Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-03-15
INDIGNATION MEETING.

THE BRIGGS SCHEME LAND DENOUNCED.
Pursuant to the call published in the
DAILY MONITOR, on Saturday, meet
ing of citizens was held at the office of
Messrs. Blake and Dudley, on Saturday
evening, to take action in regard to the
{" great land swindle" now before the
Senate
This bill is known as No. 200-the
"Driggs Land Improvement Compa-
n.y." and proposes to organize with one
Spencer B. briggs, and William p
Powers, Edward B. Wesley, Alva Clark
Dwight Townsend and others, as the
corporators. ...
The bill starts with long preamble,
setting forth that the tide water marks
and overfowed lands of the counties of
Hudson, Union and Essex cannot be
profitably and practically drained by
the numerous individual owners there
of, and that the revenues of that part
of the state would be largely increased
by the taxes on the said marsh lands,
and these gentlemen very modestly ask
the Legislature to grant them title
and give them power to dock ont lands
lying under water below high water
mark, in front of the lands they now
own, or others that may hereafter be
acquired by them.
The capital stock is not to be less than
$4,000, 0O0-divided into shares of 800
each. and is to be deemed personal pro-
perty-the shares to be transferable.
We have given but glance at the
provisions of this bill, but did the peo-
pie of Elizabeth, and the farmers of
Union county realize but one-half the
importance of this matter, they would
rally to man, and use their utmost
endeavors to defeat the most iniquitous
measure ever brought before the New
Jersey Legislature. The bill is sweep
ing in its provisions, and we consider
its passage would be glazing outrage
on the rights of the people of Union
county, who, by the bill will be robbed
by the swindlers who are to have charge
of it. Let the people attend the next
meeting, and let no time be lost in talk
ing organized action to defeat its pas
sage. ...
Property owners at the Port ought
also to be greatly interested in the de-
feat of this bill, for the company pro-
poses to take the Glands lying under
water below highwater mark" and
build and construct docks, wharves and
piers, along their entire waterfront.
Senator Clark called the meeting to
order, and nominated Mr.. Francis Har-
ris as Chairman. j. Madison Drake
was appointed Secretary.
Senator Clark then stated the object
for which the meeting had been called,
and said that this bill was defeated in
the Assembly but two weeks since, but
within the past week had found its way
into the Senate, and had already been
ordered to third reading in that body.
He was surprised at the m magnitude of
its provisions, and hoped that the meet
ing would take action to resist the pas
sage of bill, which proposes to rob
the people of Union county of their
rights.
Mr.. James G. Blake said this bill was
one Of the most important ever brought
before the Legislature. 1t had been
customary, he said, for modest men to
limit the amount of their capital stock,
but in this measure-gigantic in the
extreme-they did not wish to be limi-
ted. They ask extraordinary privile-
ges. Strangers to the people of Union
county. not owning single acre of land,
they come here, take our property, and
ask us to pay just such sums of money
as they may demand. If this compa-
ny fail to drain the meadows, and they
are likely to do so, and disease as a con-