134th New York State Legislature

134th New York State Legislature

The State Capitol on fire during the early morning of March 29 (1911)
Duration: January 1 – December 31, 1911
President of the State Senate: Lt. Gov. Thomas F. Conway (D)
Temporary President of the State Senate: Robert F. Wagner (D)
Speaker of the State Assembly: Daniel D. Frisbie (D)
Members: 51 Senators
150 Assemblymen
Senate Majority: Democratic (30-21)
Assembly Majority: Democratic (87-63)
Sessions
1st: January 4 – October 6, 1911
<133rd 135th>

The 134th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to October 6, 1911, during the first year of John Alden Dix's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1906 and 1907, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (eight districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Socialist Party, the Independence League, the Prohibition Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1910, was held on November 8. John Alden Dix and Thomas F. Conway were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor; both Democrats. Of the other seven statewide elective offices up for election, five were carried by the Democrats, and two cross-endorsed incumbent judges of the Court of Appeals were re-elected. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for governor, was: Democrats 690,000; Republicans 622,000; Socialists 49,000; Independence League 48,000; Prohibition 22,000; and Socialist Labor 6,000.

Sessions

The Albany City Hall, where the Legislature met for a few days after the fire

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1911; and adjourned on October 6.

Daniel D. Frisbie (D) was elected Speaker with 84 votes against 62 for Edwin A. Merritt, Jr. (R).

Robert F. Wagner (D) was elected President pro tempore of the State Senate.

On January 17, the Legislature began proceedings to elect a U.S. Senator from New York for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1911.

On January 19, Governor of Minnesota Adolph Olson Eberhart addressed the members of the Assembly.

On February 6, Ex-Governor of North Carolina Robert Broadnax Glenn addressed the members of the Assembly.

On February 7, the Legislature elected Abram I. Elkus to succeed Edward Lauterbach as a Regent of the University of the State of New York, for a twelve-year term beginning on April 1, 1911.

On February 8, Daniel E. Sickles, at the time the oldest living former assemblyman (a member in 1847), addressed the members of the Assembly.

On March 9, UK Ambassador to the U.S. James Bryce addressed the members of the Senate and Assembly.

During the small hours of March 29, a fire broke out in the New York State Capitol, consuming most of the West Wing, and destroying almost completely the State Library and Archives.[1] The Legislature moved to temporary quarters in the Albany City Hall.

On March 31, after 74 days of deadlock, the Legislature elected New York Supreme Court Justice James A. O'Gorman (D) to succeed U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew (R). Afterwards the Legislature took a recess of two weeks while the Capitol was being repaired.

On April 17, the Legislature met again at the State Capitol to resume the legislative business which had been delayed by the deadlocked U.S. Senate election.

On July 21, the Legislature took a recess, and met again on September 6. Clerk of the Assembly Luke McHenry had become ill, and George R. Van Namee was designated to act as Clerk. McHenry died on September 17, and Van Namee was chosen to succeed to the clerkship.

State Senate

Districts

Members

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Felix J. Sanner, Loren H. White and J. Henry Walters changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

District Senator Party Notes
1st James L. Long Democrat
2nd Dennis J. Harte* Democrat re-elected
3rd Thomas H. Cullen* Democrat re-elected
4th Loring M. Black, Jr. Democrat
5th Barth S. Cronin* Democrat re-elected
6th Eugene M. Travis* Republican re-elected
7th Thomas C. Harden* Democrat re-elected
8th James F. Duhamel Ind. L./Dem.
9th Felix J. Sanner* Democrat
10th James H. O'Brien Democrat
11th Christopher D. Sullivan* Democrat re-elected
12th Timothy D. Sullivan* Democrat re-elected
13th James D. McClelland Democrat
14th Thomas F. Grady* Democrat re-elected
15th Thomas J. McManus* Democrat re-elected
16th Robert F. Wagner* Democrat re-elected; elected President pro tempore
17th John G. Saxe Democrat
18th Henry W. Pollock Democrat
19th Josiah T. Newcomb* Republican re-elected
20th James J. Frawley* Democrat re-elected
21st Stephen J. Stilwell* Democrat re-elected
22nd Anthony J. Griffin Democrat
23rd Howard R. Bayne* Democrat re-elected
24th J. Mayhew Wainwright* Republican re-elected
25th John B. Rose* Republican re-elected
26th Franklin D. Roosevelt Democrat
27th William P. Fiero Democrat
28th Henry M. Sage Republican
29th Victor M. Allen* Republican re-elected
30th Edgar T. Brackett* Republican re-elected; Minority Leader
31st Loren H. White* Democrat
32nd Seth G. Heacock* Republican re-elected
33rd James A. Emerson* Republican re-elected
34th Herbert P. Coats* Republican re-elected
35th George H. Cobb* Republican re-elected
36th T. Harvey Ferris Democrat
37th Ralph W. Thomas* Republican re-elected
38th J. Henry Walters* Republican
39th Harvey D. Hinman* Republican re-elected
40th Charles J. Hewitt* Republican re-elected
41st John F. Murtaugh Democrat
42nd Frederick W. Griffith* Republican re-elected
43rd Frank C. Platt* Republican re-elected
44th Thomas H. Bussey Republican
45th George F. Argetsinger Republican
46th William L. Ormrod Republican
47th Robert H. Gittins Democrat
48th Frank M. Loomis Democrat
49th Samuel J. Ramsperger* Democrat re-elected
50th George B. Burd Democrat
51st Charles Mann Hamilton* Republican re-elected

