The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-15
H0BOKEN'S HOT TINE
Electric Light Award Caus-
ed a Tempestuous
Discussion.

The North River Heat. Light and
Power Company will have to pay for a
franchise in Hoboken, if 1t wants one IN
that town. The Common Council does
not regard its offer to light Hoboken free
of charge for one year with appreciation,
and at its meeting yesterday 1t awarded
the electric contract for five years to the
North Hudson Heat, Light and Power
Company. The session. which was called
at four o'clock in the afternoon, was one
of the stormiest ever held in Hoboken,
lasting for over three hours.
The lobby was crowded with sym
pathizers of the new company who at
times became so boisterous that orders
were issued to the ser-geant-at-arms TO
clear the chambers. One man from the
lower section of the city created such
q disturbance that he had to be elected.
and a number of others narrowly
escaped similar treatment.
Chairman James Londrigan and the
full Board were present when the meet
ing was called to order, and A. K. Bonita,
president of the North River Company,
arose with a voluminous petition, signed
by three thousand names, which he sub
10 ~ A%tS t&AA1 - - ~
read. The tone of the petition was SINH
lar to the one directed to the Board of
Tax Commissioners recently. 1t asked
the Council to examine carefully into
the offer of the new dwelt on
1.-THE big saving to Hoboken," and con-
cluded with a reminder to the Board
that it's favorable consideration of the
philanthropy of the North River Com
pany would meet with the approval of a
large number of citizens. The document
was adroitly drawn but did not make
the impression Mr.. Bonita thought it
would, and he looked disappointed when
it was referred for consideration in COM
mittee.
William G.. Schailer, superintendent of
the North Hudson Company, next arose
and addressed the Board, submitting a
communication from his mpan Offering
to take the city's light contract for 500
per lamp per mum, providing a con
tract for five years would be awarded.
The improvements made in electrical
machinery, aided by recent discoveries,
enabled his company, Mr.. Sehailer ex-
planned, to make a reduction in its old
figure of s1SS.70 per light.
A petition from the Hoboken Taxpayers
Association, the officers of which are pro-
motors of the North River Company, was
read asking for an audience with the
Council to discuss the light question.
Chairman Londrigan declared recess be-
fore a vote was taken on the associations.
request. AS the Councilmen were leay-
ing their seats the sy~mpathizers of the
new company arose en- masse and howled
and Kissed them.
When the meeting was called again,
Frederick Siler a German laborer, who is
said to w shares in the North River
Company, became so noisy that Sergeant
alarms Walsh was ordered to eject him.
He did SO and when order was restored
the Committee on Lamps and Gas, which
had convened during recess. reported in
favor of hearing what the Taxpayers As
ISOLATION had to say. The Board agreed
to hear the associations Representatives
and called on them o come forward.
President Fugazzi, Congressman Daily
and ex-senator Stuhr accordingly arose
in their turn and eulogized the North
River Company. If the Council would
only consent to give it a franchise free
of charge, the orators claimed, Hoboken.
would gain much from the Time
alone could only prove what a benefit
'"healthy competition would bring about"
as Congressman DAILY expressed it.
The Councilmen let the stockholders of
the company talk as long as they wished.
but when the question of awarding the
light contract came up only two voted;
against awarding it to the North Hudsont
Company Councilmen George Steil and,
Oscar Frommel. The majority of the
Board expressed themselves as believing
that it was to the city's interest to place
the contract in the hands of a concern
known to be responsible rather than take
chances with one which so far has made
nothing but promises and has not even a
plant to supply light.