Page:History of West Hoboken NJ.djvu/59

 CHAPTER X.

The Vote to Consolidate with Jersey City.

It is perhaps proper to mention that some time in the year 1868, a grand scheme originated in the fertile brains of some of the wise men of Jersey City, whereby a bill was prepared and introduced in the Legislature, which provided for the holding of an election in this county, at which the voters were to determine whether or not the county would be consolidated into one city, and under the corporate name of Jersey City. The latter city being deep in debt had her greedy eyes on the rest of the county as a fertile field for reaping new taxes and so help reduce her debt.

The Bill passed the Legislature and the election took place on October 5, 1869, and had it not been for the citizens of West Hoboken, the desires of Jersey City would have been gratified, and I would not to-day be occupied in writing the "Story of West Hoboken." Previous to the passing of the Bill, mass meetings were held here under the auspices of the Township Committee, and the citizens, to protest against its passage, or in the event of its passage, to arouse the voters to a sense of their duty in opposing its adoption at the election which followed. This agitation bore good fruit, for when the result of the election was made known, it was seen that all the southern end of the county, as well as the northern end (excepting West Hoboken and Bayonne) voted in favor, and the vote in West Hoboken stood 95 for, and 256 against. By this action North Hudson was forced to stay out, thereby keeping Jersey City below the Paterson Plankroad.

This scheme was recently repeated again by the wise men of Jersey City, and another measure passed the Legislature calling for a commission to investigate the matter and report back to the Legislature. Although the commission was appointed by ex-Gov. Voorhies, nothing, as yet, has come of it, and even if it did, West Hoboken could be relied upon to repeat the action taken by her on this matter 33 years ago.

During the session of the Legislature of 1884, another measure passed the Legislature, whereby the eastern slope of the hill at Lossburg, was annexed to Weehawken. It is a mystery to our citizens why this was done, and why our people did not take some action that would have stopped it, instead of standing idly by and allowing the grab to be made as they did.