The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-27
THE WARD Line JUGGLB
The Law to Be Tested by the
Demoeraey-Twelve Wards
Projected.


W. D. Edwards today applied to Judge
Lppincott for rule to show cause why q
writ of certiorari should not be issued to re-
view the law under which the Ward Line
Commissioners are acting. The action is
brought in the names of John Griffin, Secre-
tary of the Democratic County Committe~;
Alderman Michael Day and Freeholder
Michael Hennessey.
Judge Lippincott granted the rule and
argument will be heard next Wednesday.
The Ward Line Commissioners met yester-
day afternoon in Room AZ of the Weldon
building, but accomplished nothing in the
way of fixing the new lines Maps showing
the old Assembly and Aldermanic lines have
been procured, and the Commissioners will
be guided to some extent by them. That IS,
as expressed by Commissioner Grouse they
will make the new lines as unlike the old
ones as possible
Under the present city charter it is pro-
vided that there shall be a Board of Alder
men, consisting of twelve members, OF two
from each district, and meinber-at-large.
The law under whicn the Ward Line COM
mission is created has nothing to define NUM-
Der of wards to be created sUnder it we
may create three or thirty three, y said Com
missioner Grouse
mission, with view, they say, to carrying
out the intent of the law, asked Corporation
Counsel Blair for an opinion as to their
duties and the number of wards which should
be created. Mr. Blairs opinion was filed
with the commission yesterday. In it he
states that twelve wards should be created
so that the requisite number of
Aldermen provided for by the
charter could be elected. 1t
was first intended to create six wards SO
that two aldermen could be elected from
each. This scheme was considered mani
festly improper because Of the provisions of
another law supplemental to the one author
of the Republicans is said to be to
capture the Board of Freeholders
The supplementary bill, however, pro-
vides that there shall be one Freeholder
from each ward in cities of the first class,
two from cities of the second class, two from
towns OF townships having a population of
more than 10000 and one from each town
of 10000 population or less. Under the OF
iginal scheme of creating six wards, Jersey
City would get but six Freeholders. This, it
is considered, would be an unfair represen
tation, and as a result twelve wards have
been decided upon.
Corporation Counsel Blair, in his opinion
to the board, cited the fact that the city has
O population of $50, 600 lie said it should
be the duty to so create twelve wards as to
have population of $1,000 in each. He
thought it probable that in such q division.
about 1900 voters would be included in each
ward
In summing up his advice he said;-''It is
very plainly your duty to avoid such terri
torial monstrosties as have sometimes
hitherto provoked the just criticism of all
fair men because Of their political unfair
nessn
The Commissioners do not expect to finish
their work within three weeks. Weekly
meetings viii be held until a plan satisfae
tory TO all the members has been decided
upon In the meantime the Commissioners
will visit every part of the city, note the
condition of localities as to population and
then make the new lines accordingly.