The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-06

openly charged by the public press of this
county that these devices are set upSand
The proprietor, or manager, of any liquor
saloon who permits one Of these. gam
bling machines to be used in his place Is
the keeper of a disorderly. house, 4 do
not propose to consider this matter fur
ther. except to say that It Is your duty
to at once procure the evidence and In
dict every man who allows one of these
things to be used in his place. h Is
one of the matters that, unless indict-
ments be found or the practice be abso-
lutely discontinued, the Grand Jury VIII
that evidence cannot be found. II the
practice continues to flourish, evidence
a be and must be secured. Whole COM
munitieS must not be turned into petty
gambling shops. !,
There have been some indications of
late of an attempt to renew boxing con-
well to say that these contests, whether
d the guise Of exhibitions, theatricais
Ss a | E they f b for ma pgIze come or not. a Or L
test the skill or bodily powers Of the
parties engaged, is a violation, OF our
statute. The parties engaged, those as s
witness. are all indictable and punish
able by fine and Imprisonment. The
owners, proprfetors or managers OF the
places where these exhibitions are CIV
en- are indictable. Your attention at
this j%uncture is called to this matter,
more as a warning that IN attempt TO
commit this sort Of an offense will be
met with prompt attention. Your watch
fitness on this matter will be con-
stantly required in order that the sta
alton will be taken advantage of: These
violations of the law are easily sup
pressed because of the publicity neces-
sarily given to them previous to their
occurrence, and the numbers of people
who know of them, and who are drawn
to the place by the announcement OF the
sion. sometimes SYSTEMATICALLY, to for
bid these exhibitions n warned the po-
lice authorities, and it has sometimes
been suggested that the same c1 pine
shops and violators of the Sunday law in
the sale of intoxicating liquors. Wherever
the knowledge was possessed py tne
ly announced to take place.. the Court
would act very suddenly In their sup
preston. but such offences are, conducted
secretly and with no previous
ment; therefore, these latter violations
of the law give rise to the necessity of
the vigilance of the officers of the law
of the county, the police authorities and
your sure action.
There is another matter to which the
Court desires to call your attention. 1t
is the subject of public ~nuisances. 1t is
a strange state of affairs, existing in the
past, allowed to be continued, that a con-
siderable portion of our county is unfit
for residences because of vile odors
which constantly assail it. These odors
are not only annoying but unhealthful,
and in time, if continued, will cause a
great depreciation in the value of prop
erty. and an abandonment of it for more
comfortable localities. i hardly speak
with patience on this matter, for 1T does
seem because of the negligence of our
citizens, the indifference of the officers
of the law and the Grand Juries this
state of affairs is to continue in the future
without remedy. 1t seems to me to be of
little use to continue improvement of our
streets and roads If such a state of af-
fairs is to be permitted, the result of
which is to destroy the taxable value of
the property, which is to be looked to for
the payment for such improvements. /
have called the attention of your body to
this subject term after term, without re-
suit, although it is within the observation
of almost every one that public nuisances
exist, detrimental to the well being of the
community. If / know of any other tr1-
bunal to which application could be made
It should be done, but it is only through
your action, aided by the power of the
State, exerted by the prosecutor of the
Pleas, that an adequate remedy can be
found.
I must call your attention to another
matter. Costly public improvements
have been made both by the county and
the cities of this county. After they are
completed, whether paid for by special
assessments or out of the general funds,
they are allowed to degenerate and be-
come dilapidated. The new county road,
called the Boulevard, has been so ne
elected that it is a serious question
whether It's condition should not be con-
demned as a public nuisance. Upon it,
from one end to the other, in dry weather,
clouds of dust arise which renders travel
on it almost impossible. 1t annoys those
residing upon it beyond expression, and
the least wind carries it for a block or
two on either side, to an almost binding
extent, as the wind shifts from one direc-
ton to another. Besides, dirt and filth
are left to accumulate upon it, thus add
ing to its bad condition. 1t is not watered
except at certain seasons of the year, and
then i~nadequately to allay the dust.
Whilst this roadway is a great public
benefit, yet it is the almost universal
complaint, that in it's present condition,
managed as it Is, it will be the source
of great injury to those residing upon
it, or in the immediate vicinity through
which it passes. This road is under
the management and control of the Board
of Chosen F~reeholders of this county
exclusively and they must remedy this
condition in some way. 1t may be that
the appropriations are insufficient for its
proper care and repair, but the Board
must use aid the labor and agencies with
IN ITS control to better the condition of
this road. The Court looks to you to
-@1eNt wins I ain
present your action and Recommendation
to the Court. ! hope this duty will be
speedily performed There are some other
roads and streets In this county and In
Jersey City especially in a very bad con-
dftion, and 1t would be we'll for you to
take the complaints of citizens in this re-
spect, and make inquiry to ascertain
whether the fault hes with corporations
using the streets or the public authorities
having the control and of
them.
There are several marrers contained in
the presentment of the last Grand Jury
to which YOU attention can be given.
and send it ITO your body. Besides, the
Court will, in all probability, during the
latter part of this month, call your special
attention to some of the matters therein
contained.
Permit the Court to make an earnest re-
quest that your proceedings be kept en-
tlrely secret. You have the right to take
any necessary steps to enforce this prin-
'ciple which is expressly stated as a part
on your oath. Permit lao Incidental mat
lers concerning your actions, conduct or
conclusions to escape.
Your presentment of indictments or
orher action to the Court is the only pub-
l1city which should be made. Even IL only
a -presentment of a pubic matter is to he
made involving no Indictment whateyer if
should remain an entire secret until it
IS handed to the Judge who prestdes.
There hould be no utterance of it or anv
portion of 1t until that time, and no per-
son should have. knowledge of it. or Of
ITS contents ahead of any other person
ana only when It 40 read in open court and
ordered filed. You have no right to afford
knowledge of 1T previous to that time to
any person or publisher of a newspaper
or IN any other manner give 1T the slieht-