The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-08
HARRISON AND KEARNEY.
A Big Pow-wow at Trenton Over the
New City Project.
(Special to the Jersey city Ne,cs.)

New City Project.
Especial to the Jersey city Neaes.1
TRENTON, March s, 1SS9.-Public officials
must have been scarce in Harrison and
Kearney today. Most of them were here
talking about Assemblyman Farrelrs bill
to consolidate the two towns. They were
heard by the Committee on Partisan
Legislation of the Democratic caucus,
consisting of Senator Edwards, Col. Hep
penheimer, Senator Pfeiffer and Assem-
the consolidation of township partisan
measures, the Democrats are following
the precedent set by Republicans in the
matter of Chambersburg and Trenton.
Treasurer Rice, of the Harrison Com
mon Council, thrust his blonde moustache
forward to make the first plea for CON
solidation on the ground of economy, pub
lie opinion and common interests. His
dapper figure was succeeded by the mat
ter of fact form of William Hanna, who
dealt in figures, declared that Kearney
was not honestly governed and said:
'In 1883 Kearney's assessed valuation
1900, 600; now it is only So, 1000, 900,
and yet since then 30,000,000 brick have
been laid III the town and $1,000, 900 of
machinery erected. / have to pay taxes on
my few tools and horse and wagon and I
want to see the big factories taxed as /
am"
Town Clerk Edward j. Grace, Of Har-
rison, raised his tall, slender body to tell
Senator Edwards that the population of
the proposed city would be $4,000 or 1900,
and the Democratic majority about 400.
William Greenfield ran his fingers
through his brown beard, and made an
oratorical effort in behalf of consolida-
ton. Senator Werts and Clerk Matthews
of the House listened attentively to him.
Anthony O'Malley said that needed i'm
provements in Harrison could not be car
ried out, because the two towns were
divorced. They could not get relief from
the Republicans. "Let a Democrats Leg
islature make this a Democratic city
under a Democratic Governor" was his
peroratiOn.
Kearney's big property owner, Mr..
Reilly, looks something like Peter Cooper.
One set of officers would do for both
towns, he said, and the consolidated city
might make a name for itself.
Mr.. Rogers proved himself a Democrat
from away back. He made a stump
speech, said his father was n of the
founders of Tammany Hall, rubbed his
head with a red handkerchief and vouched
for the Democracy of Harrison.
Colonel Heppenheimer suggested that
the town should prove its Democracy by
wiping out the name of Harrison and sub
shutting that of Cleveland. The sugges-
VOC w. cNOAcbhly 1SNOl fNO, S6RC-
cially in view of New Jersey loyalty to the
Democratic standard in the last election,
and an amendment making the change is
in contemplation.
On the other side, Chairman Forest, of
the Town Committee of Kearney, said
that the Democracy already had most of
the offices there, and would 0 have q
majority of the voters, thus giving the
Democrats two towns instead Of one. In
case of consolidation, Kearney's improve
ments would not be carried on. make
us a ward of Newark, If you like" he
added.
Hudson County is small enough now"
rejoined Senator Edwards.
Treasurer Edward It. Mcdonald, of Har-
rison, threw back his frock coat, disclosed
a gold watch chain, a diamond stud and q
blue necktie, and ripped Mr.. Farrell and
his bill up the back. Consolidation, he
said, meant financial troubles and u tax
rate of four or five per cent. The attempt
to make the bill a partisan measure
showed the weakness OF its advocates, he
said. The biggest property owners were
opposed to it.
treasurer Parker and Town Counsel
Edward J. Kenny, of Kearney, followed
on the same side. Botk declared that