Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-03-02

Freeland. White Haven and Wilkes
Barre Protest Against the BiII-Foster,
Halle, Conyngham, Butler, SugarIoaf
and Dorrance Also Oppose 1t.
On Monday afternoon a delegation
from Freeland borough and Foster town
ship, consisting of H. G. Koons, Thomas
Birkbeck, VIM. j. Eckert, William Will
Hanson, E. A. Oberrender, Joseph Neu-
burger, ID. J. Mccarthy, Peter Timony
and I. A. Buckley, left for Harrisburg
to appear before the committae ae of the
house of representatives on counties and
townships, for hearing in opposition to
the new county bill. At White Haven
they were joined by delegations from
Halle, Butler, Conyngham, Dorrance
and Sugarloaf townships and Wilkes
Barre and White Haven. The party
reached Harrisburg shortly after mid
night
Next morning an informal meeting of
the Luzerne and Schuylkill delegations
was held at the Commonwealth hotel,
at which Mr.. Yost, of Sugarloaf town
ship, presided. 1t was agreed to meet
the committee at two O'Clock that after
noon Before the meeting adjourned
Representative Jeffrey, who was pres
ent said that as he introduced the bill
he would be in duty bound to support it,
and if it was reported to the house favor
able he would vote for its passage.
The hearing was to have taken place
in the supreme court room, but as the
board of pardons was in session the COM
mittee decided to meet in rooms and 6.
1t was evident that the committee was
not prepared for such a large delegat on,
and before Judge Ryan of Schuylkill had
proceeded far in his argument an ad-
journment to the senate chamber took
place, where Judge Ryan resumed his
address. He mas followed by G. L.
Halsey, ExAtto 'ney General Palmer,
Col. T. G. Martin, 7. A. Buckley, C. Ben
johnson, Hon. i. B. Coke, Capt. Cyrus
Straw, D. j. Mccarthy, Joseph Neu-
burger, DIR. S. w. Trimmer, C. f. Nc
Hugh and Representative Broadhead.
The advocates of the bill were repre-
sented by A. Markle, Matthew Long, At
torney Troutman, of Hazleton, and Ex-
Judge Harding, of Wilkes Barre. The
hearing lasted from O'Clock until $50.
As each of the opponents were through
with their argument they were put
through rigorous discrimination by
Senator Kline and Matt Long.
1t was soon learned that the only ar
gument submitted by the advocates of
the division of the county was the in
convenience of reaching the county seat
at Wilkes Barre from the lower end
This argument was soon dispelled when
the timetables of trains running to and
from Wilkes-B Barre, via L. V. r. R., c. r.
of N. j. and the p. K. r., were present
ed.
In addition, statistics and maps were
produced showing the shallowness of
the coal measures in the Schuykil por-
ton of the district, as also the barren
ness of the land. Hon. Eckley b. Coke
had maps showing the whole district,
and argued that the coal would be ex-
hausted at the furthest within twenty
years in Kline and East Union town
ships of Schuylkill county.
Ex-Judge Harding, on cross examina-
tion, showed lack of knowledge of the
lower end of Luzerne, and admitted
that he was not familiar with the dis
tance from Wilkes-B Barre to Hazleton on
any road.
The senate committee on counties and
townships reported the bill favorably
yesterday This committee heard no
protest from the opponents of the bill,
and were induced to report it favorpbly
by the arguments that it would make
Luzerne and Schuylkill surely Republi-
can. The house committee, before which
the delegation appeared on Tuesday,
will make its report within week. The
anti-new county people are confident it
will die the death it deserves long before
there is any hope of it being passed.