Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-11-23
WAR DECLARED
BY factions IN
TOWN COUNCIL
Move Made to Shorten Terms
of Two Montclair
Officials.

Officials.
In two acts of the Montclair Town
Council last night several council
men and students Of local politics,
who have long been familiar with
local matters. read that war has been
declared anew by that faction in the
council OF which Mayor e. Mortimer
Harrison Is nominal leader.
Two ordinances were introduced by
title One was described as an ordi-
aanee to amend the ordinance which
established the engineering depart
ment Of the town and authorizes the
appointment of the town engineer
The purpose of the amendment is to-
make the term of the town engineer
one year in length, instead of two,
beginning December 81.
Councilman John s. Kinnan, a mem
ber of the roads and sewers commit
tee and temporary chairman of the
committee in the absence Of Council
man William II. Schoonmaker, in
troduced this measure.
would Reduce Inspectors Term.
Councilman Harry Snyder initiated
The second of the two acts when he
introduced, by title, an amendment
70 the building department ordinance,
seeking to reduce the building inspec-
tors term from two years to one
year.
Neither step was particularly sur
prising, for nearly everyone present,
councilmen and onlookers, knew that
Mr. Kinnan, Mayor Harrison, Coun-
Gilman Walter Kidde, Councilman
George d. Dodd and Mr.. Synder had
been discussing ways and means for
many weeks of ousting Town Engi-
neer Edgar S. Closson, and this
seemed the logical first step in such
an undertaking.
The other side of the council, so
far as this issue is concerned, is gen
orally believed to consist of Council
men Earnest d. Weissenborn, Everett
Il. Newsom, Joseph E. Van Week
and William II. Schoonmaker. The
terms of Mr.. Kidde. Mr.. Snyder and
Councilman George z. Barstow ex-
pire on the last day of 1915.
Against High Salary.
Mr.. Kinnan is believed to be the
most anxious of all the town fathers
for the ousting of Mr.. Closson. In
public and in committee meetings he
has often referred to the large salary
Of the town engineer, $4,000. A year
ago there was some general discus
sion TO the same end, but it soon
died out and has been kept alive only
by one faction in the Town Council
star chamber sessions. breaking out
from time to time in little jousts in
open meeting.
The mayor is regarded by some as
an enemy of the town engineer, be-
cause Mr.. Closson was in a sense
protege OF former Mayor Ernest c.
Hinck. or at least came here under
the auspices of his administration.
The assertion was made late in De-
cember. 1914, it is said, that Town
Superintendent William Neal would
not hold his office long after the first
Of the year. Soon afterward Mr..
Neal was dropped. Since then two
or three superintendents have been
employed. The hindrance inevitable
to the necessity of breaking new men
in is costly and has resulted in the
taking UP of much of Mr.. Blossoms
time for matters which should have
been dispatched by subordinates.
Relative Wanted Job.
Before Mr.. Neal was dismissed the
applied for his place. but the appli-
cation was unrewarded by success;
chiefly, Ii is declared, because the
political influence exerted was in
affectual.
Councilman William Fl. Sehoon-
maker, chairman of the roads and
sewers committee, subsequently, told
Mayor Harrison in a strong letter
that unless Mr.. Dodd was taken off
his committee, he would resign. Mr..
Dodd left the roads and sewers COM
mittee.
The intimacy between Mr.. Dodd and
former County Register Thomas p.
AIworth, the Republican leader in the
Fourth ward, is said to have been
responsible for Mr.. Schoonmaker's ac-
tion. Until several months ago Mr..
5choonmaker was regarded as not en-
thely friendly toward Mr.. Ciosson' 5
methods; but since then his attitude
has changed, and those who. believe
that Mr.. Closson's administration of
mis- force has been wise and efficient
are confident that he is with them.
The would-be clusters of the en-
gireer regard this councilman as the
determining factor and hope To win
him over to their views.
Who Is BIng
At a very late hour last night re-
porter for the Evening Star was on
his way home. when he passed a group
Of the councilmen-Mayor Harrison
and Counciimen Snyder, Kinnan and
Kidde. AS he approached the group,
on the sidewalk in front Of the Mont
clair Club, one of them said:
Now II Bill viii only fan into
line"
These four men were all unmistak-
ably advocates Of the program which
neeessitates the elimination of the
Town engineer, and "Bill," very likely,
is William II. SchoonmaIAr.
Many large property holders have
taken occasion. frequently, to praise
Mr.. Blossoms work, and 1t is believed
they will take stand in his behalf
as against any political fiuke which
might harm the official for inadequate
reasons.
Might Not Be Accepted.
Councilman Kinnan told a reporter
for the Evening Star that the only
aim of the measure he introduced