The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1913-01-28
LYONS INTRODUCES
HOPATCONG BILL
Measure Would Permit Use Of
Shore Front for Park.

Plans for the requirement of Lake
Hopatcong as a public park are CON
ta1ned in bill introduced in the
legislature by Assemblyman James ]
Lyons. The bill would give to the
three towns and two boroughs border
ing on the lake in Morris ana Sussex
counties the right to acquire the lake
as joint project and to give its
care to body of park commissioners
The bill is framed in general terms
and would permit townships, boroughs
or other municipalities to acquire by
any methods lands, waters and flow
age rights, and to erect dams or inn
pound waters "at public parks and
places of public resort for health and
recreation" The governing bodies
of the interested municipalities may
proceed by ordinance.
The lake would be placed under
control of what would be known as
The Inter-Municipal Park Commits
sion.' The governing body of each
municipality would appoint one men,
Der for each thousand of population.
The terms of office would be five
years. The members would elect a
president, secretary and treasurer,
and such other employees as necessary
Said commission" according to
the bill, "shall have control of the
park or parks" and may make, alter
or amend rules regulating the use
thereof"
Power is granted, las necessity may
require" to borrow money temporar.
lily for periods not exceeding one
year.
AS to the method of acquiring prop
erty and maintaining the parks, the
bill says
"The cost of acquiring any lands,
lakes, ponds, streams, flowage and
other rights, as we'll as the cost of
the maintenance thereof, as public
park, shall be borne ratably, by the
townships and boroughs, or other
municipalities, adopting the provisions
of this act, according to the then
last preceding tax levy in each OF
the said municipalities.
"And said Inter Municipal Park
commission shall annually, on or be-
fore the first day of August in each
year, certify to the various town
ships and boroughs, or other munich
palities, the sum or sums of money
which they are severally required t6
raise for the then current year as
their pro rata share of the cost oil
acquiring or maintaining such public
park, and the various assessors shall
include said amount in their ia,
levy for that year.
"The amount due from each mu
nicipality shall be paid over to the
treasurer of said commission on or bt
fore the first day of January follow
! ing said levy and assessment, ane
The same shall be applied by sale
commissioners to the payment of any
such debt or debts as the said com
! mission may have incurred under the
provisions of this act.'' .4~
| Provision is made that the act shal
J not affect any other park commission:
Dut shall be additional and independ
ent and not subject to any limita
tions contained in any other law oil
laws 1t is to take effect i'm
mediately on passage.
The bill. Is numbered House "a
Referred to committee on towns and
townships.
j House No. 20, introduced by Mr.
Lyons, provides that the tenure oil
office act shall extend to borough
police as well as those of cities and
towns. This would take the borough
police out of politics, thinks Mr.
Lyons. (Boroughs.)
!. Assemblyman Edward j. Neighbour
has introduced House No. 81, amend.
ing the act relative to landlord and
tenant proceedings in district courts
and placing these cases again under
the jurisdiction of the justices of the
peace. (Revision of laws.)
Mr. Neighbour has also introducod
House No. So, appropriating $500 for
the erection of a suitable monument
or tablet to mark the position of the
Eleventh N. j. Volunteers at the third
days battle of Gettysburg. (Ap-
propriations.)
Another bill introduced by the same
assemblyman, House No. So, makes
1t unlawful for any manufacturer or
corporation or firm to control or di-
rect employees where to purchase uni
forms and clothing. This is tanned
at the trolley and railroad companies.
! {Labor)