The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-03-18
SENATE HAS
PIGEON BILL
House Passes Measure After
Getting It With Minority
Report.
CANAL ABANDONMENT BILL

opposition of so-called sporting clubs
and sportsmen, and in the face of an
adverse report by majority of the COM
mittee, the House yesterday passed the
bill prohibiting the brutal pastime of
shooting live pigeons from traps and
other devices in workmanship con-
tests. The vote on the bill, after the
bitter debate on the floor ended, was
80 to 10. Its opponents thought they
had it beaten when they won over
majority of the committee. It's friends
insisted that a minority report be sub
mitted when the bill was reported out
of the Committee on Game and Fish
cries, and this was done.
Now the bill will go to the Senate,
where the sports say they are sure
they can kill it. If they succeed in
doing SO, however, it will be after a
bitter fight, because the friends Of the
measure are encouraged by their vic
tory in the House in the face of such
odds.
Assemblyman Colby made an effort
to have reconsidered the vote by which
the House passed the bill for manage
ment Of the teachers retirement fund
by the State without expense to the
fund. His motion was defeated by a
vote of 10 to "a.
Mr.. Colby introduced bill to estab-
liSh a State Law Department, with
the Attorney General at it's head, in
accordance with the recommendation
made by Governor Murphy in his spe-
cial message.
The Senate concurred in House
resolution providing for final adjourn
ment next Friday afternoon at 3.
O'Clock 1t then adjourned until next
Monday night, to which time the
House also adjourned.
Canal Abandonment.
! The special commission appointed
a year ago to investigate the
proposed abandonment of the Nor
| ris Canal has made report, which
Governor Murphy Monday night
sent to the Legislature. Summed in
a few words, the report favors the
abandonment OF the canal upon CON
ditions which are intended to pre-
serve the rights of the stockholders.
and the rights of all persons who NAV
have a reversionary in any grants
made to the company, and, lastly, ITO
protect whatever rights the state may
have.n
What those rights are the report
does not define, but they are set forth
clearly in the charter, which was
granted In 1923, when canals were the
only means of transportation OF goods
between the inland country and tide
water. The Morris and Essex Canal
was one of the most ambitious pro-
Iects OF its day. 1t cost So, ,00O, 200 and
in view of it's great value to the pro-
1ectors, the state stipulated that If at
any time the canal should be aban-
doned the property should revert 10
the State.
The charter provides that the State
had right to acquire the canal by
purchase in 1873, and If it did not
choose to exercise that right In that
year, the time could be extended.
When the time came the State did not
see fit to exercise its right, and the
TINA was extended to 1923.
Railroads interfered with the canals
prosperity, and receipts began TO fall
off. The first agitation looking to
abandonment was made about ten
years ago, and the first serious move
ment was made in 1895 or 1897 by the
Legigh Valley Railroad, then the
Lessee. The bill was introduced in the
Legislature and defeated, as were the
bills that followed in subsequent years
and with other influences behind them.
In the winter of 1908 Governor
Murphy appointed special com
mission, consisting of former Cover
nors Werts, Griggs and Voorhees,, to
inquire into the nature of the pro-
perty and franchises held by the canal
company and the character OF the lease
held by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company.
The frontage of the canal on Broad
street, Newark is reckoned to be worth
q half million dollars. Other property
between Plane street and the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad station is estimated
to be worth as much more. The total
value of the right of way as real estate
alone is put down at 81, 10000
The report of the special commits
sion recommends that the Legislature
pass bill APPOINTING a commission of
three, with power to sell the canal
either In whole or part, provided the
Lehigh Valley road is willing to sur
rended it's lease, and that the proceeds
of the sale be used first to pay of the
bonded indebtedness $500, 900; next to
Iliquidate at an appraised value the
81, 100000 of outstanding stock, {" and
then, If there is anything left, to turn
it into the State Treasury.
Once put up for sale, the canal, now