The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-04
It Is Not Quite So Winning
Now AS 1t Looked
Yesterday.
.sAM. DICKINsON'S "FINE WORK."
Charges Of Doodle to Defeat the
Bill--Provisions Of the Measure
Outlined.
Tspeciot to the JERSEY city Nevs.l

CcAb tAC OOARCJ 49,
the foremost advocates of the bill said
tonight. "You may put it down IN black
and white that a corruption fund is here.
Whoever may be handling the Doodle,
ex-Speaker Sam Dickinson is husthng IN
the . fight. He is battling for his own
Office. that of City Comptroller of Jersey
City, and for the other Republican office
holders of Jersey City. A wonderful
change has been brought about by his
cunning hand.
Last night Republican Leader voorhees,
was wavering and Assistant Leader Rlker
was almost persuaded. Now the back-
bones of both are stiffened as with steel.
The Repu blicans present a solid front
against pleas of what the people OF Jersey
City want, while their orators execute
brilliant cavalry charges on the Demo
Gratis. the charter and the citizens. Such
is MI. Dickinson's generalship. His
blonde mustache and cheerful face hoated
around the chamber and ranks closed up.
A most surprising change came over
Dick Brown, too. Hudson county's sole
Republican member has been remarkable
as a silent man chiefly. Today he opened
his mouth and showed himself a hard hit
ter. He did good work for his party friends
in office. The Republican argument was
that separate ballots should be required,
because otherwise the people would either
vote without thinking, or would vote for
the charter because the question was an
swered in the affirmative on the party
tickets. VOORHEES, wanted single-headed
commissions. Brown declared that the
charter was the creation of the politicians,
not of the people, and offered, among
other amendments, one requi ring two
months notice of the election. Colonel
H-eppenheimer and Mr.. Feeney fought
valiantly for the bill. and kept, by their
arguments, the Democrats in line.
WHY IT WAITED.
1t had been intended to pass the bill on
third reading in the afternoon, b the
absence of Pagan and McDermit prevented
this. McDermit had been busy all day in
Newark, and Pagan had gone to Hoboken
to dance in triumph at the Liquor Dealers
ball, over the passage of the Hamilton
county bill. Tonight the Democratic
leaders are using every influence they
know to get all the Democratic members
here tomorrow. A joint caucus will be
held to consider the Constitutional Con-
yention and Redistricting bills. The
charter bill will probably be brought up
then and made a caucus measure, since
all hope has vanished OF Republican aid.
The plan is then to have the House pass 1t,
have the Senate concur in the amend
ments, and nave the Governor sign it in
time for submitting it to the people of Jer-
sey City next Tuesday.
Dickinson and his forces are having q
pitched battle with Heppenheimer and
Feeney tonight, although nothing is seen
of it outwardly. Mines and counter
mines are the rule.
The attempts at hearings On the charter
seemed to demonstrate one thing clearly
that no one in Jersey City knew what it
was. Here is a synopsis of its pro-
Visions
H CHARTER.
The bill applies to any city in the State
which may accept it by a vote of the
people at any general or charter election.
1t may be submitted to such vote by reso-
luton of the Board of Aldermen or the
Common Council, or by proclamation of
the Mayor. Two days notice must be
given. 1t must be accepted before
October l, 1890, if at all. The charter
takes effect Immediately.
The Mayor appoints the Comptroller.
Treasurer and Collector. Their salary is
5000 and their term two years. The
amount of their bonds is to be fixed by the
Board of Finance. Each of these officers
may employ a.deputy, who h serve dur
ing the pleasure of the appointing power.
He is to give bonds, to be fixed by the
Board Of Finance, and his salary is 81 800.
They may also employ such clerks as may
be necessary, with the consent of the
Board of Finance; the appointing power
is to fix their salary, which is not to ex-
coed 500 a month.
"A COMMISSIONERS.
The Mayor appoints three tax commits
sioners for three years, at 81, 800 q year.
They are to elect one of their number as
president. He is to go out of office every
year, SO hat the term of one of those first
appointed will be one year, and that of
another two years. No more than w are
to be of the same political party. Bonds
of $4,000 are required. They may ap-
point a clerk to serve during the pleasure
of the Board at s 1900. The assessment
books are to be open to the public every
business day between ten a. N.
and three p. m. The acts of
two members at a meeting of the Board
shall be the acts of the Board. They shall
have all the powers and duties now held
by Assessors or Tax Commissioners, md
in addition shall be Commissioners of APP |
peal in cases of taxation, for the city in
which they are appointed. When the as
sessment books have been approved by the
Board of Finance the assessments shall
become liens on the property involved.
The number and compensation of their
clerks are to be fixed by the Board of
Finance; salaries not to exceed 500 a
month.
The Mayor appoints a Corporation Coun-
sci and a Corporation Attorney, to hold of
flee for two years, at salaries now fixed by
law. Incumbents are legislated out in all
cases.
PUBLIC WORKS
The Mayor appoints three Street and
Water Commissioners; the term is three
years, but one of them is to go out of
Office annually. They are to be paid $1,000
d year, and give bonds of $500 and elect
a president annually. No more than two
members shall be of the same political
party, and the acts of two members shall
be valid. They may employ such engin-
GERS, surveyors, clerks and other persons
as may be necessary, and fix their COM
~pensation. They shall have the powers
and duties of Street Commits
sioners or Boards of Public
Works. They shall have power to
repave and improve streets already paved,
one-third of the cost to be assessed on the
property benefited provided the owner of
q majority. of thep property fronting on the
street shall petition for the work. The
Board may do the work without a petition
the grade of any street to be repaired, the
cost to be borne by the city at large. The
cost of curbs and sidewalks in such cases
shall be assessed on the property bene-
fitted, in proportion to the benefit re-
ceived; but If the cost is greater than the
benefit the excess is to be borne by the
rftv at largo The BOARD NAV rau11iro /