PRELIMINARY WORK COMPLETED 55 
public funds. This large sum was to be expended as a board 
of five men to be appointed by the court should determine. 
The conditions for raising the money were arbitrary, indeed 
peremptory. The disposition of the funds was unrestricted 
and wholly discretionary with the board when appointed. 
The matter of appointment, too, was left entirely within 
the discretion of the Supreme Court official in naming the 
commission. 
In view of all these conditions, that such a bill should 
pass without objection or a negative vote, called forth much 
comment. It has been stated by those conversant with such 
matters that the passage of that bill in view of the then 
existing circumstances—the amount of appropriation of 
public moneys, ete.—was one of the most remarkable and 
unique pieces of State legislation which up to that time had 
occurred. 
In Governor Werts’s message of January 8, 1895, ap- 
peared a complimentary reference to the park movement in 
Essex County, and to the work of the commission thus far. 
He had also transmitted to the Legislature the commis- 
sion’s report after it had been sent to Judge Depue. It 
was, therefore, a matter of public record that he was in 
favor of further legislation toward the objects sought, and 
on March 5 he approved the second park bill, now Chapter 
XCL. of the laws of 1895. 
The .affairs of the first park commission now worked 
rapidly to a close. Early in April it was decided by the 
commission to bring the park subject as far as practicable 
before the people prior to the election on April 9. At the 
meeting of April 15 it was shown from the official canvass, 
as certified by the county clerk, that, in that election, the 
park law had been approved by a large majority. In New- 
ark the vate was 11,853 for the bill and 9,330 against, or a 
majority of 2,523 in favor of it. In Orange 1,848 was re- 
ported for, to 294 against it; Hast Orange, 1,474 in favor of, 
to 305 against; Montclair, 871 for, 121 against. In other 
towns and boroughs the vote was equally favorable, making 
the majority in the county for the law 8,321. 
