The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-08
FEWER PROTECTIVE MERCHANTS
Association Worried by the Decrease
The Grove street Trolley.

-The Grove street bFOlleys5 8sas
A regular meeting of the Merchants
Protective Association was held last night
at the Avenue House, Five Corners. There
was a good attendance when. at $3.50,
President J4mes T. Cough called the
meeting to order.
After the transaction of routine business
Henry Hoersch referred to the fact that
the secretary's annual report showed a
net decrease in the membership of the
association. He wanted to know if means
Scould not be devised to bring the same up
to the limit of five hundred. as had been
promised by Secretary Newton Mr.
Hoersch suggested that circulars be- is
sued and sent to non-members setting
forth the objects and benefits to be de-
rived, and asking them to join the asso-
citation.
Secretary Newton said that the de-
crease in membership, as the late Presl-
dent Robert G. Anderson had rightly sad,
was due to the increase OF the cost OIL IN
itiation. He opposed the plan OF sendlns
out circulars, because all the business
men in the county were aware of the ex-
istence of the organization and its op,
jects. He said that it was only the small
dealers who were dropping out, and that
the decrease was in the membership from
Hoboken and Bayonne, Jersey City re-
tanning her average.
Ex-President Anderson said that many
merchants thought that the association. ,l s
only object was to blacklist people. rms
idea he said, was fostered py many nan y,,et u
the increased initiation fee had prevented
an increase of membership. He thougnl
that the association could Well aHor9 g
to let members in at the old rate, anu
that if this plan was adopted, next year
would show a substantial increase.
Ex-President William G. Meyer adyo-
Gated personal solicitation as the best
means of increasing the membership. he
said that the organization was following
a. rut not conducive to healthy CROWN
and if they would adopt the ideas OF the
Board of Trade and discuss more geneIr,,
ally matters of public interest, II Wouid
have the effect of enthusing the members
to renewed activity. ,...,,. oe
the matter it was finally referred Tor ac-
ton to the Executive Committee p,,a,,
Second Vice-President ]. Wallace Black
offered resolution protesting against the
abolition of postoff1ce sub-statlon NO. T,
which, until the beginning OF the presen.
month, was located at Palisade rn,,ad avehaf tba
s. 600 residents of the northern section OF
the city were interested in the matter, ,anu q
that there could be no valid reason Tor rs
discontinuance. He said that during us
sight or ten years of existence the re-
celpts had averaged $4,000 annually, Whine
the salary of the postmaster was oniy
800 This Mr.. Black thought. showed
that that the station was profitable The reso-
lution was adopted and the Secretary was
directed to forward a copy of the same 70
Postmaster Jordan and Congressman Nc
EVAN.
The application of the North Hudsos
County Railway Company for franchise
to operate a trolley line on Grove street
was brought up by the reading of the fol
| lowing communication from Mayor Hoos.
| AS Secretary Newton concluded reading
| it he was greeted with applause
Jersey City, JAM, "a, 1898.
| ssMr. James Newton Secretary, M. F. A.:
.sThe resolution adopted by your asso-
| citation relative to the Grove street trolley
| franchise has been duly received, and in
| reply would state that have eommuni-
Gated my views on the subject to the
Board of Street and Water Commissioners
| in a letter date January II, 1888. In TINS
| letter I referred to the Democratic plat
| form on which l was elected and which
! expect to live up to. My closing sentence
! in that communication was this:-I shall
| veto any resolution granting privileges on
| the streets of this city which does not
make a proper contribution to the public
| revenue a condition of the grant"
..Yours respectfully
/ MAYOR HOOS, Mayor"
| The communication was referred to the
| committee recently appointed on the sub