The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-02-26

@l4UU per year, ASSISTANTS not less Ludn
$1,000, first grade men not less than
$1,000, second grade not less than
| $1,000 and third grade not less than
5000
Important Hearings.
The sessions of both houses of the
legislature Monday night were preced-
ed by hearings given Monday after
noon and evening Assemblyman Hol-
combe of Hunterdon and his commit
tee on railroads and canals gave a
hearing on Assemblyman Wrights bill
to create state railroad commission
and on his other bills regulating rail-
road business and traffic in passengers
and freight. Counselor William Mayo
Atkinson of Newark, who drafted the
bills, explained them in detail and then
asked a further hearing, as other bills
to supplement the series were to be
introduced He referred to the state
commissions of Texas and Ohio as ex
amples of good work being done in this
respect. He thought the regulation of
traffic more important than the mere
lowering of fares. He contended that
the commission should be independent,
honest and capable and should be Civ
en- full power to cope with railroad
problems. He said the other bills to
be introduced would be to abolish
grade crossings, to provide better rail
road service in the handling of passen
gers and freight and to authorize the
court of chancery to appoint receivers
for railroads which refuse to comply
with the order of the commission. Mr..
Atkinson answered a number of ques-
tons asked by James f. Schapenkot-
ter, general counsel for the Lehigh Val
| ley railroad. Another hearing will be
given Monday afternoon, March 4.
The senate committee on railroads
and canals gave hearing on bills in
troduced by Senator Gebhardt of Hun
terdon to prohibit railroads from charg-
| ing more than cents mile and to
permit the governor, attorney general,
chancellor, vice chancellor, justices of
| the supreme court and members of
the legislature to ride free on their GER
tfficates of election. Senator Gebhardt
praised this measure and particularly
the two cent mile bill. Ex-Judge Gill
bert Collins, counsel for the Erie and
Lehigh Valley railroads, declared that
the two cent a mile bill was not need
ed, as the railroads now carry rs per
cent of the passengers at less than
cents per mile. He said New Jersey
railroad rates were the lowest in the
world.
| Senator Lee of Atlantic suggested
that if the railroads were compelled to
haul passengers at a money losing rate
they would get it back in freight tolls
at the expense of the consumers. In
reply to Question by Senator Avis
Mr. Collins said that Ohio was the
state with a fixed rate of cents per
mile, Mr.. Schapenkotter retorted that
in Ohio the law caused fight from
which the state had never recovered.
To Abolish Dungeons.
Assemblyman Tumulty of Hudson,
at the request of Speaker Lethbridge,
introduced in the house a bill to abol-
ish dungeons at the state prison in
this city Mr.. Lethbridge was moved
to present this bill by lecture which
he heard delivered by Mrs. Maybrick,
the American woman imprisoned SO
long in London on the charge of poi
soning her husband. She made tour
of this country to visit penal institu-
lions and during a lecture in Orange,
Mr.. Lethbridge's home, said that New
Jersey was one of the very few states |
that have not banished the torture of
the dungeon.
Assemblyman Daab of Hudson intro
duced bill to prohibit ticket scalping.
He is a manager of a Hoboken base
ball team and has had considerable
experience with ticket spectators.
Reports were heard about the state
house this week that the Democratic
assembly majority would seek to bring
about an investigation of state affairs
for ten years past, during which time
the Republicans have been in control.
The Democratic leaders refuse to dis
cuss the subject, but admit that such
a proposition has been suggested 1t is
questionable if a decision to investi-
gate will be reached.
The senate passed the senate joint
resolution for an investigation of the
cost of stone road building. 1t is said
the cost has advanced within the past
year or so from $4,000 to $4,000 a
mile. The senate also passed the bill
making towns or townships single fire
districts and the bill prohibiting the
killing of reedbirds between sunset and
sunrise.
1t was announced that the special
committee to investigate life Insurance
in New Jersey will not be ready to
file its report and present new in
surance bill within two weeks. Rad
ical departures from the present law
are said to be contemplated in order
to remedy existing insurance evils.
THE Senate Wednesday, by vote of