New-York tribune., 1885-03-17
NEWS FROM THE SUBURBS.
Bl-CENTENNIAL OF PASSAIC COUNTY.

BI-CENTENNIAL OF PASSAIC COUNTY.
potIuCs INTERPRETERS WITH THE CELEBRATION
SIMPLE EXERCISES.
Not long ngo some one In Passaic County n. J.,
realized that Passaic and the surrounding country
was en- titled TO a bi-centennlal celebration. III is
now two hundred years since the Lords ProprletorS
of East jersey granted to fourteen Dutch settlers
patent for the region known as AcquacknnonK,
which included the present site Of the City Of Pas
sac and the greater pnIt OF Paterson, together
with much of the surrounding country stretching
we'll down toward Newark. Inc granting OF 'hiS
patent was commemorated yesterday IN tue yener-
able FRS. Reformed Church at Passac. which was
filled with large audience, including many Haf'n-
er5. 49,, l.
An episode with political cause served TO de-
prive the occasion of what was expected to be one
of Its most interesting features. Ex-Judge Henry
Z. Summons, of Passaic, who Is an oracle ana
usually an enthusiast IN Inat.ets @ ai, app',f nf
tanning TO the early history OF that part o,
New-Jersey. is the proud possessor OF tho orlgihal
grant of the Acquackanonk patent The projectors
of the celebration had arranged that Mr. summons
and his crumbling aud yellow parchment should
figure prominently III the ahalr. but ,hg yuupo aJ
was not there and the parchment was not exhiohed.
II reposed quietly IN strong box. MT. summons
not long ago was nominated by Governor Aooetts
State Board of Education to be saperintemhuehhe IN ho
OF the public schools Of Passale County, In ihe
place of the Rev. j. {. Crulksnank. OF Little aus,
whose term had expired. The nomination was III
pursuance Of Governor Abbetts well-known polcy
of putting n Democrat into every vacancy made Oy
the expiration OF a hepubicaps term, and tne fas-
salc County Board of Frcchoiders. which Is heavily
Republlcan, refused 10 cOnITm tue
Mr. Summons. Passaic County .hus found itseii
without n school superintendent, and rs the tnc Is
approaching when In view OF the distribution OF
the school funds such an official IL necessary, the
Legislature saw fit 10 pass a bill putting the APP
pointInent Of County superintendent INTO the
hands of the Board of Freeholders. The Governor
vetoed tho bull and the Legislature passed 1t over
his veto. The County Board VIII Accordingly meet
this week aud elect "A superintendent.
Now the Board of Freeholders had been forenostIh
getting up this celebration of the settlement oi fas
saic County; aud rs Judge summons dld not
feel kindly toward the body which had repeatedly
rejected bIs aspiTatons to be County superintendent
aid which Will in three days put "a Republican
where he thinks he ought tO be. he qulcuy stayed
away from the celebration; and the instrument
about which ali the celebrating was done was pres.
ent only In spirit. The exercises were simple and
the chief feature tie reading of long and IN
toIestIng historical paper, prepared Nv WIllam
N,lson c,orlS of tho Board OF frrcboders anu ien-
Der Of the New Jersey Historical society, VINO
probably knows more about the old Dutch and
Indian lore of New-Jersey than any man III the
State. MIR. Nelson To nave read the paper MN
sell. but "A sudden domestic aliciIOn detained hIn
aud the paper va, Rad by Charles A. Simmer. lt
tod the people of PassaIc County great many
things aboui their Dutch ancestors and their rela-
tiOns with tho Indians that IlIc most oil them never
know aud discussed iht gcBeatOgy of the original
se t.ers aud he curious Indian pace-aanIes OF that
par of the country. General bird w. Spencer, the
Mayor of PassaIc, presided.