732 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. (NEW JERSEY.) 



of the fiscal year 1,084 patients. This number 

 is far in excess of the normal capacity of the 

 institution." 



The new wing of the State Hospital for the 

 Insane, at Morris Plains, was formally opened in 

 November. The new building, a quarter of a 

 mile in the rear of the main structure, among 

 the Morris hills, was begun in 1895 and com- 

 pleted at a cost of about $325,000. It consists 

 entirely of dormitories, and has accommodations 

 for more than 1,000 patients. There were in 

 December at this hospital 27 criminal insane and 

 69 convict insane. During the year 1,700 insane 

 patients were under treatment. While the aver- 

 age of recoveries from 1881 to 1891 was 21 per 

 cent, of the yearly admissions, from 1891 to 1901 

 it was 26 per cent., and for the last year 31.5 

 per cent., a ratio seldom attained in the history 

 of institutions for the insane. The medical di- 

 rector accounts for this by the advance in hos- 

 pital construction, better hygienic methods, em- 

 ployment of trained nurses, etc. 



At the time of the annual inspection in Febru- 

 ary, 1901, by the legislative committee and physi- 

 cians, the State Village for Epileptics, at Skill- 

 man, had 19 patients, of whom 11 were males. 

 Two new cottages, completed in 1901, accommo- 

 date 100 patients, 50 of each sex. There are many 

 epileptic patients who should be brought to the 

 village from crowded institutions, where, accord- 

 ing to the superintendent, they are now improp- 

 erly cared for. 



The State Reformatory, at Rahway, was form- 

 ally opened in August. Four of the buildings 

 had been completed at the time of the opening. 

 The State granted this institution $134,900 for the 

 year. 



In November the name of the New Jersey Home 

 for the Education and Care of Feeble-Minded 

 Children, at Vineland, was changed to the New 

 Jersey Training-School for Feeble-Minded Girls 

 and Boys. 



The State last year granted the Soldiers' Home, 

 at Kearny, $17,400 for the purchase of an addi- 

 tional piece of land. 



Board of Children's Guardians. Within 

 thirty days in the last year this board removed 

 about 200 children from almshouses and placed 

 them in private homes. The board anticipated 

 excellent results from a new rule permitting them 

 to receive children from the poormasters instead 

 of taking them from the almshouses. 



Children's Home Society. This society, al- 

 though not a State organization, is doing im- 

 portant work for the public welfare. There are 

 similar societies in different parts of the State, 

 and by conference and cooperation all are attain- 

 ing unity of method and action. The New Jersey 

 Children's Home Society has been in operation 

 for eight years. In the year ending in June, 

 1901, it raised $7,547.87, against $6,765.06 for the 

 previous year. The society received 139 homeless 

 children this year, and has received 638 in all. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature of 1901 

 elected Gen. William J. Sewell to a third term 

 in the United States Senate, every Republican 

 member present in each House voting for him. 

 Senator Sewell died at his home in Camden, 

 Dec. 27. See obituary on page 467. 



Among the more important acts of the Legis- 

 lature at that session were the following: 



An antispring election law, providing that city 

 officers shall be voted for, not at separate elec- 

 tions in the spring as formerly, but with the same 

 registration and upon the same official ballots 

 required by law for the election of State and 

 county officers. 



Granting an appropriation of $813,000 out of 

 the State's surplus for the public schools. 



The annual appropriation bill, carrying $2,380,- 

 516.32, and the supplemental appropriation bill,, 

 carrying $391,569.20. 



Imposing an annual franchise tax upon compa- 

 nies not carrying on business in the State, and 

 forfeiting charters of corporations for non-pay- 

 ment of other taxes previously imposed. 



Placing convicts upon a probationary term. 



Providing a general system for the improve- 

 ment of roads. 



Providing for the appropriation of lands for an 

 interstate park along the Palisades, and for pres- 

 ervation of the Palisades scenery. 



For protection of song-birds, and forbidding 

 traffic in birds of plumage. 



Appropriating $15,000 for expenses of the State 

 Tuberculosis Commission. 



Enabling any married woman who is a trustee 

 to sell real estate as a femme sole. 



Authorizing the formation of free libraries in 

 cities. 



Providing for an additional Vice-Chancellor, to 

 be appointed by the Chancellor for seven years. 



Providing for an armory at Trenton, to cost 

 not more than $150,000. 



Providing that a passenger arrested in a dispute 

 as to his railroad fare may demand a hearing 

 before the nearest magistrate. 



Judicial Decisions. The law abolishing spring 

 elections was declared by certain citizens to be 

 unconstitutional, but the Court of Errors and 

 Appeals, in March, affirmed its constitutionality. 

 The same court, in November, declared unconsti- 

 tutional laws passed in 1901 to provide school 

 boards for municipalities. A decision of the same 

 court declared the act of 1888 providing that 

 taxes in villages and other municipalities are a 

 paramount lien until paid to be unconstitutional. 

 The decision grew out of the South Orange case, 

 and the court held that taxes in that village are 

 a paramount lien upon property for three years, 

 only from the time they are payable. 



In February the Supreme Court set aside as 

 illegal a resolution of the Common Council of 

 Paterson instructing the Printing and Stationery 

 Committee to confine all orders for printing and 

 advertising to offices and newspapers recognizing 

 the Typographical Union. The justices declared 

 that a resolution which excludes all persons from 

 entering into certain contracts except those of a 

 specified class tends to monopoly and the imposi- 

 tion of an additional burden upon taxpayers. 

 Such action is void. 



The Supreme Court in June rendered a decision 

 in the case of the Newark tax officials against 

 the North Jersey Street-Railway Company, in 

 which the court held that all street-railway com- 

 panies have a property interest in the streets 

 through which they pass, which is taxable as 

 realty. 



Hailroads and Canals. The total assessed 

 valuation for the year 1900 of railroad and canal 

 property of the State, as reported by 'the State 

 Board of Assessors, was ,$219,656,014, and the 

 amount of tax levied thereon by said board pay- 

 able in 1901, for State uses, was $1,098,280.07. 

 Of this amount there was ' collected during the 

 fiscal year ending Oct. 31, 1901, the sum of $1,023,- 

 139.88, leaving a balance due the State for that 

 fiscal year of $75,140.19. The total assessed valu- 

 ation of railroad and canal property of the State 

 in 1901 was $220,587,883, upon which was as- 

 sessed a State tax of $1,102,939.41, and local taxes 

 of $403,956.29. 



The new Delaware Valley Railroad follows the 



