The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1913-04-15
TOWN MUST WAIT FOR
FORT NONSENSE PARK
No Money Appropriated by Leg
islature for Project.

Lyons named $25,000 as the apprD-
lpriation but it is appropriated only
when included in either the annual
appropriation on supplemental bills
The money was not included in this
lyear's appropriations and those fam
| iliar with legislative matters assert
| that the real battle was not to secure
| the passage of the Fort Nonsense
Park bill but will be to get the amount
needed included in the annual apprO-
i priation bill An attempt will be made
next winter by friends of the park
project to get the appropriation
through the legislature.
The full text of the Fort Nonsense
Park bill is as follows:
An Act creating the Fort Nonsense
Park Commission" defining its powers
and duties and appropriating funds
for the purposes of the same.
| Whereas, In the winters of 1777,
1879 and 1880, General George Wash
i1gton, his staff and the Continental
army encamped and made their head
quarters in and about the town OF
Morristown, in the county OF NORRIS
and
| Whereas, While SO encamped, the
army erected and constructed on one
VI .lDt ulllo OtCllOOhih6 NIL 40 ~ y -
and the surrounding county, an octag-
onal earthwork or fort, commonly
known as Fort Nonsense" the en-
bankments of which may be seen to-
day; and
Whereas, The Washington Associa-
ton of the State of New Jersey, has
erected on said hill a monument to
commemorate the site of said forts
and
/ Whereas, There is no spot more
identified with the story of the Revoiu-
ton and the personality of Washing
ton than Morristown and its vicinity.
and no place where 1t would be more
appropriate to record in a proper and
, fitting manner the devotion and ap-
J probation of the people of the State OF
New Jersey for George Washington.
therefore,
Be It Enacted by the Senate and
General Assembly of the State OF New
Jersey:
/. The Governor of this State is
hereby authorized and directed to aps
point twenty-five persons, citizens ana
residents of this State, who shall con-
stitute, and are hereby appointed ana
constituted a board of commissioners
by the name and style of Fort Non
sense Park Commission" The terms
of office of such commissioners Shall
be at the pleasure of the Governor.
and he is likewise authorized 10 ma
any vacancies occurring in the sald
commission No member of such COM
mission shall receive any compensa-
ton for services as commissioner
Any ten of such commissioners shaia
constitute a quorum at any stated or
specially called meeting.
| 2. Such board of commissioners,
and their successors, are hereby
created a body polite, with power to
sue and be sued, to adopt and use
common seal and to adopt bylaws To
regulate its proceedings. Such COM
mission shall annually choose from
among it's members president, vice.
president treasurer and secretary, ana
appoint such other officers and en-
ployees as it may deem necessary To
carry out the purposes of this act IL
may also determine the duties ana
compensation of such appointees, sub
iect to appropriation for that purpose
by the Legislature, and shall make alh
reasonable rules and regulations re-
specting the appointment, compensa-
ton and removal of such employees
not inconsistent with the laws OF this
State
8. Such commission shall have
mower to select and locate such lands
in or near the town of Morrlstown.
commonly known as Fort Nonsense,
in the county of Morris and State Oh
| New Jersey, as may in their opinion
be proper and necessary to be re-
served for the purpose OF establishing
a State park.
a. The said commission shall nave
mower to acquire, maintain and make
i available for use as public PARK the
lands located as aforesaid, and for
such purpose shall have power TO take
in fee or otherwise, by purchase, giit.
devise or eminent domain, the saio
lands, or any of them, and any rights,
interests and easements therein. Deeos
of conveyance for such lands shall pc
made to the said commission Dy us
cornorate name, and 1t shall be the
duty of the said commission 10 pre-
serve. care for lay out and improve
the said park and to make rules for
the use and the government OF the
same.
& The said commission shall nave
power and authority to acquire LANDS
for the purposes mentioned IN tnls-
act. and in case they shall be unable
: to agree with the owner or owners OF
any of such lands, or when by reason
of the legal incapacity or absence Oh
such owner or owners or for any otnef
cause no agreement can be made fof
, the purchase thereof, such lands shall
be acquired and the compensation
shall be ascertained and paid in the
manner provided by the general laws
of this State regulating the ascertain
ment and payment of compensation
for property condemned or taken for
public uses, and subject to the pro-
cedure and practice prescribed by
said laws; provided, however, that in
fixing the compensation to be paid for
such lands, no allowance or deduc-
: ton shall be made on account of any
real or supposed benefit which the
parties interested may derive from
said park or improvement for which
such lands are to be taken, and the
commission or any party may appeal
from said award and such appeal from
said award and such appeal shall be
r heard and determined in the manner
5 provided by said laws.
6. The said commission is hereby
2 authorized to expend such sums OF
money as may be appropriated from
time to time for the necessary ex-
penses of the said commissioners in
carrying out the provisions of this act,
and for the purposes of this act; the
I sum 0f tWanfV-fiVe Thousand dollars