The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-03-07
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TRENTON, March 9. THE week Just passed
has been one of ups and dows in legislative
life. From the opening Of the session Of
Monday night till to the fall of the gavel on
Thursday afternoon, indicating that the
business of the week had closed, there was
no guessing at what mement some important
bit of legislation would come up in the
House. On Tuesday, for instance, when
both the bills which have for their object
the solving of the long agitated question
Show best to cross the gap at Washington
street in your city, came up, the House
members were unceremoniously awakened
from their lethargy and it was lethargy of
menotony in which the lusty voice of Herb
Potts alone kept someuf the hayseed Assem-
bly, men especially from being lulled to sleep
by second and third readings. No sooner
had Major Peloubet asked that his pet tun-
mel bill be called up on second reading
than his bright and able as we'll as hand
some colleague, Hudspeth, also from your
county, was on his feet OF course every
body knows that Hudspeth'f hobby is the
Washington street bridge bill, which,
thanks to the cranks from Jersey City to
whom this bridge question has become a
mania-will, doubtless, be knocked out in
the first round when it comes up on third
reading. Whatever show it may have of
passing at this writing and that is only a
ghost-it will only require few tears of
representative Gator, shake from the
curls of DR.. Quimhy and few hints from
brother jackson that he can prove that the
members from Sussex, Warren, BurliDg-
ton, Cape May, Gloucester and Hunterdon
are strikers and the bill will pass-pass
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mean-never to be resurrected. On the
other hand Peloubet's tunnel bill has
been spit upon, as it were, by these same,
gentlemen, and those interested in its pas
sage have gone to work in 81 steEatic man
ner to demonstrate to those members who
are familiar with the location of
the spot, which has so long been consid
cred debatable question that their scheme
is much more worthy of consideration than
the bridge scheme. What is the conse-
quence9 The members, weary of the mo
notonous howl of these men opposed to
everything that III any way appertains to
railroad, notwithstanding that the rail-
roads have done more for them than
any other class of corporations, have
listened to the promoters of the tunnel
bill, and been convinced that it is the best
after all. And when it comes up for final
passsge-and I will ask your readers to
mark my words-it will go through with
bells on. was told on Thursday by a man
who knows probably more about it than ny
one else around thesel legislative halls that,
should the tunnel bill be passed, no time
will be lost in breaking ground for its con-
structlon. Estimates of its cost have been
made, and Matthiessen & Wiechers and the
Lehigh Valley Railroad Company have
ONE to an understanding as to what pro-
portion of the cost they will each pay get
| ting some of the cost out of the city if they
can. Tie Lehigh Valley Company is to
| give the land for the south terminal of the
| tunnel free of cost. The estimated cost
| is $3.50, 600, not providing for land damages
Of course bridge can be built for much
less money, but it will cost more in the
| long run by reason of the expense Of main
| tanning it and, besides, who is going to
pay for the bridge? The sugar-house will
not pay a cent, and surely the Lehigh
Valley Company won't build and maintain
| it at its own expense.
The Chase bill substitute was another of
| the surprises Of the week in the House,
and when Mr.. Besson, as Chairman of the
special investigating Committee on State
Prison management handed in the Com
| mittee's report, silence reigned supreme ;
| indeed, I could almost go SO far as to say
that had pin dropped on the floor it
could have been heard. BUD.