500 



NEW JERSEY. 



At the Industrial School an appropriation of 

 $25,000 was used for the building of a new wing 

 to accommodate inmates who had been tempo- 

 rarily housed. There were 81 girls in the insti- 

 tution in June. 



Industries. The State Commission for the 

 World's Fair exhibit have begun the issue of 

 circulars furnishing statistics of the resources 

 and industries of the State. One of these calls 

 attention to the prominence of New Jersey in 

 the cast-iron-pipe industry. In this manufac- 

 ture the State surpasses in amount of capital in- 

 vested, wages paid, cost of materials, and value 

 of products not only every other State, but all the 

 New England States, New York, Pennsylvania, 

 and Ohio combined. The tabulated statement 

 shows that the amount of capital exceeds the 

 aggregate of that of the States named by over 

 $613,000; the average number of persons em- 

 ployed in its pipe foundries was 2,298, which is 

 155 more than the total number employed in all 

 the States above enumerated, and nearly one 

 third of the entire number in the United States. 

 There are 36 cast-iron-pipe manufacturing es- 

 tablishments in the United States, of which 6 

 are in New Jersey. 



A census of the wool industry shows that this 

 State has 55 establishments that manufacture 

 woolen goods, an increase of 10 over the number 

 in 1880. The value of the buildings and ma- 

 chinery is $4,500,494. The other assets of the 

 companies thus engaged are estimated at $3,- 

 770,203. The average number of persons em- 

 ployed is 7,243. Five of the establishments are 

 idle, representing a capital of $255,000. 



State Survey. The work of the geological 

 survey has been carried forward in the study of 

 the surface formations of the northern part of 

 the State, in an examination of the oak-land and 

 pine-land belts of the southern parts of the State, 

 m the continued study of the stream flows and 

 the watersheds for the report on water supply 

 and water power, and in the study of the crystal- 

 line rocks of the highlands of the northern sec- 

 tion of the State. 



A portion of the assistant geologist's time was 

 devoted to an examination of the oak and pine 

 belts in the southern part of the State, with a 

 view to determining their adaptation to agricul- 

 tural im pro vement. It is a comparatively recent 

 discovery that under modern systems of farming 

 such lands can be profitably tilled. It is esti- 

 mated that nearly a million acres of land hereto- 

 fore considered as worthless, or nearly so, may 

 be made available for agricultural purposes. The 

 report shows that even in the driest weather the 

 Delaware alone would furnish a volume of water 

 sufficient every 10 miles to drive the machinery 

 of a Lowell. The fact is pointed out that the 

 use of water power in the State has apparently 

 declined within the last half century, because of 

 the change in the location of the iron-making 

 industry ; but inquiries recently made upon the 

 subject show that attention is again being 

 turned toward it. 



Water Ways. Among the appropriations for 

 rivers and harbors made by the House Commit- 

 tee were the following to New Jersey : Raritan 

 Bay, $40,000 ; Keyport harbor, $5,000 ; the Dela- 

 ware 1 river, from Trenton to its mouth, $50.000 ; 

 the Passaic, below Newark, $30,000 ; the Raritan, 



$40,000; the Shrewsbury, $10,000; Matawan 

 creek, $9,620; South river, $7,000; Alloway's 

 creek, $3,000; Elizabeth river, $5.000; Goshen 

 creek, $3,000 ; and Salem river, $25,000. Total, 

 $227,620. 



The project of a ship canal across New Jersey 

 from Philadelphia to New York is so far advanced 

 as the introduction of a bill to appropriate $25,- 

 000 for a survey of the route. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature ad- 

 journed on March 11. One of the most impor- 

 tant bills passed was the act to tax gifts, legacies, 

 and collateral inheritance. It imposes a tax of 

 $5 on every $100 worth of property that passes 

 by will or by the interstate laws to any person 

 or body politic or corporation other than to or 

 for the use of a father, mother, husband, wife, 

 children, brother and sister and lineal descend- 

 ants, and the wife and widow of the son and 

 husband of the daughter. All other property 

 which passes by will or through the Orphans 

 Court will hereafter pay 5 per cent, tax to the 

 Treasurer of the State for the Tise of the State 

 fund. In order to insure its collection adminis- 

 trators and executors are made liable for it, and 

 estates valued at less than $500 are excepted. 

 The tax becomes due immediately upon the 

 death of the decedent, and if it is not paid 

 within one year 10 per cent, interest is to be 

 added; if paid within six months, a discount of 

 5 per cent, will be allowed. 



Another important bill was that to establish a 

 Board of Public Works in certain cities of the 

 second class. 



Among other acts of the session were the fol- 

 lowing: 



Fixing the terms of mayors of cities of the first class 

 hereafter elected at live years. 



Providing for an election in municipalities governed 

 by commissioners to decide whether street improve- 

 ments shall be made. 



Providing that fifty-five hours shall constitute a 

 week's work. 



Providing that $50,000 additional be appropriated 

 to the New Jersey World's Fair Commission. 



Making it unlawful to imitate trade marks and labels 

 under penalty of $100 fine or ninety days' imprison- 

 ment, or both. Passed to protect cigarmakers' unions. 



Giving mayors in second-class cities power to veto 

 any resolution involving the expenditure of $50 or 

 over, and requiring a three-fourths vote to pass it 

 over the veto. 



Providing that a deed from a married woman for 

 premises shall be legal, and convey complete title 

 without the consent of the husband' if the husband 

 has joined in signing and acknowledging the agree- 

 ment to sell. 



Providing that no public roads shall be more than 

 2 rods wide hereafter. 



Giving the Governor power to appoint police jus- 

 tices in second-class cities. 



Amending the public-instruction act by requiring 

 enforcement of the compulsory-education law. 



Authorizing boards of freeholders to issue bonds 

 not exceeding $25,000 for the erection of armories. 



Compelling insolvent insurance companies to pay 

 the expenses of an investigation by the State Com- 

 missioner of Banking and Insurance. 



Giving the mayors of second-class cities power to 

 appoint a board of education of 8 members, 4 from 

 each party. 



Taking the licensing power from boroughs and 

 placing it in the courts. 



Amending the clam and oyster act by providing 

 that none but actual residents of the State for twelve 



