The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-02
NEARING The END
The Do Nothing legislature
Begins to Talk of Snuff
fling Itself Out.
THREE WEEKS IT'S LIMIT
Fierce Fight Over the Grove
Street Trolley-Grade Gross
sing Obstruction.

NPt14a = " 4hC tSiStg StS
TRENTON. March 2, 1SsS.-The Republic
can Senators held a conference last night
and considered the question of adjourn
m.nt. The majority of the Senators IA
vored winding up in three weeks, and in
order to do that it was suggested that
the Legislature would have to meet every
day up to Saturday and hold sessions
three nights at least. There was consid-
cradle opposition to this, and the confer
ence ended without any definite conclu-
sion having been reached.
One of the most prominent men about the
Legislature portion of the State House dur
ing the past TWO days has been William
Thompson, the Duke of Gloucester. He
has been here accompanied by Tom Flynn,
the speaker of the famous race
track Legislature, and the manner IN
which they have been working shows that
poruance to themselves at least.
The cause of their activity is a bill py
Assemhlynan Stuhr of Passaic, which EN-
ables a man to have more than one bar
room on the same premises under one license.
This is for Thompson's resort, Washington
Park just outside of Gloucester city. 1t IS
a favorite SPOT with Philadelphians who
flock there in great numbers during the
summer, and William j. finds it an irksome
task to keep their thirst down with only one
bar room, and as he does not wish to pay
more than one license, he has had the bill
brought in. 1t is now on the calendar.
Mr.. Porter's bill. which requires all
street railroads desiring to construct,
maintain and operate & street railway or
to change the motive power, to ask the
consent of such Board as has control OF
streets or highways in the municipality
in which they are located, came up on
final passage. MIR. Porter argued FOR the
bill without telling much of what 1t was
really for. The Hudson men thought they
saw the "coiored gent in the woodpile
and attacked the measure.
Mr.. Carroll denounced it as a scheme
to allow the North Hudson Company to
substitute electricity for horse power on
its Grove street line. Mr.. Allen. Mr.. Mar
nell and Mr.. Bruder all spoke against
the measure. taking the same ground.
Mr.. Bell, of Bergen, maintained that
IT was unjust to allow a street railway
without the consent of the property own
the bill.
Mr.. Porter read the act of 1896 and
tried TO show that his bill was for the
purpose of Strengthening out some klnk
IL that law.
his sails by Mr.. Allen, who told how the
act which Mr.. Porter had read was
passed in the interest of the. North Hud-
son Railway Company for the very pur-
Grove street. He said that there was
net a horse railroad in Essex, and it was
evident that this bill was for the Grove
was such a road in Essex, and Mr.. Porter
made no reply.
Mr.. Benny said that he wanted to read
a portion of the Scriptures for Mr.. Port
er's benefit.
Mr.. Cole objected. on the ground that
he quotation was not german to the
question, as there were no trolley roads in
that day.
That was true. Mr.. Benny said, but the
quotation was he first case OF deceit on
then read from Genesis Is the story of
Jacobs theft of his brother's blessing,
and said that this bill was the voice of
Jacob, but the hand OF Esau, to grab the
Grove street franchise.
Mr.. Porter made a feeble attempt to de-
fend his bill. He made some centemptu-
Gus remark about a Hudson man using
the Bible and insisted that the bin was
simply remedial and was introduced for
the purpose Of Strengthening out the act
of 1896. He made no further attempt to
advance any argument why the bill
should pass. but lapse into some child
ish abuse of the members from Hudson.
The vote was then taken and Mr.. Porter
raised a laugh by voting against the Dill;
This was done of course SO that he could
move to reconsider.
The bill was lost by a vote of Z to 43.
Mr.. Allen attempted to block Mr.. Porter'S
game by moving to reconsider The mo-
ton had enough votes to kill it. but even
before the result was announced. Senator
Vreeland rushed into the chamber and
whispered to the Morris members. I'M
mediately they changed their votes and
other Republicans followed like a flock of
sheep until the motion was carried. 1t is
doubtful if the bill will come up again.
There will be a joint meeting next We'd
nesday to elect commissioners of deeds.
The Senate passed the bill increasing the
salary of the Assistant Corporation At
torney in first-class cities from $l,500 to
$1,000.
New trouble has broken out for Senator
Johnson's latest grade crossing bill. The
Erie road. which has always been looked
upon as the chief obstacle in the bilfs
way, consented to an amendment, which
provided that when a municipality de-
sires gatemen and fagmen at a crossing
application shall be made to the Chancel-
lor, who shall have power to decide
whether gatemen or fiagmen shall be pro-
vfded. This was satisfactory to the SEN
ator from Bergen, and he saw ahead of
his bill nothing but plain sailing.
Shoals have suddenly appeared in the
shape of a demand by the Pennsylvania
Railroad that when municipalities petit
ton for gates and hagmen they shall bear
a part of the cost thereof. This is most
of the bill and they say It was introduced
for no other purpose thar to kill the
measure.
Senator Johnson introduced a bill in the
Senate embodying the report of the com
mission appointed to 'codffy and revise the
election laws of the State. consisting of
Senator w. NJ. Johnson, Joseph Cross and
Judge Robert S. Woodruff. The commits
sion's bill consists of 234 sections. which is
a reduction OF ABOUT One-nalf IN the Vol
une of the present election laws. No ma
terial changes are made in the substance
of existing legislation except in these re-
spects; the term of Office of the county
boards of election is made two years in
of one; registration before the
county boards can be made only by per-
appearance, and county boards are
TO sit before election day. not on election
day.
Mr.. sPEIOHER'S SALARY.