Employees

State Assembly

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."

Assemblymen

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st Harold J. Hinman* Republican
2nd William E. Nolan* Republican
3rd Robert B. Waters* Republican unsuccessfully contested by John W. Kenny[2]
Allegany Jesse S. Phillips* Republican
Broome Charles S. Butler Republican
Cattaraugus Ellsworth J. Cheney* Republican
Cayuga Nelson L. Drummond Democrat
Chautauqua 1st Julius Lincoln Republican
2nd John Leo Sullivan* Republican
Chemung Robert P. Bush Democrat Chairman of Public Health
Chenango Walter A. Shepardson* Republican
Clinton John B. Trombly* Democrat Chairman of Penal Institutions
Columbia Randall N. Saunders Democrat
Cortland Charles F. Brown* Republican
Delaware Clayton L. Wheeler Democrat
Dutchess 1st Ferdinand A. Hoyt Democrat
2nd Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler* Democrat Chairman of Codes
Erie 1st James S. Dawson Democrat
2nd Oliver G. La Reau Democrat
3rd Leo J. Neupert* Democrat Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
4th Edward D. Jackson* Democrat
5th Richard F. Hearn* Democrat
6th Anthony H. Monczynski Democrat
7th Gottfried H. Wende* Democrat Chairman of Labor and Industries
8th Clarence MacGregor* Republican
9th Frank B. Thorn* Republican
Essex James Shea* Republican
Franklin Alexander Macdonald* Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Alden Hart Republican
Genesee Clarence Bryant Republican
Greene J. Lewis Patrie* Democrat Chairman of Public Education
Herkimer Judson Bridenbecker Democrat
Jefferson 1st Lewis W. Day Democrat
2nd John G. Jones Republican
Kings 1st Edmund R. Terry Democrat Chairman of Claims
2nd William J. Gillen* Democrat
3rd Michael A. O'Neil* Democrat Chairman of Banks
4th Clarence W. Donovan Democrat
5th Abraham F. Lent Republican
6th John H. Gerken* Democrat
7th Daniel F. Farrell* Democrat
8th John J. McKeon* Democrat
9th Edmund O'Connor* Ind. L./Dem. abstained from voting for Speaker;
Chairman of Public Institutions
10th Fred M. Ahern Republican
11th William W. Colne* Republican
12th Sydney W. Fry Democrat
13th John H. Donnelly* Democrat
14th James E. Fay* Democrat Chairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply
15th John J. O'Neill* Democrat Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
16th John F. Jameson Democrat
17th Edward A. Ebbets* Republican
18th Almeth W. Hoff Republican
19th Jacob Schifferdecker Democrat
20th George F. Carew Democrat
21st Harry Heyman Democrat
22nd Joseph T. Geatons Democrat
23rd Louis Goldstein Democrat
Lewis Robert E. Gregg Democrat
Livingston John C. Winters, Jr. Republican
Madison Kirk B. Delano* Republican
Monroe 1st Edward H. White* Republican
2nd Simon L. Adler Republican
3rd August V. Pappert Republican
4th Cyrus W. Phillips* Republican
5th William T. Keys Republican
Montgomery Richard A. Brace Democrat
Nassau Henry A. Hollmann Democrat
New York 1st Thomas B. Caughlan* Democrat Chairman of Railroads
2nd Al Smith* Democrat Majority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means
3rd James Oliver* Democrat died on September 18, 1911
4th Aaron J. Levy* Democrat Chairman of Judiciary
5th Jimmy Walker* Democrat
6th Harry Kopp* Republican unsuccessfully contested by Sol H. Eisler[3]
7th Peter P. McElligott* Democrat
8th Moritz Graubard* Democrat Chairman of Public Printing
9th John C. Hackett* Democrat Chairman of Excise
10th Harold Spielberg* Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Jacob Kostman[4]
