The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-16
NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.
Board of Trade Will Fight the
Harrlson-KeaFny Annex
alton Scheme.

The Board of Trade held a meeting last
| evening, and the certain few usually quiet
| and sedate members who are generally pres
emit at these gatherings received an awaken
ing through the earnest insistment OF Dr. L.
J. Gordon that they wake up and do some
thing. The Doctor said there are a few
| members who attend every meeting and at
every one the same men do the talking, do
| all the voting for officers, decide all ques-
tons and take all the action that IS eaken,
and their rather monotonous proceedings
| had given them the name outside OF being q
! lot of cranks. and justly so. 1t is time some
new life and new blood were injected into
The directors held a meeting at half-past
eight o'clock, but the character and result OF
it were not disclosed, Those who remained
in the meeting room were for a While enter
| tanned bv LAWYER Fleinming, who reported
without any formal organization that the
committee TO so to Trenton TO use their
efforts to prevent, if possible, tho passage or
the bin annexing Aearny n HARRISON
townships to Essex County went TO the State
Capitol as directed and exercises ali the per-
sausive powers they possessed TO Induce the
House to sustain the Governors veto OF the
bin. but had no effect, as the bill was re
passed by q large vote. Tn only chance
now left was to go 20 the Senate bright and
early this morning and make a final effort to
have the veto sustained.
1t was finally decided that all those who
would go to Trenton should take the half
mast EIGHT O'Clock train this morning, and
those who go later should meet the
at the State House.
By this time the directors had concluded
their sitting, and the regular meeting was
held. President Voorhees, presiding.
Mi. FIemming, as Chairman of the commit
tee on the Kearny and Harrison matter, adj
vised that it would not be well TO Lay THIS
aside even if the Governors veto was not
sustained. There would be the question of
the constitutionalty Of the act 70 be looked
into. The committee was directed to keep
track of it."
WATER SUPPLY.
Mr.. Dear as chairman of the committee on
securing a new supply OF water, reported
that the committee went 60 lfenIon ana
were accorded a hearing by the committee.
They were very courteously received by
Senators Squiru,, Bradley and heteham,
who aDDeared TO favor the bill. A hearing
was asked for by the other side resulting IN
much vituperation and asparsions against
those who advocated the bill. but that did
not prevent the bill from being reported
fayoraDly and on motion of Senator DAILY 1t
was referred to the Attorney General Tor his
opinion thereon and he had not yet answered,
consequently it remains III stdtH-1uo. 1t had
the effect to bring to the surface all the
water claimants of the State free from all
disguise and it was then seen who they were.
| Tic bill without doubt favorably impressed
the Senate.
POOR UNI.
DIR. Gordon of the Special Committee on
the Relief Of the Poor reported that OF the
$500 appropriated by the board, with S5l5
| received by private Subscriptions. making a
| total of S6l5, the sum of ST7L.9l was ex-
| pended, leaving a balance on hand OF S4o- ~,
which, he suggested, be paid over to Jonn ~.
| Hewitt. Overseer of the Poor, which, with
the $50 previously paid him. viii make q
| total of Si93.10. The most OF the money
/ Maid out by the committee was in a or
| notes given by the receivers n which the
| committee holds with no surety as to
whether any of them win ever be paid. The
| committee was discharged with a
DR.. GoRDoN'S NEW
DIR. Gordon presented his plan Of injecting
thew life and new blood into the organiza-
| ton" which he said is that which Is In vogue
| in Philadelphia, under the name of the Com
mittee of Safety. This organization, he said,
| consists as a whole of 10000 members, an
| equal number in each district, who each pay
! annually the sum of $40 into one general
| fund. and whenever arises any matter of
| public importance, meetings are called, the
matter is considered, advice of counsel is
! secured, and the organization then acts
either for or against whatever is projected,
having at its command a large fund to use
in the furtnerance of its desires. 1t has per-
| manently in its employ q counsel and lnspec-
tors on public works, and consequently
wields great power. 1t has secured great
! improvements in the city of Philadelphia,
| and INDEPENDENT of the city authorities, can,
by its influence and strength, dictate terms
in all public affairs Through its dictation
every street in the city through which troll
| ley cars run has been paved by the railroad
companies with asphalt pavement from
curb to u and kept IN re
pair. This was demanded by this
committee Of safety. Also that the compan-
les offer no objection to the running OF an
| elevated railroad on the same street, that sou
be paid to the city for each car run, that
| bonds to the amount of half a million dol
| lars be given for the faithful performance of
| the contract. to all of which the companies
agreed. and besides the committee has the
control of the time of running and speed OF
the cars. Thus $50 miles of asphalt pave
ment has been laid without costing the city
one cent. This committee is, as it were, a
power behind the throne and in the Doctors
| opinion some such arrangement can be eff
fected here. The committee was lnaugur-
ated by a few public spirited gentlemen get
ting together and reaching out in all dlrec-
| tionS until the great plan covered the whole
city. DR.. Gordon said Suppose we get here
5000 members and they pay in only 81: we
have a fund at once Of s., 900 to use in oppo-
sition to the carrying out Of any project
thought to be objectionable or to secure any
measure thought to be advantageous"
A motion by Mr.. Robert Simpson that a
committee of three be appointed to consider
this matter and report, if feasible, some
plan for efEecting an organization similar to
the Philadelphia Committee of Safety,
was adopted, and DR.. Gordon, Rob.
ert Simpson and }. M. Jones were appointed
by the president as the committee.