The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-12
A SUSPICIOUS BILL,
Assembly Passes a Measure
to Allow the State to
Purchase Turnpikes.
HARD DAYS WORK IN TIE HOUSE
Several Important Acts Put
Through-Roll Tells Who
Damns Hudson.

Specialize tbs Jesseu CITY Neia.
TRENTON, March Il. 1Ss7.-The House
yesterday passed, after considerable de
bate, a measure which has its seam,
side The bill provides hat upon the
presentation of a petition signed by tbs
owners of at least two-thirds of, the
land n real estate fronting or border,
ing on any turnpike road, praying thai
said road may be acquired for free pub
lie use. and setting forth hat they arr
willing that the peculiar benefits confer
red on the lands fronting on said road
shall be assessed thereon to an amour,
not exceeding ten per cent of the entire
cost of said road, then the Governor shall
appoint five commissioners from the coun-
ty through which said road runs, who
shall, under oath. proceed to estimate
the fair and just value of said turnpike
road and the franchise of the corporation
owning the same, upon ten days notice
When the estimate is made, the Com.
missioners shall report to the State Roa6
Commissioner, who may ratify the same
and report to the Board of Freeholders
who shall ~thereupon purchase the road.
CcoAo - NAApOHIkC ~ AldhC tCA4A-
porary loans for the requirement of the
road.
One-third of the cost shall be paid out
of the State road appropriations, provided
the amount In any one year shall not
exceed $40, 900, and if that amount is ex-
ceeded then 1t shall be apportioned by
the Governor and Road COMMISSIONS
among the counties in proportion to the
cost of h roads. Furthermore, the cost
of all turnpike roads acquired in any
county shall not exceed one-fourth of one
per centum of the ratables OF such
county.
Any road so acquired shall forever be
a free country road. and the duty of
pair shall devolve upon the county Off
GERS, in like manner as heretofore pro-
viGed for free stone roads.
The Circuit Court Judge of the county
shall, upon the presentation of a proper
petition, appoint three Commissioner to
assess benefits for the purpose of making
up the balance ofGhe cost after the State
appropriation is secured.
Since the State has begun the construc-
ton of good roads, turnpikes have fallen
into ~innocuous dessuetude and are only
used by travellers when absolutely nee
essary. In they no longer
pay as an investment and the owners are
exceedingly anxious to get rid of them
as quickly as possible, and, of course, for
as large a sum as they possibly can. No
one cares to purchase them, as they no
longer pay, and the only way in which
the owners can get anything like the
money they put into them is to induce
the State, by some hook or crook, to take
them and pay for them. 1t is for this
reason that some of the members looked
upon the q as a scheme to make
the State purchase these roads, which
no longer pay. In this section of the
State the counties have purchased the
a and made them free.
The bill introduced by Speaker Mac
pherson for the damming of the Delaware
River passed the House yesterday after
noon. When the bill was placed on third
reading Mr.. Macpherson took the floor to
explain the measure. 1t was simply the
-re-enactment of an old law that was on
the statute ook for many years. 1t
a very important measur for Tren
ton. and for all cities, not only those bor-i
N ~ SAA( 1O%1b "a tAO2C4 f4tAi4Ai
twenty miles of the river, as the power
could be transmitted that distance. All
the protection needed so far as the fish
tanned in the biM. Some years ago it
was the custom to send RATS dow the
river. but that custom had become obSo-
defe, Concurrent legislation, he Said,waS
pending in Pennsylvania, and he hoped
the measure would pass, as it was of
great "a imposrtanee to the Trenton people
Sdsch trouble in the past over this pro-
posed plan. As to the transportation of
rats, he said; it had not by n means
Mr.. Derousse said when the bill was
first introduced he was a little wary of
t. but he had since discovered hat the
Board of Trade of Trenton had prepared
passage. He spoke of the power Of
e FANS and its immense value.
THE Almighty damned the Niagara.
but left the Delaware to flow free" re-
Yes" said Mr.. Roll, 'the Almighty
blessed the Delaware and left it free for
The Almighty blessed Hudson. said
from Union. eMr. RoID tried to
Rolls action on the Equal Taxation meas
ure.
Quick as a flash Mr.. Roll retorted:-
is damning herself every day
Dill finally passed.
The fact was disclosed Yesterday that
out of the five theological schools In the
state ell but the two of the Presbyte-
Ran faith have the power to confer de-
grees. A bill was passed putting the
Presbyterians OF the same footing with
their brethren of other denominations.
The bill providing for the incorporation
OF patriotic societies was passed. It APP
pears that somehow or other; w~hilethere
Is law enough for Incorporating almost
everything, there is not enough for these
patriotic societies. Authority
was given Weehawken Heights to organ
lie a fire department The bill fixing the
term of City Treasurer and Collector OF
Newark shall be chosen for a term OF
five years, and providing tina he cannot
be dismissed, with cause, was passed.
Mr.. Hogan's bill, which provides that If
the owner of property neglects to clean
of the snow from in front of his prem
ises within twelve hours after it falls, the
city authorities shall AVE it done and
the cost shall be a lien on the property
in favor of the city. There was some
discussion In the House over Mr.. Demar-
ests bill to extend to Bayonne and other
cities of the se~cond-class the provisions