The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-22
CANAL CANARD
Trenton Agog Over a Rumor
That Flynn Wants the
Morris Ditch.
BILL IN TO ABANDON IT
Allan L. McDermott's Strong
Plea For Better County
Government.
Especial to .-rhe Jersey city News."l

Special to line jersey lily NEWS.
TRENTON, March o. 1S99.-The lobby
has taken new hope and begins to think
that at last something is coming its way
Mr.. Hall is the cause of all this. lie
brought it about yesterday with his little
bill providing that canal companies may
surrender their franchises of navigation
and devote their property to other pubnc
uses. The rumor has spread around that
this bill is to allow the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company to sell the Morris
Canal to Patrick H. Flynn, the contractor
for the new water supply for Jersey CITY,
so that Mr.. Flynn can control the lakes
and streams in the northern part of the
State which feed the canal. 1t was also
rumored that this was one of that kind
of bills which must be passed at what
ever labor or expense. Hence the exuber-
ance of the lobby.
There was an unusual scene in the
House before the session this morning.
Last evening, Mr.. Benny was on one side
of a screen in the coat room when he
heard Mr.. Clark of Jersey City on the
other side say that Benny,s bill, No. 214
providing for the proper manning of loco
motives, was a striking measure. When
Mr.. Beny reached the other side of the
screen Mr.. Clark was gone and Mr.. Benny
could not find him anywhere about the
State House. He Immediately wrote the
Essex man a letter in which he told him
plainly that he lied when he said the meas
ure was a strike and he knew
it. Mr.. Benny expressed surprise in the
letter that one who pretended to be his
friend, as Mr. Clark did, should make
WI Nh
Clark read the letter and looked up Mr..
Benny. He seemed to feel hurt over the
letter and denied that he had ever made
such a statement. Mr.. Benny told him
how he had overheard him and what he
thought of his conduct, using epithits
and adjectives which are calculated to
raise the ire of almost any man.
Mr.. Clark though angry, kept his hands
down. and simply replied in kind. After
the two men had assaulted the air with
their angry voices for some time the Incl
dent was considered closed.
Mr.. Benny,s bill, which caused the row,
was reported during the mornings ses-
sion with an amendment which strikes
out of the bill the imprisonment penalty
for it's violation and reduces the fine from
! 81, 600 to $500. This is a great victory for
| Mr.. Benny as it was the intention of the
committee to squech the measure alto
gether.
Mr. MeDermott made an eloquent
| speech this morning on his Freeholder
| bill, and when he had finished, Republi-
cans and Democrats alike applauded him
enthusiastically. The bill provided that
| Board of Freeholders in first class coun-
| ties shall consists of seven members
elected at large.
| When the bill came up, Mr.. Ketcham
| opposed it because it would affect Essex
/ County. which was, well satisfied with
its present system The bill, it was true
| contained a referendum clause, but Essex
| County did not want to be disturbed by
| the agitation attendant on voting Tor a
| change of County Government.
| Mr.. w. NJ. johnson said the original
| bill provided for minority representation
politically, but the present draft omitted
| this feature, much TO its detriment.
| Mr.. NIcDermott replied that the minor
| ity clause had been dropped with view
| to satisfying Essex County. Since the ma
| iority in that county was well pleased
| with it's Boards as now constituted there
would be no danger that the new sys-
| tenn would be taken up. The minority
would have no object to gain in advocat-
| ing a change Mr.. McDermott argued that
| the bill would thereupon apply only to
| Hudson County, which was very badly
governed at present. Many abuses exist
| fewer Freeholders, and these elected at
| large. a more satisfactory Board could be
/ secured
| Mr.. McDermott said there was no poll
/ tics in the measure as the present board
| was overwhelmingly Democratic He him
| self believed in divoreing local affairs
from partisanship. He, as member OF
| grand iuries. had voted to indict Demo-
cratic freeholders, and at elections he had
| voted for the best nominees, regardless
! of politics. He had voted both ways al
| freeholder elections and he believed his
sentiment was shared by Hudson county
voters generally. Such a bill as this one
| would compel Hudson county Democrats
| to put up their best men.
The bill was laid over till afternoon.
The Senate Dunn Act Repeater was
i killed in the House this morning by a
! vote of IS to 80. Mr.. Marks opposed the
lbill and made a really good speech against
it. The new bill for rebuilding School No
fs.+. NV