The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-25
A WIND STORM.
Committees Of Both Houses
Hold Talking Bees
About Every
thing.
SOAKING THE TR0LLEYS
Ladies on the Saloon Question
Money for the Feeble
Minded - Building
aud Loan.
SOAKING THE TR0LLEYS
aud Loan.
Specfafto the Jcrscu CYtg NeliA

TRENTON, February .. 1Sas.-There
was another epidemic Of hearings in the
Legislature yesterday afternoon. The
House Committee on Railroads and Can
ais gave the friends of Mr.. SINNERS
bill, which prohibits trolley companies
from carrying freight and express pack
ages in It's State, a hearing this after.
noon. The bill was introduced at the
request of the various unions of street
railroad employees.
Freebooter d. Madison Condict,, Of Es-
sex; H. H.. Hoffman. OF Newark, and B.
f. Chaplin, editor of THE Railway EN-
ployee," of Newark, the legislative COM
mittee of the unions appeared before the
committee. Mr.. Chaplin spoke first, and
said that he and the other gentlemen
present represented the Brotherhood of
Railroad Engineers, of Firemen and
Trainmen and the Railroad Telegraph
Operators Union. had whose request MIR.
skinner had introduced the bill. He
wanted it distinctly understood that the
bill was not introduced in the interest
of the steam railroads, except so far
as they could be protected from unfair
competition. If the trolley companies
were allowed to carry freight it would
be a reduction in the number of the
employees. and it would be the working
man who really would suffer.
The trolley companies received their
franchises and right of way practically
without cost, While the steam roads had
to pay millions of dollars in the pur-
chase OF a right of way and in the
construction of their road beds. The
trolley roads only paid a yearly tax of
$40 on each ear, and in Jersey City and
Trenton they had refused to do even
that. Under these circumstances the
trolleys could well afford to carry freight
at a much smaller rate than the steam
roads.
One Of the committee asked if the bill
would apply to steam roads which had
recently equipped some of their smaller
branches, as for example the Mt. Holly
branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Mr..
Chaplin replied that it would not, be-
cause it contained q, clause limiting its
application to such roads as were chart
cred as trolley roads. Continuing. Mr..
Chaplin said that he did not think that
the trolley employees would receive any
more money if the roads are permit
ted to greatly increase their earnings by
carrying freight. At the close of the
evening session MI. Skinner appeared be-
fore the committee and spoke of the bill.
A large delegation of plumbers appeared
before the House Committee on Labor
and Industries to advocate Mr.. H0os' bill
providing for the appointment by the
Board of Health of a Board of Plumbers
to examine and license all practical
plumbers in the State and the appoint
ment of a master plumber as an inspect
or to inspect all work done by plumbers.
James ~Blackshaw, who was q member
2 T1z laefF a11- mr. T[h n 49, n
in Jersey City, urged the passage of the
bill. He said that lawyers and doctors
were compelled to pass an examination
and he did not see why plumbers, who
had as much to do with the health of
the people, should not be compelled to
pass an examination also. Several other
PlainGeld advocated the measure on the
ground that it would conduce TO the
health of the public.
w. 2. Buchanan, president, and Will
liam Bowen, inspector OF the Asbury
Park Board Of Health opposed the
portion of the bill which provides that
the inspector shall be & master plumber.
Bowen is not a plumber, but a specialist
in sanitary methods, being a protege and
student Of DR.. Henry Mifehel, Secretary
AMMAN argued that a plumber would be
too apt to side with plumbers, and the
true interests of tine public would not
be served.
A delegation of the Women's Christian
Temperance Union, headed by Mrs.
Emma Bourne, CT newark, president CT
the Union, and comprising ladies of Cam
den, appeared before the Senate Commit
tee or Miscellaneous Business to adyo-
cate the passage of the bill which pro-
videS that twelve instead of six free
holders must sign applications for licen-
ses, and the same freeholder. cannot siga
two applications. The hearing was for
the purpose of hearing DIRECTORS TO the
hill The liquor dealers were very scarce.
r. J. McCurney, who keeps a hotel at
Beach Haven, said that the bill would
operate against the hotels in that place,
which has no saloons, but three hotels,
and it would be impossible for them TO
Hudson, said that the bill would I'M
doEbtedly reduce the number of saloons,
but that would be a serious loss fnan-
cially to Jersey City, where q large por-
ton of the license money was devoted
to the repair of the streets and school
houses. Mrs. Bourne said that that was
showed that the cost of crime occasioned
by the saloons would more than offset
any ~pecuniary benefit derived from the
license money. Mrs. Carininade, of Tren-
ton, made the same statement for her
city, when it was discovered that under
existing laws no signerE at all were
required. This gave rise to a discussion
as to how that state of affairs came
about, but no satisfactory conclusion was
reached.
Supreme Court Clerk Lee appeared be-
fore the Joint Committee on Appropria-
fions to ask for an appropriation of $1,000
to defray the expenses of the present year
g. 1AllQil Ia lLC5 lli6 anu tA4c1J@CL1Al6
the records Of the Supreme Court. He
explained that he had supervised the work
without any compensation from the State
and he will continue to supervise it until
II Is finished. The appropriation is desired
ITO pay clerks engaged in the work. The
committee decided to place the amount
asked for in the deficiency bill.
Mr.. Lee, in behalf for the Home for
Feeble Minded persons at Eineland, Of
which he is one of the managers, Informed
the committee tina the expenses of the
Home for the year we're $4,000. In the
appropriation bill for the current year
the amount was cut down 10 $4,000. In
consequence the managers of the Home
will be short about s., 900 at the end of
this year, unless the legislature makes
q special appropriation in the deficiency
hill. He explained that the Home was
State. The committee decided to con-
slider faverably the appropriation Of the
amount necessary to carry the Home
through the balance of the year.
The Senate Committee on Finance. of
which Senator Parry, Stokes and VreelanS
are members. had moro of an Informal
conference than a hearing yesterday af-
ternoon upon Senator Johnson's bill in
reference to building and loan associations
which bill provides as follows
That any association formed or to be
formed under the act to which this is a
supplement may borrow money for the
purpose o. making loans or paying for
withdrawals not exceeding a sum equal
to twenty per cefltuIn of its uniInpaired
and securely invested capital stock paid
in ON account Of dues. interest and Drer1-
iums: provided, however that no money
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