The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-23
VOTE
ON MILLION
S DOCK ACT
Decides to Have
People Pass Upon Lane
Harbor Measure.

&OhilNiA ~ u RpyN'dh
ing called for the purpose, last night
passed a resolution provided for in the
referendum section Of the law enacted
by. the Legislature last month of sub
uniting to the people at the general
election a vote on the Lane dock bill,
which provides for the expenditure of
81, 0O0,O 900 for the Improvement of the
city's water front by building docks
and dredging out a ship canal.
The $1,000, 600 would start the work,
but according to eminent engineers in
terested in the project it will take
80, 00O, 900 to bring the scheme to per-
lection, and this amount, 1t is under
stood, would have been asked for but
for the fact that Governor Stokes was
opposed to the expenditure of that
amount of money before the work got
under way.
City Clerk James F. Connolly, after
| conference with City Counsel James
r.. Nugent, County Counsel Ell
vim w. Crane and George Mahr, of the
County Clerks office, had decided that
it would be best to file a certified copy
of the resolution at the Court House be-
fore midnight, SO that, If the question
ever arose, it might be shown In the
records that the action had been taken
outside the th~irteen-day limit fixed by
the election law for the filing of munich
pal nominating petitions.
Mayor Haussling was making
a speech at a church function when the
bill was passed. A clerk was dis
patched with the resolution and his
signature secured. The resolution was
then hurried zach to the City Hall and
a certificate given to Mr.. Mahr. 1t is
not believed that the time limit fixed by
law applies to the filing of the GER
~tiicate.
Alderman William P. Martin,
leader of the Republican mi
nority, voted against the resolution.
standing alone against the other twen-
ty-three members who attended last
nights session. He said that while
he believed the improvements proposed
would be a fine thing for the city, he
thought matters were being rushed.
He not only objected to the "unseemly
haste" but to the form of the Lane
act, under which the steps were taken.
Mr.. Martin declared that it was
wrong to nave the Board of Works
endowed with power to spend money
Common Council was to raise with
out giving the Council any discretion
in the matter. He urged that the mat
ter be left until a new bill, correcting
what he believed to be bad features of
the Lane act, could be passed. An
other objection of the Republican lead
er was that the people would not have
time to study the proposition properly.
He said, too, that the cost of the work
in his estimation would be many times
81. 900, 900.
l. Thn roGnIiIfinn ne dr1 MTU nv CIV
Clerk Connolly and passed % to l,
reads as follows:
Resolved, That the provisions of an
act of the Legislature of the State of
New Jersey, entitled A act to author
lie the construction and establishment
of public docks and the shipping facili-
ties connected Herewith and the pur-
chasing and acquiring of riparian lands
in lands necessary therefor and Incl
dent thereto, and for the regulation of
the same in cities fronting on naviga-
toher Il, 1907, be submitted to the
legal voters of the city of Newark at
the next annual general election to be
held in the said city on the 5th day of
of November, 1907, for their acceptance
or rejection by a vote to be taken by
the legal voters of the said city at
Alderman Patrick Fl. Ryan, leader OF
the Democratic majority. introduced the
resolution and moved its adoption. lie
said:
1T is for the people to decide whether
the money shall be expended or not. l
believe that the. proposed ship Canal and
water front Improvement Will result in
increased property alu and that in ten
years the population of the city will be
doubled. With the shipping facilities that
will come to us under this act, the mer-
chants aud manufacturers will be able to
receive their supplies directly by water
instead of having to wait until the goods
have been shipped to New York and then
sent back TO this city,
Mr.. Martin recalled that when the bill
had passed he had favored its object, and
had SO stated. He said that he had given
the matter careful consideration since last
he had spoken on the subject.
And I find" said he. "that I am not
in favor of this particular bill.
II see by the papers that City Engineer
Sherrerd says that the proposed water
front improvements will cost SO, 0O0, 900 in
stead OF $1,00O,o00. If the estimate jumps
81. 0o0,000 in a week 1t ought t. jump five
or six in the course OF six months or a
year"
It was pointed out that under the Lane
bin 1t was provided that IL the voters ap-
proved, $1,0o0,0o0 should be raised by the
Common Council and paid out on the order
of the Board Of Works.
''They could arrest every Alderman in
the city, said Mr., Martin. 'and bring
him here to his seat and force him to vote
for resolutions to pay ont funds Of the
order Of the Board of Works When the
members Of the Council committee that
considered this bill approved It. they all,
Alderman Ryan, the chairman, and Alder
men Lee, Mullen, Holzner and the others