The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-12
Hudson Objects to Annexa-
tion of Harrison and
Kearny to Essex.
STRONG REASONS ADVANCED
An Appeal to Governor Werts to
Veto the Bill-Committee
Appointed.

ana lIollDlOlOIilStS t2i9b IA tAo CAoy AAe-.A -''
night to protest against the bill seyering
Kearny and Harrison from Hudson County
and tacking them on to Essex
The meeting was called by Mayor Wanser
at tho instance of the Board of Trade and
notwithstanding the enforced absence OF
Governor Werts through sickness, there was
q good representation of representative men
Of Huds on County.
Jersey City sent Messrs James Flem
ming, Judge McGrath, Judge Kenny, Leb
bens B. Ward. W. j. TAFT, j. D. Carscallen,
g. D. Van Reipsn, Prof. Esher, J. J. Det-
willer, W. D. Edwards, Reuben Simpson, A.
j. Corcoran, D. e. Cleary, W. D. Nelson
FIT. Gallery, A. j. Dittmar, }. Anderson,
DR.. L. J. Gordon, Charles ]. Somers, l.
Connolly DR.. A. Quimby, Assemblymen
Carroll and Kelly, c. j. Cronan, Jacoh
Ringle and John P. Feeney.
Harrison sent Assessor j. Logan, Free
holder Tierney, Martin Lawless, ?. A Nc
Aveney, editor or the Kearay Record, Judge
Mulligan, A J. Boyle, J. Callahan, j. +.
Pendergast and J. B. Ccmmssford-
A few minutes past eight o'clock Mr.
James FlemIning opened the meeting by
stating its objects aud expressing his regrets
that the Governor could not be present
Mr. A j. Corcoran nominated Mayor
Wanser as presiding officer and His Honor
was elected Mr.. John j. Nevin acted as
Secretary and read letters indorsing the op-
position to the bill from Messrs Jos. A. Dear
and G. L. Cuba.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
Then Mr. Flemming offered the following
resolutions, which were unanimously adopt
ed:
Whereas, The Legislature has passed what we
claim to be an unconstitutional law dismemoeringg
Huds on county by taking two townships and add
ing them to Essex county, and Hudson county being
one Of the Smallest in ea cannot afford to lose any
OF its townships jurisdiction especially when Q
territory and dense population. And, this county
having expended large sums in erecting bridges
making roads and other Improvements to beneiit
Kearny and Harrison, which improvements are
then to be turned over to o. ESsex S eoHnty se sne
being lawsuit for heavy damages resulting from from
wash 1s y @ eey cty poce 70
Resolved, That we respectfully ask His Excellency
nestiy request the Assembly Senate TO reject the
bfli should it again come before them for re
passage.
THE BILL COMES FROM A CLIQUE
Mr. Flemming, continuing. read the bill as
passed and certain amendments to it, which
permit the appointment of commissioners
from Jersey City, Kearny and Harrison,
and three from the county, non residents of
these places.
Assemblyman Carroll explained that these
basis of agreement between Essex and Hud-
son counties as to the Indebtedness OF Hud-
son and the effect of the removal of the
townships from its jurisdiction.
At this point Mr.. Reuben Simpson insisted
that the resolutions passed should have been
deferred until the bill in its entirety had
been read and thoroughly discussed, and,
therefore, he wished to reScind the resoiu-
tion.
Mr. Flemming, answering, said that the
meeting was called to ask the Governor to
veto law passed and not to discuss the
theory of the bill
ssThis biIl.n said Mr.. Flemming, 'sis not
the work of the citizens of Kearny and Har-
rison, but Of clique in these townships who
are working to the prejudice of Hudson. ?
As to the unconstitutionality of the act, he
argued, it was perfectly plain that the peo-
pie of the two townships would be, under
the new law, taken from the township laws
of Hudson to the township laws of Essex
county, a clear infringent of the State Con-
stitution.
Il understand Mr. Mayor" said Mr..
Fleming, 'sthe people who are at the bottom
of this bin are the Clark Thread Company,
which corporation has spent money to put
this bill through. That is the mischievous
source from whence this bill comes. This
internal scheme -(applause)-is the Clarks.
They illtreated their workpeople. We sup
pressed the riot and they sue us for S25, 900
In return"
GRAVE REASONS FOR vEToINa IT.
Ex-senator W. D. Edwards pointed out
that the discussion of the constitutionality
of the bill was useless. tThe question isl
he said edo we want Kearny and Harrison
to leave Hudson county? Yes or Mop Mr.
Edwards said there were good reasons why
Hudson county should not be dislnembered
In the first place, the dividing line from
time immemorial between Hudson and Essex
IL D..
EIoying this line to the Hackensack, as the
bill proposes, Hudson county will lose one
quarter Of its area. There are grave rea-
sons why Jersey City should object to the
change.
What would be the result if the west bank
of the Hackensack belonged to Essex county,
and the east bank subject to the Grand Juries,
prosecutor and officers of Hudson countys
Why any and every sort of Objectionable
manufactures could be established on the
west bank to the detriment and nuisance of
Jersey City Essex county would keep piling
these factories up and then tax them
Mr. Edwards said that the bill should be
vetoed by the Governor and returned with
the message that the people must pass on the
measure. As in the case OF Woodbridge
only recently, so should Hudson people be
allowed to vote on SO important q measure.
AS a matter of sentiment the people Of Hud-
son will say no to the bill and as a matter of
dollars and cents they wouldscry no.
III there is to be q Greater Jersey City,
she must have room to expand Every per-
son In this county ought to take pride in ad-
vcncing Jersey City rather than Newark. y
loud applause.l
Finally Mr. Edwards said that the au-
thors of the bill are owners of property in
this county who dwell in Newark, and who
hope to gain by taking its taxation out OF the
hands of Hudson county
OUGHT TO VOTE UPON IT.
Mr.. John D. Carscallen echoed the last
speakers views and said thnt 1t is the duty
of Jersey City to protest against the meas
ure Kenrny and Harrison people ought to
be allowed an opportunity to vote whether
or not they des ired to leave Hudson County,
and Hudson County should be permitted to
vote il the secession should take place. J er-
sey City has paid, and does so now, seventy
per cent of the taxes, and she ought to be
considered. He hoped that the veto would
take place
Judge John A. McGrath could not see one
single reason why the change of the county
lines should take place, except TO deprive
Hudson county of about 5000 acres of land
and about 81 100000 worth Of taxable
property. Dealing with the, expenses Of
bridges and county road fer the beneft of
Harrison and Kearny the speaker said that
more Il an $500, ,000 had been spent in extra
ordinary expenses.
He would not object to the townships
leaving Hudsov. County in SO far as
their base irgrat ide to the remainder Of
of the county Is concerned: but Hudson,
after spending So iucn money over them,
rannot atfora to lose them.
Judge McGrath criticized tie tsrns OF the