New-York tribune., 1902-06-29
TWO STRENUOUS NEW-JERSEY MAYORS.
UNION HILL CHIEF ENECj TI| E
WHO TT RNED HOSE ON
4NtRCHJSTS
ANARCHISTS.


! One of the most interesting characters in New
| Jersey. not excepting Mayor John Hinchliffe. of
| Paterson is Emil Groth, Mayor of Union Hill
bustng town of 1900 inhabitants, perched on top
| of the Palisades above the West Shore Railroad
| station At Weehawken- 1t was Mayor Groin VINO
used water Il means for suppressins anarchy
When the silk mill riots broke out in Union fhh
recently Mayor Cfroth summoned Fire Chief Behr
and said:
call out the entire IRE department and turn
the hose the rioters. Drown en-. every man
Jack, Of en-. if they don't obey the law. These
reds will endure water. Use every drop in
;he reservoir. if necessary. and drench en- thor
oUGhly. Wen get more water when that's gone
Tell your to play the hose on EN- until they
are as wet as 5ullfrogs- There is no room for
anarchists in North Hudson, and by the powers
won't have them here.
Then the mayor led the way down to Gardner-st,
where the riot was in progress. and in an hour the
trouble was over. Every fire hose in the town
squirted streams of water into the thick of the moo
until the anarchists wet : drowned rats. skulked
avvav in disgrace Their pride was crushed and the
leaders were ashamed look each other in the
face. 1t is doubtful If an armed regiment couid
have squeIched the rioters promptly and with
as little commotion did the iremen playing the
hose.
one would know that the Mayor Of Union Hill
was a fighter by looking at him. He is thickset
man. five feet inches in height with brawny
arms large neck chest built the plan Of an iron
safe. = jaw. strong nose ana eyes set Wen
apart. There is no swagger about him: on the con-
trarv he is as mild hammered and gentle as girl
He stubborn. of course. but his stubbornness Is
not inpuIsive. He is slow in reaching conclu-
sions but when he has made up his mind to do
thing not. the may be. A yoke OF oxen
could not bulge him from his determination
Groth has had a picturesque and remarkable ca
reer in politics. He is not yet forty-hve years old
but he has passed through the fiery furnace Of po-
IiticaI turmoil several times unscathed- Twice was
-. =C- D+r7-a ortra T0-
chosen freeholder but the means taken TO defeat
him were corrupt and he came out OF the ordeal
each time more victorious than the vctors-
Two years ago he was elected Mayor and so
declared bv OF canvaSsers. but the ballot
boxes were tarapered with in the week following the
election. and on recount he was declared de-
reated by fifty votes He is independent Demo
crat but this trick of tampering with the ballot
boxes cost the Democratic machine its supremacy
IN Union Hill
Two years ago Groth ran for Mayor a fusion
ticket, supported by independent Democrats and
Republicans. The shlbboleth Of the fusion move
rnent was clean home government and death TO
the Democratic ring OF which Bob" Davis is
the inspiration and in Hudson County.
Groth this ring and has fought II success
fully for years. Davis is probably more afraid of
him than OF any other man in the county
Eight years go when Ciroth was member Of the
board Of chosen freehoders in which body he
served two terms with conspicuous independence
and credit. he within one vote OF uprootiug
the Davis machine and smashing II into bits At
the last moment one OF the freehoders who had
pledged himself to oppose Davis broke his word
and turned traitor. Ever since Davis has been
trying TO down Groth without making the least
This spring, in April. ywhen, the time came ,,t to
nominate a to for Mayor Of Union Hill.
the fusion ticket TWO years before and who I'M
agined he controlled the Republican party in Union
nominated Philip Diemer, Republican councilman.
whose term was expiring for Mayor This had the
effect of calling thoughtful Republicans 10 arms
and the result the nomination OF Groth and
Jndependent Democrats This ticket with one or
two exceptions elected By rousing majority.
It had the support Of the Republican County Com
-nittee and Of all the Republican and independent
Groth conducts hotel. but notwithstanding that |
fact church vote out solidly for him in !
memory of the tampered ballot box scandal of two
There is serious talk now in Union Hin and |
4 irst Se' 11ateyer ~ man Rob' Davis NAV nut up
1t is felt that the days Of the Davis machine, which
overthroWn in Jersey City last November. when
Mayor by over hve thousand majority, num-
bered and many are Of opinion tnat iroth Is ths
man to smash the machine at one swoop throughout |
the county.
Groth is not looking for the nomination for Sheriff
however. He says he would rather not mold office
at all and looks forward with pleasure TO the
time when he retire TO private life a circum-
stance which proba bly, him only the stronger
as prospective candidate
first time eight years ago, he accepted the honor
against his viii The nomination was forced upon
fused accept nomination for councilman, vow
machine not antagonized him and attempted to
Ise him puppet after he had been elected
Freeholder. he would probably have declined re-
nomination but opposition reused his fighting
blood and he has been in the thick of the fray
cut doesn't believe in letting man boss the en-
tire county and run it as a feeder TO a corrupt