662 



NEW JERSEY. 



resolutions previously adopted at the Manches- 

 ter meeting were reaffirmed. A resolution was 

 also adopted, " that officers seeking reelection 

 in 1880 shall give pledges that the law re- 

 garding the sale of liquors shall be rigidly 

 enforced." 



Among the industries pursued hy the peo- 

 ple of New Hampshire, the manufacture of 

 "leather-board," or artificial leather, holds no 

 inconsiderable place. A visitor thus describes 

 the process of manufacture : 



Passing down into tho manufacturing room and 

 threading our way through machinery and piles of 

 leather-board, we first stand before an immense tub, 

 filled with a dirty-lookingj pulpy mass, which is flow- 

 ing slowly around it. This shows tho first step of the 

 manufacture, which consists in grinding the stock, 

 mixed with water, between eight and twelve hours, 

 until it attains the proper consistency. At this stage 

 may be perceived the tact that leather has as distinct 

 a fiber as cotton or flax, one very much resembling 

 that of wool. Taking up a piece of the half-digested 

 leather, this can be seen very plainly. The best stock 

 for leather-board is technically known as " pancake," 

 from the fact that it consists of the cuttings of sole- 

 leather, which is made by gluing layers together. Prom 

 the tub the pulp is pumped into an ordinary paper- 

 machine, sucn as is used in making the coarser kinds 

 of paper, and after passing through this is wound 

 upon a metal drum with a groove running lengthwise. 

 While watching this, suddenly the man in charge 

 touches a handle, runs a sharp knife along the groove, 

 and takes otf a sheet of leather-board in much quicker 

 time than I can write it. After this there is nothing 

 to be done but dry and pack ; and from here we go 

 into a well-lighted room, having in the middle a largo 

 stand which looks very much like a gigantic egg- 

 hatcher. Investigation, however, shows that the tiers 

 of broad shallow drawers contain leather-board. Un- 

 der each drawer is placed a steam-coil, and in this 

 particular drier there are in all five miles of piping. 

 Straw-board is made in very much the same way, but 

 tho straw is treated with lime before grinding ; the 

 manufacture takes less time and the board is much 

 softer. 



It is undoubtedly true that the use of leather-board 

 in making boots and shoes is a form of adulteration, 

 and especially is this the case when employed in mak- 

 ing soles ; for, as soon as wet, it comes to pieces. This, 

 however, is not wholly the fault of the manufacturer, 

 since he is obliged to produce a softer article by mix- 

 ing the stock with other and inferior material, in order 

 to meet the demand of the shoemaker, as leather-board 

 made wholly of leather injures the dies used in cutting 

 it. On the other hand, it may be said in its favor that 

 by means of it a cheaper shoe is produced, of a better 

 material than would otherwise be used, and it con- 

 sumes a waste which was before of little value. Like 

 all others, the business has suffered from competition 

 and over-production ; but some idea may be conveyed 

 of its importance when I say that in this State there 

 are five mills, in Maine ten, and in Massachusetts four. 



NEW JERSEY. The sessions of the Legis- 

 lature of New Jersey are held annually. The 

 one hundred and third commenced on January 

 14th and closed on March 14th. In the Senate, 

 William J. Sewell was chosen President, re- 

 ceiving 11 votes, to 10 given to George 0. Lud- 

 low. In the House, Sohuyler B. Jackson re- 

 ceived 33 votes for Speaker and was elected, 

 and George S. Duryee 26. 



An " act to provide for the election of dele- 

 gates to a Constitutional Convention" was re- 

 ported upon adversely in the House, and the 



report adopted. A motion to reconsider was 

 lost yeas 16, nays 34. 



An adverse report was made to the passage 

 of an act to equalize assessments and establish 

 a uniform system for the valuation of real 

 estate in this State. The report was adopted 

 and the bill indefinitely postponed. 



An act was passed authorizing the appoint- 

 ment by the Governor of a special Tax Com- 

 mission. This Commission is required to make 

 a full and thorough investigation of the man- 

 ner in which the different kinds of property 

 and the various industries and occupations of 

 the people of the State are affected by existing 

 laws relating to taxation, together with any 

 defects, discrepancies, or irregularities in such 

 laws. It is also required to advise such changes 

 and improvements in the laws relating to taxa- 

 tion as to them shall seem most likely to pro- 

 mote the agricultural, commercial, manufactur- 

 ing, and other interests of the people of the 

 State. 



In the Senate, George Dayton of Bergen, 

 G. W. Atkinson of Middlesex, N. T. Stratton 

 of Gloucester, John Hopper of Passaic, and 

 John P. Jackson of Essex were appointed in 

 executive session as Commissioners. In order 

 that the investigations of the Commission 

 might be as thorough and comprehensive as 

 possible, they invited information or suggestions 

 from every person who was willing to offer 

 either in writing. The points to which they 

 called special attention, as indicated in the law 

 authorizing their appointment, were the fol- 

 lowing: 1. The manner in which different 

 kinds or forms of property are affected by ex- 

 isting tax-laws. 2. The manner in which dif- 

 ferent industries or occupations are affected by 

 existing tax-laws. 3. Any defects, discrepan- 

 cies, or irregularities in such laws. 4. What 

 changes in the tax-laws are needed as respects, 

 for example (a), the things to be taxed or ex- 

 empted from taxation ; (ft), the rate of taxa- 

 tion ; (c), the time or mode of assessment or 

 collection. 



Another act was passed authorizing the ap- 

 pointment by the Governor and Senate of five 

 judicious persons to prepare a system of general 

 laws for the government of cities now or here- 

 after to be incorporated. The persons appoint- 

 ed were John Clement of Haddonfield, Barker 

 Gummere of Trenton, William J. Magie of 

 Elizabeth, Frederick H. Tesse of Newark, and 

 Leon Abbett of Jersey City. They determined 

 to visit various portions of the State, for the 

 purpose of securing the views of citizens in re- 

 gard to the subject generally, and formulated 

 the following queries, which they addressed to 

 the public and to prominent men: 1. The gen- 

 eral subject of legislation necessary or proper 

 in respect to counties. 2. The general subject 

 of legislation necessary or proper in respect to 

 townships, including boroughs and incorpo- 

 rated towns. 3. The general subject of legis- 

 lation necessary or proper in respect to cities. 

 4. The expediency of passing a general law 



