The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-09
WHAT TT ALL MEANS.
Division No. 1 Split Up-Going to
DaVy Jones.

l
There is a split in Division No. 1 of
the Naval Reserve and the crack COM
pany of amateur seamen is rapidly go
ing to the bow-wows The members
have been resigning in patches of five
and six at each meeting lately until now
there are only about fourteen active
members left. The members who have
resigned have started an opposition Naval
Reserve and are rapidly growing in
numbers and in strength. They are
likely to be the future Naval Reserves
of Jersey City.
The split is the result of dissatisfac-
ton at the actions of George M. Chris
tian, Acting Commander of Division No.
l. The trouble dates back to a few
weeks after the division was organized.
The idea of starting a naval reserve in
Jersey City originated with c. Frederick
Long, "a Lieutenant in the Fourth Regi-
ment, and c. Mem. Peters. They began
to agtate the movement which result
ed in the formation of the reserves in
October, 1893. They worked hard at it
all winter, and by February of last year
had found enough men who were will
ing ito go into the plan to warrant them
We're instructed by an officer from the
CHRISTIAN GETS IN.
Among those who had been invited
by Long to join was George M. Chris
tian. Christian induced a number of his
the movement than he began pushing
himself forward. When the election of
officers was announced it was almost an
understood thing that Long was to be
elected Acting C0mn2ndar a
ed the position, both as a recognition of
his services in forming the division and
because of his experience in matters of
drilling and handling military companies.
Many We're surprised, therefore, to
learn that Christian was running In op-
position to him. Christian controlled a
certain clique of the members and by
enlisting their services in his behalf he
managed to beat Long by a few votes.
The latter was elected Lieutenant. Long
took his defeat good-naturedly, and did
not cease his activity in working for
the success of the movement
weeks. 1t became noticeable after a short
time, however, that Christian was over
stepping his authority as commanding
officer. He issued orders he had no bust
ness to, and gave everyone to under
stand that he was the Naval Reserve
He got his friends together, it is al
GERS if they would join and support him.
He totally ignored those members, who,
through hard work and merit, deserved
proInOtlon, ana with the nelp OF his
clique completely bossed the concern.
1'he division had not been organized four
months before there was talk of a split
The differences were patched up for
the time being, and matters went on
smoothly a little while longer
THE OTHERS GET OUT
The same trouble arose again, however,
and finally the dissatisfied members,
those who really started the Reserve in
New Jersey, decided to resign and re-
organize The first batch of resignations
was handed in at the first meeting in
December, and incIudedi the names of
Peters and Long. The designations were
Immediately accepted: Christian saw in
the getting out of Long and Petrie a
chance to push his own friends forward.
When the second batch came, though.
he was not so ready to accept them
The second lot contained the anmes of
six of the most active members Their
letters have not been accepted yet, and
it is charged that Christian has pur-
poseiy held them back. Be that as it
may, they should have come UP at the
last meeting, but did not The division
had on it's roll before the split fifty-fiye
names but only about twenty-five Of the
members took any active interest in the
affairs of the Reserve. Eleven of these
promise to do SO at the next meeting.
Even some of the Christian clique have
become tired and regret the part that
they have played.
1t takes two divisions to make bat
TALON of the Naval Reserve Division
No; and the Newark division, or No.
If No. goes to pieces, and 1t is likely
that it Will the Newark Division will
be No. !, and the new division, COM
posed of the seeding members from the
present No. !, VIII form Division No. g.