134th New York State Legislature

New York state legislative session February 2025 October 2019 134th NewYorkStateCapitolonFire1911.jpg The State Capitol on fire during the early morning of March 29. 1911 January 1 December 31, 1911 Lt. Gov. Thomas F. Conway (D) Robert F. Wagner (D) Daniel D. Frisbie (D) 51 150 Democratic (30-21) Democratic (87-63) 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 1910 New York state election, 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 right|thumb|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.$5,000,000 LOSS IN CAPITOL FIRE; West Wing Wrecked and State Library, with Historic Records, Almost Destroyed in NYT on March 30, 1911 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 30em 1st District: Nassau and Suffolk counties 2nd District: Queens County, i.e the Borough of Queens 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx 23rd District: Richmond and Rockland counties 24th District: Westchester County 25th District: Orange and Sullivan counties 26th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties 27th District: Greene and Ulster counties 28th District: Albany County 29th District: Rensselaer County 30th District: Saratoga and Washington counties 31st District: Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties 32nd District: Lewis, Fulton, Hamilton and Herkimer counties 33rd District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties 34th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties 35th District: Jefferson and Oswego counties 36th District: Oneida County 37th District: Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties 38th District: Onondaga County 39th District: Broome and Delaware counties 40th District: Cayuga, Cortland and Seneca counties 41st District: Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties 42nd District: Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties 43rd District: Steuben and Livingston counties 44th District: Allegany, Genesee and Wyoming counties 45th and 46th District: Monroe County 47th District: Niagara and Orleans counties 48th, 49th and 50th District: Erie County 51st District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties 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 Notes1stJames L. Long Democrat2ndDennis J. Harte* Democratre-elected3rdThomas H. Cullen* Democratre-elected4thLoring M. Black Jr. Democrat5thBarth S. Cronin* Democratre-elected6thEugene M. Travis* Republicanre-elected7thThomas C. Harden* Democratre-elected8thJames F. Duhamel Ind. L./Dem.9thFelix J. Sanner* Democrat10thJames H. O'Brien Democrat11thChristopher D. Sullivan* Democratre-elected12thTimothy D. Sullivan* Democratre-elected13thJames D. McClelland Democrat14thThomas F. Grady* Democratre-elected15thThomas J. McManus* Democratre-elected16thRobert F. Wagner* Democratre-elected; elected president pro tempore17thJohn G. Saxe Democrat18thHenry W. Pollock Democrat19thJosiah T. Newcomb* Republicanre-elected20thJames J. Frawley* Democratre-elected21stStephen J. Stilwell* Democratre-elected22ndAnthony J. Griffin Democrat23rdHoward R. Bayne* Democratre-elected24thJ. Mayhew Wainwright* Republicanre-elected25thJohn B. Rose* Republicanre-elected26thFranklin D. Roosevelt Democrat27thWilliam P. Fiero Democrat28thHenry M. Sage Republican29thVictor M. Allen* Republicanre-elected30thEdgar T. Brackett* Republicanre-elected; Minority Leader31stLoren H. White* Democrat32ndSeth G. Heacock* Republicanre-elected33rdJames A. Emerson* Republicanre-elected34thHerbert P. Coats* Republicanre-elected35thGeorge H. Cobb* Republicanre-elected36thT. Harvey Ferris Democrat37thRalph W. Thomas* Republicanre-elected38thJ. Henry Walters* Republican39thHarvey D. Hinman* Republicanre-elected40thCharles J. Hewitt* Republicanre-elected41stJohn F. Murtaugh Democrat42ndFrederick W. Griffith* Republicanre-elected43rdFrank