The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-03-25

one of the most interesting features o.
the present session of the Legislature
was introduced this week by Assem-
blyman Williams of Essex. 1t is an
other Norris canal bill and is prae-
tically the same measure introduced
by Mahlon Pitney on March IL, 1901
when he was a member OF the senate.
The title of the bill is an indication Of
what it contemplates. 1t reads: An
act to provide for the appointment of
commissioners to examine into and re
port upon the proposed abandonment
of the Morris canal and all questions
relating thereto"
After reciting at some length that
the Morris Canal and Banking com
pany under state charter granted IL
1894 built the canal, that by supple
ment to the charter passed by the leg
islature in 1871 the canal property was
leased in perpetuty by the Lehigh Val
ley Railroad company, which company
Is now in possession Of Its property
and franchises; that the present char
ter is to expire in 1878, when the canal
property will become the sole property
OF the state, and that under the bill in
troduced last week by Mr.. Boyd and
now pending the canal company will
be enabled to abandon the operation
Of the canal for navigation purposes
and at the same time retain. sell or
otherwise dispose Of the franchises,
tu tID
bill authorizes the governor to appoint
six commissioners. who shall examine
and report upon the proposed abandon
ment of the Morris canal for navigation
purposes and the proposed devoting of
the property of the Morris Canal and
Banking company or Of It's lessee, the
IeIigh Valley Railroad company, to
other public uses.
The commissioners are also to exam
inc into and report upon the lands, wa
ters, water rights, rights OF fi0wage
and diversion. riparian rights and
rights of way which are held or claim
ed by the Lchigh Valley Railroad com
pany how they were acquired, upon
what terms they are held and whether
were the property of the Morris Canal
and Banking company have been dis
posed of and to who9 and whether It
Ia just TO the people of the state and to
private property owners that said ca
nal or any part of 1t should be aban-
doned and whether ii Is just that the
I.ehigh Valley company should be per
United to retain the property rights,
powers and franchises pertaining to
the canal or to sell or dispose OF the
same to other persons or corporations,
so that any of these rights or fran
chises shall be devoted to other public
uses. The commission Is also to re
port the fair value of the canal and Its
property TO the Lehigh Valley company
and to the Morris Canal and Banking
company and also the fair value of the
same to the state and whether all or
any part of the canal property, If tax
en- by the state for Its own account,
could be profitably operated as n pub
lie highway by charging reasonable
tolls for transportation. The commits
sion Is also to ascertain what supply of
potable waters could be gathered and
distributed by means of the canal and
whether 1t Is expedient for the state to
own or control the water supply of the
canal and to use the same for the pur-
pose of supplying municipalities with
water on just and equitable terms.
The governor Is to fix the compensa-
ton of the commissioners, together
ha la 20 ha
commission Is to complete Its duties as
speedily ms possible and submit reports
to the next or any subsequent legisla-
ture.
The Fisheries Dispute.
The commission to arrange settle
ment of the fisheries dispute between
New Jersey and Delaware has made
Its report to the legislature. 1t Is II
counterpart of the report presented to
the Delaware Legislature. 1t was shown
in the report that the commissions APP
pointed by the two states to determine
the boundary line had reached an agree
ment to settle the matter outside OF
the United States supreme court, In
which the ease has been pending for
more than twenty five years. To rat
lily the agreement the consent Of the
legislatures of the two states and OF
congress must be obtained. The com
pact settles the matter once and for
MI. The agreement thoroughly pro-
tects the riparian. fishing and other
rights of this state.
senator Wakelee has introduced
bill by way OF an amendment to the
voting machine act, providing that the
assent or dissent of the voter to any
constitutional amendment mny be ex-
pressed by the word For OF" Against"