The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-02-14
SEARCH BILL is
AMENDED
To Avoid Probable Defeat
Of the Measure Assembly
man Calvin Consents to a
Change
SEARCHES WILL STILL be MADE
BUT THD sEARCHERs WILL
ONLY CHARGE ONE DOLLAR
FEE AND IT WILL BE TURNED
OVER TO THE CITY.
Especial to ..The Jersey city News. .,

Especial to 'eThe Jersey City News.'')
TRENTON. Feb. IA, 1906. Fearful
that the bill which is designed to deprive
City Collector Fry, of Jersey City. Of
the searching fees in his office, which
netted him about 5000 yearly. would
not be adopted by the House without
fight, Assenablyanan Calvin yesterday
consented to allow the Municipal Corpo-
rations Committee to amend the bill to
meet the views of the Essex County del
egation and thus remove their opposition
to its adoption.
The Calvin bill as originally intreduc-
ed provided that in frst-class citiea-Jer
sey City and Newark-the records Of all
unpaid taxes, etc, should be filed in the
City Comptroller's office, and that the
Comptroller shall deliver a certificate of
search upon the payment Of SO. TO be
turned over to the city treaSury.
Under the present law, the Chy Col
lector charges fee of So for making
search of the records in his office; the
City Clerk charges So and the Water
Registrar S. making total of SO to be
paid as search fee. All these officials
retain these fees.
When the Calvin measure was taken
up for a second reading last week. As
sembfymen Morgan and Martin, Of Es-
sex, objected to one of the provisions
which made the City Comptroller respon-
sible for any errors made by his clerks
while making searches. They succeeded
in having the bill re-committed to the
committee for amendment. claiming that
they did not believe it right to hold the
City Comptroller responsible for errors
made by his clerks, especially as the duty
was forced upon him.
Former Senator j. Harry Baeheller,
now City Comptroller of Newark, was
the leading spirit in the movement to
have the Calvin bill amended. Its pro-
visions affected his Office. He consulted
with Major Carl Lentz. The latter con-
ferred with his friend, Colonel Dickinson,
who was responsible for the bills intro
duction. As a result of such conference
it was decided to eliminate the City
Comptroller entirely from the provisions
Of the bill and allow the City Collector,
City Cerk and Water Registrar to CON
tinue to make the searches for liens, tax
es, etc, as at present, except that In
stead of charging fee of So for such
search, each official shall only charge 81,
the money to be turned into the City
Treasury.
This amendment was satisfactory to-
Colonel Dickinson It accomplished the
object he sought--to deprive City Col
leetor Fry Of the searching fees and thus
the City Comptroller was relieved Of the,
duty Of sharing the responsibility for err
rors in searches made by his clerks.
The Municipal Corporations Commit
tee agreed yesterday TO report the Gal
vim bill with the proposed amendments
as a committee substitute. Itswill prob
ably be presented at this afternoons ses
sion of the House.
1t IS understood that the amended bill
is now entirely satisfactory to the Els
sex Assemblymen and they will give it,
their support. If it becomes a law. City
Collector Fry viii continue to make
searches in his office, but will receive no
compensation. except fee Of ST. which
he must turn over to the City Treasurer
The same applies to the City Clerk and
Water Registrar