The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-22
PASSED With CHEERS
Elizabeth Trolley Bill Goes
Through the Assembly
With Bells On.
Especial to .eThe Jersey city News

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News."1
TRENTON. March %, 1S9S.-The unusual
spectacle of the passage of a bill being
received with tumultuous applause was
witnessed in the Assembly Chamber last
| evening. The bill which was thus honored
was the Union county trolley measure.
There was a large delegation of Union
county men present to help it along.
Prominent among them Were John kean,
Mayor Rankin and Comptroller Carlton
of Elizabeth. former Congressman John
Dunn, Frank Bergen and Charles G. Nc
Bride of the Elizabeth Journal"
It was evident that the wrinkles which
We're found in the measure had all been
ironed out and the Hudson men had
withdrawn their opposition.
Mr.. Squire, the father of the bill, start
ed the proceedings by moving to recon-
slider. the vote whereby the fatal amend
ment of Mr.. MarneH, limiting the time
for which the franchise could be sold to
twenty-five years, was passed. The mo-
ton passed without opposition and then
Mr.. Marnell ~obligingly withdrew his
amendment. Mr.. Squire offered several
others, the effect of which was that the
franchise could not be sold for a longer
pei lOd tia SCI ~ = NeA 'A-t 49,
the various municipalities through which
the road would pass could pass ordinances
requiring the company to pay into their
treasures annually "a percentage of its
receipts. There was not a murmur
against the amendments and they We're
adopted.
Later in the evening Mr.. Squire called
the bill up under a suspension of the
rules and made q short speech. He said
the measure was wanted almost unani-
mously by the people and it ought to be
passed. No n spoke against the Dill and
it passed by a vote of SO to 10.
As soon as the result was ANNOUNCED
the Elizabeth men broke out into APP
plause, in which they were Joined by the
crowded galleries.
Other bills passed by the House were:-
House 255, provides for the appointment
of meat inspectors in cities; House 26l,
provides for the construction of public
watering places along public resorts;
Senate 119, makes the open season for reed
birds and marsh hens from September %
the burial of dead sailors cast up along
the shore: House go, a~ppropriates $4,000
to the State tuberculosis Commission
Senate 239, permits corporations to change
stock; Senate 165, allows the special
Judges of the Court of Errors and Appeals
$40 for each days attendance; Senate
246, prevents the spread of injurious in
sects; Senate 176, provides that inspectors
of public works shall be practical me-
chanics; Senate 295, provides that COM
mlSSlOnerS OF assessment snail be paid
monthly; Senate 246, cedes to United
States M at Sandy Hook for harbor de-
fences.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Crispin of
Salem allowing electric light companies
to plant their poles in streets without
the consent of the property owners, came
up in the House on final passage. Mr..
Crispen knew very little about his bill
and said nothing further than it was a
good bill and oughYto pass.
Mr. Benny declared that the measure,
although coming from Salem, was aimed
at Bayonne, and intended to allow a
company to do what the Supreme Court
had declared it had no right to do. He
gave a history of the electric pole fight in
Bayonne, and read a decision by Justice
Dixon adverse to the claims of the COM
pany.
Mr.. Mckee differed with Mr.. Benny and
a long discussion was avoided by laying
the bill over.
House 161, permitting cities to increase
their tax rate to 3 per centum of the
gross valuation, was withdrawn. as was.
also. House 2l2, providing that goods and
cfattelS of. persons committed to the
almshouse shall be sold by the overseer
Of the poor.
The House was in session Until almost
midnight, and disposed of many bills. AT
the opening of the session there was the
usual patriotic prayer: for peace first,
but If there must come war then for vic
tory, and the usual number of petitions
for the passage of the bill prohibiting the
sale Of liquor within 200 feet of a church
or school was received.