C. Platt* Republicanre-elected44thThomas H. Bussey Republican45thGeorge F. Argetsinger Republican46thWilliam L. Ormrod Republican47thRobert H. Gittins Democrat48thFrank M. Loomis Democrat49thSamuel J. Ramsperger* Democratre-elected50thGeorge B. Burd Democrat51stCharles Mann Hamilton* Republicanre-elected Employees Clerk: Patrick E. McCabe Sergeant-at-Arms: James McMahon Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: August Gerritson Principal Doorkeeper: Fred W. Theobold Assistant Doorkeeper: Thomas Nolan Stenographer: William E. Reynolds State Assembly Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." Assemblymen District Assemblymen Party Notes Albany1stHarold J. Hinman* Republican2ndWilliam E. Nolan* Republican3rdRobert B. Waters* Republicanunsuccessfully contested by John W. Kennysee Assembly Journal Vol. I, pg. 1027–1031 for report, and pg. 1037 for vote AlleganyJesse S. Phillips* Republican BroomeCharles S. Butler Republican CattaraugusEllsworth J. Cheney* Republican CayugaNelson L. Drummond Democrat Chautauqua1stJulius Lincoln Republican2ndJohn Leo Sullivan* Republican ChemungRobert P. Bush DemocratChairman of Public Health ChenangoWalter A. Shepardson* Republican ClintonJohn B. Trombly* DemocratChairman of Penal Institutions ColumbiaRandall N. Saunders Democrat CortlandCharles F. Brown* Republican DelawareClayton L. Wheeler Democrat Dutchess1stFerdinand A. Hoyt Democrat2ndLewis Stuyvesant Chanler* DemocratChairman of Codes Erie1stJames S. Dawson Democrat2ndOliver G. La Reau Democrat3rdLeo J. Neupert* DemocratChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills4thEdward D. Jackson* Democrat5thRichard F. Hearn* Democrat6thAnthony H. Monczynski Democrat7thGottfried H. Wende* DemocratChairman of Labor and Industries8thClarence MacGregor* Republican9thFrank B. Thorn* Republican EssexJames Shea* Republican FranklinAlexander Macdonald* Republican Fulton and HamiltonAlden Hart Republican GeneseeClarence Bryant Republican GreeneJ. Lewis Patrie* DemocratChairman of Public Education HerkimerJudson Bridenbecker Democrat Jefferson1stLewis W. Day Democrat2ndJohn G. Jones Republican Kings1stEdmund R. Terry DemocratChairman of Claims2ndWilliam J. Gillen* Democrat3rdMichael A. O'Neil* DemocratChairman of Banks4thClarence W. Donovan Democrat5thAbraham F. Lent Republican6thJohn H. Gerken* Democrat7thDaniel F. Farrell* Democrat8thJohn J. McKeon* Democrat9thEdmund O'Connor* Ind. L./Dem.abstained from voting for Speaker; Chairman of Public Institutions10thFred M. Ahern Republican11thWilliam W. Colne* Republican12thSydney W. Fry Democrat13thJohn H. Donnelly* Democrat14thJames E. Fay* DemocratChairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply15thJohn J. O'Neill* DemocratChairman of Charitable and Religious Societies16thJohn F. Jameson Democrat17thEdward A. Ebbets* Republican18thAlmeth W. Hoff Republican19thJacob Schifferdecker Democrat20thGeorge F. Carew Democrat21stHarry Heyman Democrat22ndJoseph T. Geatons Democrat23rdLouis Goldstein Democrat LewisRobert E. Gregg Democrat LivingstonJohn C. Winters Jr. Republican MadisonKirk B. Delano* Republican Monroe1stEdward H. White* Republican2ndSimon L. Adler Republican3rdAugust V. Pappert Republican4thCyrus W. Phillips* Republican5thWilliam T. Keys Republican MontgomeryRichard A. Brace Democrat NassauHenry A. Hollmann Democrat New York1stThomas B. Caughlan* DemocratChairman of Railroads2ndAl Smith* DemocratMajority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means3rdJames Oliver* Democratdied on September 18, 19114thAaron J. Levy* DemocratChairman of Judiciary5thJimmy Walker* Democrat6thHarry Kopp* Republicanunsuccessfully contested by Sol H. Eislersee Assembly Journal Vol. II, pg. 2001–2004 for report, and pg. 2004 for vote7thPeter P. McElligott* Democrat8thMoritz Graubard* DemocratChairman of Public Printing9thJohn