The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1913-04-01
TOWNSHIP SOLID
AGAINST ANNEX
Only One Speaker in Favor Of
Taking in Morris.

The .cOmmlltee appointed Dy tne
mayor to report on the question of
annexing Morris township to Morris
town held hearing on the scheme
in the Lyceum on Monday evening.
Messrs. Foote, Pitney and Carson, the
members OF the committee, heard plenty
of argument against the proposition
while only one speaker was in favor
of the scheme and his remarks We're
greeted with some derision The
township people were out in force
and when Mr. Foote called for stand
ing vote on the question whether they
wanted to come into the town there
were so many against it to ,cohnt that
he gave it up. Ten men stood up as
residents of the town favoring an
nexation while seventeen voted
against the scheme Not one resident
of the township voted for it.
c. Franklin Wilson was the first
speaker. Mr.. Foote in opening the
meeting said the affirmative would be
heard first but no one spoke at that
time so he called for those against
annexation to present their side. Mr..
Wilson handed in petitions against
the proposition signed by over 1,5O0
residents of the township including
534 voters, 415 taxpayers. The total
registered vote of the township he
said was 615 and the largest vote
ever polled was 500. The township
was not against the town taking in
Burnham park, he said, but were
against the annexing of the whole or
any other part of the township as
the residents were satisfied as stu
ated and saw no benefit to either the
township or the town by such
move.
The tax rates of the town and town
ship for the past years he compared
as follows:-
1909, township, $1369; town, 1886
1910, township, $13.67; town, $20.l3
1911, township, $1435; town, $20.15
1912, township, S17.87; town, $2260-
The high rate of last year Mr..
Wilson explained was because of the
school improvements being paid from
the tax budget instead of by a bond
issue and asserted the tax rate for
this year would drop to about $l5.
The signers of the petition, he said,
represented $3,900,000 of the town
ships $4,344,000 ratables. The first
reason against annexation was, he
said. that the township did not want
to come in. Then it would not give
a compact community to the town
but scattered one to which town
ship or borough government would
be preferable and the residents OF
which would have adverse and dl-
verse interests. 1t would be impos-
sible to give the township its needs
and please what is now the town.
The town would be unable to give
police, fire protection and sewers and
4 ;nto nc mt rato Of taxation
even counting, in the added $4,000 GOO
of ratables of the township. The
township spent on its roads last year
$9,513 and for street lights $3,533.
Practically every leading road in the
township is lighted and the main
roads are in good condition, and the
township residents believe the town
could not do as we'll judging from
what the town has done in the past
The township has telephones, gas and
water to the extent these three cor
porations can give their service and
make it pay so that the township,
Mr. Wilson declared, had now all the
town could give it. No such legisla-
ton had been made of late, he said,
except with referendum attached and
with the township almost solid
against it the measure would surely
be defeated at the polls.
Former Town Counsel Edward X.
Mills spoke for some of the town
ship residents, declaring there was
no demand for annexation by the
township people and that it was a
rural community which if taken into
the town would have to be severed
which he thought would be at al
most prohibitive cost. The town. s
sewer system was installed, he said,
on the basis of paying for 1T out OF
the taxes and if the township was
taken in and severed the larger pro-
portion of the taxes received from
the territory would go towards pay
ing for the sewers and their mainten-
ance and almost nothing left for other
purposes.
Mr.. Pitney said he was informed
the sewer system was based on l5,-
900 population and asked what the ef-
feet would be by taking in the town
ship as the town now has 1880
population. Mr. Mills replied that
the main trunk sewers would be too
small and also pumping stations
would be required in several places in
addition to those now in use and
the disposal plant would have to be
enlarged. Collinsyille, he said, could
easily be- connected with the present
system
Joseph F. Burke asserted the town
ship people were against the PROPOSE
ton
DR.. Granville M. White, represent
ing the Golf club, spoke against it,
declaring that the taxes would be
greatly increased with no correspond
ing benefits.
Ernest H. Tomlinson was the only
man to favor the scheme and he
spoke when Mr.. Foote again asked if
there was not some one in the hall to
speak in favor of the proposition.
Mr.. Tomlinson asserted that Norris
town people do not want the an
nexation unless the township wants to
come in and declared that the town
ship must be educated up to seeing
the advantages to be derived by com
ing into town. The township would
be cut up into boroughs eventually.
he asserted, as the township people
can't be satisfied with township gov
ernment. The town now gives police
and fire protection to the township,
he declared, but the statement was
greeted with Kisses and boots from
the township people. Important ar
rests had been made by the Morris
town police In the township, the
speaker continued. while In case of
fire help is sent from the town. A
fouganrt.lo ..faa n.aIal TINA ,.tskpf.I IN.