The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-27
THE NEW PRECINCT LINES.
ALDERMAN O,ROURKE DIDN'T
LIKE HIS DISTRICT.

| So He Kicked Hard in the Board Meet
ing Last Night, but Nobody Came to
| His Aid-The Lines Laid Out.
iThe Board of Aldermen met last even-
ing and fixed the precinct lines of new
Assembly districts as designated by the
Legislature last winter. The meeting
was short one but exceeding breezy.
Every seat in the lobby held more citi-
zens than it was ever intended to accom-
modate, and every available foot of space
| was occupied by persons standing. Among
| these were many of the kicking Demo
Gratis Judge Rankin and Alphabet
| Noelke stood up conspicuously in the
front row Of the benches and engaged in
| earnest conversation. Sheriff DAVIS,
| Street and Water Commissioner Somers,
and d few other officials sat within the
door of the Tax Commissioners office as
| though in q private box
Meanwhile the Democratic members OF
| the Board had gone into caucus down
stairs The hand of the big clock moved
around to nine o'clock, and then to half
past nine, without any signs Of the meet
| ing. The lobby became restless, and
there were frequent excursions to the
/ street for air.
RUMoRs OF KICK,
| 1t was rumored that Alderman
| O'Rourke was kicking most vigorously
in the caucus over the manner in which
the precincts had been laid out in the
| Seventh district, but no one could tell
definitely what the trouble was
/ Finally at ten o'clock Alderman
| O'Rourke entered the chamber with
| blood in his eye. Alderman Connolly
! followed and then came the other mem
| bers.
President Allen called the Coard to
order and said that the meeting had been
called for the purpose of liking the pre-
cinct lines and that no other business
| would be transacted.
Clerk Scott then started to read the re-
| port, when Alderman O'Rourke preclpi-
tated scene by moving that If there was
any citizen present who wished to be
heard upon the subject he be accorded the
| privilege of the floor
/ A REAL LIVE KICK.
| This brought Ak nan O'Neill to his
| feet with protest. -. said that he did
| not think such 4 course was necessary
| 1t was altogether outside the province or
anybody to protest against the lines.
"Alderman O'Rourke knows" he con-
| tinued, ''what a majority of the caucus
did down stairs"
81 rise to point of order" exclaimed
O'Rourke, jumping to his feet. What
the caucus did down stairs has nothing TO
| do with what is done up here"
"Well, the Alderman will find out that
| it has great deal to do with what is done
up here" remarked O'Neill dryly.
| O'Rourke insisted upon having his
question put, but as nobody could be
found who would second it, President
Allen refused to call for vote. Alder
man O'Rourke protested, and said that as
they represented the people they ought to
hear the people.
Alderman Jewkes said that he could
not agree with Mr.. O'Rourke, as there
were three members of the Board who
had not been consulted i'll the matter at
all and had not seen the lines. Alderman
O'Neill rose to question OF privilege ana
Alderman O'Rourke arose and asked if
that was O. question of privilege. O'Neill
angrily exclaimed that he didn't want
any gag law applied to him.
! ONein then continued:-"A majority
of this Board represents the people, not
one member. Alderman O,Rourke IS
perfectly capable of defending his position
and did not need the help of outsiders.
| 1t is the first time that outsiders have
! been invited to interfere, | have no
objection to a man having his private
| opinion. respect him and honor him
end am willing to give him helping
hand But no nan has right to go into
caucus, participate in its proceedings
| and then come up here and object TO
what it did. am not making spread
eagle speech; l am only stating plain
| facts"
a La.
Mr.. O'Rourke said that he simply asked
as d matter of privilege that anyone who
wanted to speak should be allowed to do
| so, and had no idea ne would be so mis-
understood This was the first time
there had been any contest in matter OF
this kind in over ten years, ana ne IN,
sisted upon his question being put and
called for the ayes and nays. No one
| would second the motion and it went by.
Chairman Jordon, OF the Committee on
Elections, handed up the report with
short explanation. He said that In dis
some disagreement over the First pre-
cinct of the Fourth district, which had
been compromised. In the Second, how
ever, he said the two Aldermen were un-
able to agree, and Mr.. O'Rourke refused
to sign the report.
matter was never referred to him and
asked how he would sign report which
he did not know anything about.
'In the Third district" he said, there
are sixteen precincts, while in the Jersey
City portion of the Seventh there are only
four. ] only asked for fair treatment
and that was refused They asked me to
sign report knew nothing about The
Committee ON Elections never met and /
knew nothing about the lines until was
asked tonight as member of the Elec-
tion Committee to sign report which
BUT THE KICK WAS FUTILE
Mr.. Jordon replied that Mr.. O'Rourke's
statements were unjust, and he had just
as much time to consider his district as
any one else to consider his He only OBJ
iected to his own district.
In reply to this, Mr. O'Rourke said that
the whole session of the caucus was taken
up in considering the Fourth district.
81 said l was dissatisfied with my dis
trict,n he continued, 'and why shouldn't
| be. did not see the precinct lines until
the report was flashed on me to sign to-
night. The report was fixed and they
fixed my district to suit themselves.
This brought about some EXAMINATIONS
and recrminations between Aldermen
! O'Rourke and Jordon.
Finally order was restored and q vote
was taken on the report. Alderman
O'Rourke voted no. When President
Allen declared the report adopted, Mr..
O'Rourke renewed his motion to let
citizens be heard upon the matter, and
Alderman O'Neill seconded it. 1t was
then discovered that as the lines had
been adopted no one cared to speak, and
as it was getting late the meeting ad-
journed.
He's Bad Boy.
George Hunter, aged about fourteen,
son of John C. Hunter, of Cottage street,
q - - 4.