The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-13


to make UP that number. Oaughter.) Tie
of ladies on this occasion makes
the banquet an innovation. We are also
travelling Westward no! since we came
tonight to this club and for the first time
gave our dinner on the HILL We are much
indebted to the Jersey City Club for their
hospitality, and right here let me say that
Admiral George Dewey is an honorary
member of this club. Cloud applause In
which Admiral Sampson joined.)
President Furst caused great merriment
when in referring to "Dewey's Moving
Day" he said that in the Jer-
sey City Clubhouse there were +
at least four or five Boards OF
Strategy, which fought the war over and
over again, and could have given Dewey
and Sampson pointers. He paid glow
ing tribute to the heroes of the war and
closed his speech with praise for the CONF
mittees in charge of the dinner arrange
ments.
There was much laughter when Mr..
Voorhees, said, in introducing Mayor Hoos,
who was to talk about Jersey City, that it
required great courage to be Mayor OK
the city, and a great deal of bravery TO
tackle the water question. The Mayors
rising was the signal for burst of APP
plause. His Honor said:-
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen
In responding to the toast "Our city
this evening, 1 assure you that will not
make too great a demand upon your time
and attention When there Is such an
array of distinguished guests present, and
when we are to listen to such a represen-
tative of our victorious navy as Rear Ad-
miral Sampson then it seems to me that
your Chief Magistrate, of whom you hear
about almost daily, ought to be content
with few words, though it be subject
which deeply appeals to him.
1T is needless for me to say anything
about our city's superb location, for 1t is
so evident to the most casual observer,
whether he approaches by rail or by
steamer. We have within the thirteen
square miles of our city's area the
choicest resident, business and manufae-
turing section, and there is every facility
afforded for reaching these various Sec
tions.
'.The Pennsylvania Railroad has very
generously acceded to our request for
handsome structure to adorn the approach
to the city at the foot of Exchange place,
and as result, strangers coming into
our city cannot help but being favorabiy
impressed at this point and our city may
well boast of a magnificent ferry entrance
and train shed.
II have no doubt but that when the
work of track elevation which is now TAX
ing place on the Erie Railroad is conn
pleted, that company will follow the ex-
ample set by the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Speaking about progress. firmly be-
lieve we have at last launched on the
high road of municipal prosperity, and
that the days of inaction, general fault
finding and grumbling are over. We have
begun to arouse feeling of municipal
pride. During the past year seven hand
some modern school buildings have been
completed These buildings, together with
our magnificent City Hall and the new
Free Public Library building WI
about to be erected will form nj
and foundation stone about and
which our new era of municipal -
perity will be built. One more bur
is needed to make perfect this new
ginning, and that is a modern H1gn
School building. 1 had fondly hoped TO
see this building begun by this time, Dut
| the city must wait until the necessary
! legislation is ena y at Trenton before
such a structure can be erected. There
! need be no fear about the selling price
| of bonds for such a purpose, for am
| very happy to state that our financial
| condition is such that the highest prem
| ium ever realized on Jersey City bonds
1 were received during the past year.
| During the past two years many miles
| of new sewers have been laid and many
| of old ones have been reconstructed. Dur-
| ing the same period more miles or streets
/ have been paved with asphalt and other
payements than ever before in the same
period and the prices for work have been
considerably decreased. Our Street and
/ Water Department has also awakened to
| the condition of the sidewalks in many
sections of the city, and there is marked
| Improvement in this direction.
..As regards that old 'bugaboo' the
| water question, which so often furnished
! food for debate and speeches in the Board
of Trade as we'll as at political gatherings,
I will say but very little this evening, in
asmuch as 1 expressed myself at length
nm that subject but very recently. 1
would simply state that if my recommen-
dations are followed 1 sincerely believe
the question will be definitely and very
happily settled for the everlasting benef1s
and advantage of the city. The mere fact
that city has pure and abundant sup
/ plv of water weighs more with pross
nectiye investor and settler than any
other, and have no doubt that had thif
question been settled at the time Whe1
the city was compelled to give up the usf
of her former source of supply that the
population of this city would haye IN
creased much more rapidly and the pros-
! perity now in sight would have been an
accomplished fact.
"I regret one thing during the past year
and that is our failure in succeeding to
have one of Uncle Sans cruisers named
! Jersey City, but this regret was somewhat
tempered the other day when to my sur
prise l noticed among the steamship ar
rivals vessel named Jersey City out
ninety days So you see we are repre-
sented on the sea after all, even If we do
only carry freight
There is another matter which caused
regret among our soldier boys last year,
and that is the fact that they did not sue
ceed in getting into fight in order 70
prove their courage and valor, though Is
must be said our Governor, Foster NJ.
voorhees,, used his best efforts to have
New Jersey represented at the very front,
and in every way showed himself wartn
friend of our soldier boys. Still we have
cause to feel proud of the showing of our
4,1,,,+, in canon and know that had they