The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-02
WAITING FOR ORDERS
Senate and Assembly Meet
and Adjourn Without
AppTeciable Results.
FIXES SENSATIONAL PRAYER.
he Hit Off the True Needs of the
Senate Majority-Third House
Very Active.


Speeial to the Jersey Citu Neaue.
TRENTON, Feb. 2, 1S97.-Another might
of inactivity in both Houses of the Legis-
lature last night gave a staggering blow
to the Republican leaders hopes of a Short
session and early adjournment. Both
Houses were in session less than a half
hour and only two bills in the Senate.
was the result of the evenings session.
Just before the House adjourned the
Speaker made a touching appeal to the
committees TO get to work On the bills
and report some of them so shat the
House could settle down to business. He
said that up to that time 100 bills had
been introduced and only a few reported.
Then a recess was taken to see what the
committees would do. There was a great
show of working, a regular case of the
mountain laboring, and two bills was the
product. These were quickly passed to a
second reading and the the House adj
journed.
The sensation of the evening was the
prayer of the minister who opened the
Senate. He was the Rev. Maurice Pen
field Fixes, a Baptist minister of Tren-
ton, who is noted for his sensationalism.
He prayed hat the Senate would direct
its Senate efforts in the interest of the OPP
pressed; that the Senators might never be
bought nor their mouths muzzled by the
corporations; that they might not direct
their efforts in the direction Of any clique,
combination, trust corporation or individ-
ual. He prayed that the thunder bolts Of
Heavens omnipotence might be hurled at
dishonest public servants and that the
State might be made pure and righteous
from he statue to Cape May
There was considerable curiosity to know
what statue the minister referred to-.
Some said that he meant the battle monu-
ment at Trenton and that he was praying
only for South Jersey. He really meant
the statue of Liberty in the harbor and
left out in his prayer wicked Hudson, Es-
sex and all the North Jersey counties.
The two bills which the Senate passed
related to elections in the villages and
townships whose limits are c~oextensdve,
and allowed graveyard companies to ac-
quire more land.
There was a large lobby on hand work.
ing against the bill which abolishes the
fish grounds along the coast. Like all mon
opclfes, this lobby was very strong and
oily. The members worked hard with the
Assembiyanen and Senator'S. There is a
strong sentiment in favor of the bill and
the fight promises to be a lively one. The
pound people are using the argument that
they are making it possible for the poor
people to buy fish in their W cities and
towns at very low prices. !
Governor Griggs was not at the State
House tonight and consequently things
about the Executive Department were
very dull. He was out of the State and
President Williams of the Senate was Gov
ernor of the State for the time. No one
seemed to know where he has gone. Some
said he was anxious not to meet anyone
who would talk to him about the Stokes
case. OF course, everyone was talking
about Mr.. Stokes turn down." and ask
ing the question. who would be Secretary
OF State when Mr.. Kelsey steps out?
Everyone who pretends to know anything
about it says that George Wurts of Pater-
son is to be secretary and William BEETLE
of Camden is to be Commissioner of Banks
and Insurance.
Those two oleaginous lobbyists sElish''
Gaddis and John Bighead Fort were in
the Senate Chamber holding mysterious
conversations with the Senators. Their
presence created some excitement and
there was much speculation as to the OBJ
ject of their visit. It was known that there
was no trolley measure in sight which
needed the attention of their inesse. 1t
was finally agreed that they were here
as emissaries of General Sewell and were
die.
Mr.. Emile DATE was down here last
night hooking as wise as an owl tina did
not know what had hit it. AS usual, he
said he was here just to look around, but
as usual he had a iittle bill, which If pass
ed will materially benefit Mr.. DATE and
which was introduced by Mr.. Macarthur.
1t places the City Hall of Jersey City
In the custody Of a Board of City Hall
Commissioners consisting OF the City
Comptroller and Treasurer and one Com
missioner. resident OF the city, to be APP
pointed by the Mayor; his apposntee shall
be the President thereof; shall hold office
three years, and receive a salary of not
less than 5000, to be fixed by the Finance
Beard Of the city; other two Commission
ers receive no salary as q
President Russ and Trustee Hicks of the
Hoboken Board OF Education were in the
Assembly Chamber looking after a little
bill they had which takes from the Com
mon Council the right to build school
buildings, and places it in the hands OF
the Beard Of Education. Camden, Pater-
as well as Hoboken and Messrs Hicks and
Russ interviewed the representatives of
these counties fer the purpose of ascertain
ing whether these cities would offer any
objections 10 the measure. They were per-
fectly satisfied with their mission.
The bicycle men were out in force and
are beginning to realize that they Will
not have such an easy time passing their
bill as they supposed. They had a long
talk with the railroad men last night and
agreed to rave two clauses stricken out Of
the bill, one providing that the lantern
shall be taken aboard with the wheel and
the other that the wheel should go On
$50