11th John J. Boylan* Democrat
12th James A. Foley* Democrat Chairman of Affairs of Cities
13th James J. Hoey* Democrat Chairman of Insurance
14th John J. Herrick* Democrat
15th Ashton Parker Democrat
16th Martin G. McCue* Democrat Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
17th Franklin Brooks Republican
18th Mark Goldberg* Democrat Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
19th Andrew F. Murray* Republican
20th Patrick J. McGrath* Democrat Chairman of Revision
21st Joseph A. Warren Democrat
22nd Edward Weil Democrat
23rd Frederick A. Higgins* Republican
24th Thomas A. Brennan* Democrat Chairman of Privileges and Elections
25th Artemas Ward, Jr.* Republican
26th Abram Goodman Republican
27th Walter R. Herrick Democrat
28th Jacob Levy* Democrat
29th Harold G. Friedman Democrat
30th Louis A. Cuvillier Democrat Chairman of Military Affairs
31st Max Shlivek Republican
32nd Thomas F. Turley Democrat
33rd John Gerhardt* Democrat
34th Seymour Mork Democrat
35th Thomas F. Egan Democrat
Niagara 1st Benjamin F. Gould Democrat
2nd Henry A. Constantine Republican
Oneida 1st John W. Manley* Democrat Chairman of Canals
2nd Herbert E. Allen* Republican
3rd James T. Cross* Republican
Onondaga 1st James E. Connell* Republican
2nd Fred W. Hammond Republican
3rd Thomas K. Smith Republican
Ontario Thomas B. Wilson Republican
Orange 1st Caleb H. Baumes* Republican
2nd John D. Stivers* Republican
Orleans Frank A. Waters Republican
Oswego Thaddeus C. Sweet* Republican
Otsego Chester A. Miller Democrat
Putnam John R. Yale* Republican
Queens 1st Andrew Zorn* Democrat
2nd Alfred J. Kennedy Democrat
3rd Owen E. Fitzpatrick Democrat
4th Harry I. Huber Democrat
Rensselaer 1st Frederick C. Filley* Republican
2nd Bradford R. Lansing* Republican
Richmond William A. Shortt* Democrat Chairman of General Laws
Rockland George A. Blauvelt Democrat
St. Lawrence 1st Fred J. Gray* Republican
2nd Edwin A. Merritt, Jr.* Republican Minority Leader
Saratoga William M. Martin Democrat Chairman of Affairs of Villages
Schenectady John C. Myers Democrat
Schoharie Daniel D. Frisbie* Democrat elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
Schuyler John W. Gurnett Democrat Chairman of Forestry, Fisheries and Game
Seneca Charles W. Cosad* Democrat Chairman of Agriculture
Steuben 1st Thomas Shannon Republican
2nd John Seeley Democrat Chairman of Soldiers' Home
Suffolk 1st DeWitt C. Talmage Republican
2nd Frederick Sheide Democrat
Sullivan John K. Evans* Democrat Chairman of Internal Affairs
Tioga Otis S. Beach Democrat
Tompkins Minor McDaniels Democrat
Ulster 1st George Washburn Democrat
2nd Samuel C. Waring Republican
Warren Henry E. H. Brereton Republican
Washington James S. Parker* Republican
Wayne Albert Yeomans Republican
Westchester 1st Harry W. Haines* Republican
2nd William S. Coffey Republican
3rd Frank L. Young* Republican
4th John A. Goodwin* Republican
Wyoming Henry A. Pierce Republican
Yates Frank M. Collin Democrat

Employees

Notes

  1. ↑ $5,000,000 LOSS IN CAPITOL FIRE; West Wing Wrecked and State Library, with Historic Records, Almost Destroyed in NYT on March 30, 1911
  2. ↑ see Assembly Journal Vol. I, pg. 1027–1031 for report, and pg. 1037 for vote
  3. ↑ see Assembly Journal Vol. II, pg. 2001–2004 for report, and pg. 2004 for vote
  4. ↑ see Assembly Journal Vol. I, pg. 1031–1036 for report, and pg. 1038 for vote
  5. ↑ LUKE McHENRY DIES in NYT on September 18, 1911

Sources