New-York tribune., 1873-03-06
THE NEW-JERSEY RAILROAD WAR.

BILL FOR A GENERAL RAILROAD LAW PASSES
THE ASSEMBLY UNANIMOUsLY-ENTHUsIA
OF THE MEMBERs-THE SENATE INYEsrI-
eating NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS.
[PRoA THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNR.l
TRENTON, March 5.-No previous excitement
known to the New-Jersey Legislature exceeded that
in the Assembly to-day. Yesterday, the bill for
General Railroad law was made special order for
this afternoon but after the result Of yesterday in
the Senate the representatives of the people in the
Assembly seemed to grow inpatient for the time to
arrive when they could rebuke the action of the
monopolists. They were disappointed, restless, and
excited, and little business was done during the
forenoon session. The printed bill seemed to be in
every members hand, who scanned it over with
care. In order to exclude all hopes of monopoly
from the bill, and guard its purpose and meaning
from wrong construction, Mr.. Letson of Middlesex
offered the following as an additional section, and
it was inserted in the bill
BE It enacted. That company formed under the pro-
visions OF this act corporations of this State whose
railroads parale or competing lines, shall be
authorized by this act to merge or consolidate
1t being now 12 o'clock, the Senators entered the
Assembly Chamber, and appointed William I. Hof-
man, Law Judge, and James Higgins, Lay Judge of
Hudson. They also appointed several Commission
ers of Deeds for different counties. Soon after re-
assembling at O'clock the bill for free railroads
ment or objection, and amid the most silent de-
termination. Then the vote was called Oh its final
passage, with the following result:
YEAs--Messrs j. Anderson j. j. Anderson Armstrong,
Barnes, Borton. Budd, Campbell, Garfield, Carpenter,
Carse, Cayileer, Cole Cooley Cox Doremgs Dprrell
%ngTay M MSSSrt a9P2sG 3sGD HHp5R0ek MS%
Macknet Marter McDanolds, Mckinley, Morrow, Muteh-
er, Patterson, PlymPton; Ryder sehencE, Schultz
Wandle, Ward, Washburn, whitlcar, Wide, wlllets,
and wOrthingon-57.
NAYs-None
ABsENT-Messrs. Baldwin, Foreman, and Reardon.
When Mr.. Wards name was called, he rose and
stated that the bill ought to pass; the princi-i
pies involved in it in operation in every State in
the Union, except New-Jersey; its passage would
remove from the Legislature the imputation of i'm
proper influences which has been cast upon it, The
sudden conversion of Mr.. Ward seemed TO surprise
everybody, and Mr.. LetsOn thanked him for his re-
marks and his vote On the announcement of the
vote the widest excitement prevailed. The specta-
tors in the gallery cheered The members rose
en- masse and joined in the cheering They ran to
each others arms and embraced each other The
Speaker raped with his gavel and shouted for
order, but in vain. Papers and printed bills were
thrown high in the air. Mr.. McDonalds, who en-
tered into the spirit of the occasion with the greatest
enthusiasm, moved an adjournment for five min
utes. The motion was put and answered with
unanimous Yea. loud and long. Then Mr. McDanolds
proposed three cheers for the passage of the bill.
The cheers were deafening Members jumped upon
their chairs and shouted until their voices grew
weak. Then three cheers were proposed and given
for Mr. Garfield the author of the bill. The five
minutes expired amid peas of laughter, clappDg OF
hands, and all kinds of hilarious demonstrations.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and sent to the
Senate without delay.
In the Senate, Mr.. Williams rose 10 correct state
ment in this mornings TRIBUNE. He stated that
he did not say that those Senators who were OPP
posed to the Airline Railroad bill were in the pay
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Even if he believed such to be the case, which he
did not he would not utter it on the floor of the
Senate What he did say was that all those who op-
posed the bill outside the Senate Chamber were in
the pay of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Mr.. Hewitt
had exactly the same grievance TO complain Of Mr..
Hopkins, a friend of monopoly offered o resolution
that The TRIBUNE correspondent be expelled from
the floor of the Senate because he had told the truth
about transactions of the Senates Secretary in
which Mr.. Hopkins was involved. Mr.. Sewell and
Mr.. Mcpherson, friends Of monopoly, seconded the
resolution. They eulogized the press of New-Jersey
because it kept closed lips and made no comment.
1t was, according to Mr.. Mcpherson. of the Sen
ators voting for monopoly, very wrong to question
the motives acts of honorable Senators. He said
there were misstatements in regard to himself in to-
days Ner York Herald; whereupon Mr.. Beesey
cluded in the expulsion. Mr.. Havens moved that
the matter be referred TO a special committee of
three, which carried, and the President ap-
pointed Messrs- Williams Cutler and Moore that
committee. 1t is said they will report tomorrow.
Mr.. Hopkins offered a resolution in the Senate. to-
day. that the further consideration of all bills grant
ing special charters TO railroad companies be post
poned until action has been had ON tho general bills
before the Legislature.