomes effective on Wednesday, five buses will be placed on the Highland Park line. In addition to the buses operating on Codwise avenue, three bases will operate on Livingston avenue at a six-minute headway. Commissioner Connolly has run up against a “tone wall” in procuring buses to operate between New Brunswick and Bound Brook. and New Brunswick and Milltown. There are no bus lines operating between these communities and the deplorable condition of the road makes it almost impossible to persuade any of the bus operators to attempt to operate on either of these lines. During the strike, buses operating on Easton avenue and Remsen avenue will alternate and it is arranged that instead of three buses running on this line, two buses will operate on the Easton avenue- Remsen avenue line and two between Easton avenue and Throop avenue Under the plans devised by Commissioner Connolly at least fifty buses will be in operation on Wednesday if the strike is declared. The regular licensed buses operating in New Brunswick number thirty-two and through the efforts of Mr. Connolly, eighteen additional buses have been procured.