C. Hackett* DemocratChairman of Excise10thHarold Spielberg* Democratunsuccessfully contested by Jacob Kostmansee Assembly Journal Vol. I, pg. 1031–1036 for report, and pg. 1038 for vote11thJohn J. Boylan* Democrat12thJames A. Foley* DemocratChairman of Affairs of Cities13thJames J. Hoey* DemocratChairman of Insurance14thJohn J. Herrick* Democrat15thAshton Parker Democrat16thMartin G. McCue* DemocratChairman of Commerce and Navigation17thFranklin Brooks Republican18thMark Goldberg* DemocratChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment19thAndrew F. Murray* Republican20thPatrick J. McGrath* DemocratChairman of Revision21stJoseph A. Warren Democrat22ndEdward Weil Democrat23rdFrederick A. Higgins* Republican24thThomas A. Brennan* DemocratChairman of Privileges and Elections25thArtemas Ward Jr.* Republican26thAbram Goodman Republican27thWalter R. Herrick Democrat28thJacob Levy* Democrat29thHarold J. Friedman Democrat30thLouis A. Cuvillier DemocratChairman of Military Affairs31stMax Shlivek Republican32ndThomas F. Turley Democrat33rdJohn Gerhardt* Democrat34thSeymour Mork Democrat35thThomas F. Egan Democrat Niagara1stBenjamin F. Gould Democrat2ndHenry A. Constantine Republican Oneida1stJohn W. Manley* DemocratChairman of Canals2ndHerbert E. Allen* Republican3rdJames T. Cross* Republican Onondaga1stJames E. Connell* Republican2ndFred W. Hammond Republican3rdThomas K. Smith Republican OntarioThomas B. Wilson Republican Orange1stCaleb H. Baumes* Republican2ndJohn D. Stivers* Republican OrleansFrank A. Waters Republican OswegoThaddeus C. Sweet* Republican OtsegoChester A. Miller Democrat PutnamJohn R. Yale* Republican Queens1stAndrew Zorn* Democrat2ndAlfred J. Kennedy Democrat3rdOwen E. Fitzpatrick Democrat4thHarry I. Huber Democrat Rensselaer1stFrederick C. Filley* Republican2ndBradford R. Lansing* Republican RichmondWilliam A. Shortt* DemocratChairman of General Laws RocklandGeorge A. Blauvelt Democrat St. Lawrence1stFred J. Gray* Republican2ndEdwin A. Merritt Jr.* RepublicanMinority Leader SaratogaWilliam M. Martin DemocratChairman of Affairs of Villages SchenectadyJohn C. Myers Democrat SchoharieDaniel D. Frisbie* Democratelected Speaker; Chairman of Rules SchuylerJohn W. Gurnett DemocratChairman of Forestry, Fisheries and Game SenecaCharles W. Cosad* DemocratChairman of Agriculture Steuben1stThomas Shannon Republican2ndJohn Seeley DemocratChairman of Soldiers' Home Suffolk1stDeWitt C. Talmage Republican2ndFrederick Sheide Democrat SullivanJohn K. Evans* DemocratChairman of Internal Affairs TiogaOtis S. Beach Democrat TompkinsMinor McDaniels Democrat Ulster1stGeorge Washburn Democrat2ndSamuel C. Waring Republican WarrenHenry E. H. Brereton Republican WashingtonJames S. Parker* Republican WayneAlbert Yeomans Republican Westchester1stHarry W. Haines* Republican2ndWilliam S. Coffey* Republican3rdFrank L. Young* Republican4thJohn A. Goodwin* Republican WyomingHenry A. Pierce Republican YatesFrank M. Collin Democrat Employees Clerk: Luke McHenry, died September 17LUKE McHENRY DIES in NYT on September 18, 1911 George R. Van Namee, acting from September 6 Sergeant-at-Arms: Lee F. Betts Principal Doorkeeper: Joseph Hurley, until January 24 Peter J. O'Neil, from January 24 First Assistant Doorkeeper: Edward Bourne Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Edward Murphy Stenographer: Josiah B. Everts Notes Sources Official New York from Cleveland to Hughes by Charles Elliott Fitch (Hurd Publishing Co., New York and Buffalo, 1911, Vol. IV; see pg. 360f for assemblymen; and 367 for senators) Journal of the Assembly (134th Session) (1911; Vol. I, until March 29) Journal of the Assembly (134th Session) (1911; Vol. II, from March 29) DEMOCRATS CONTROL LEGISLATURE BY 29 in NYT on November 10, 1910 WAGNER IS LEADER; GRADY STAYS AWAY in NYT on January 4, 1911 LEGISLATURE MEETS; HEARS DIX MESSAGE in NYT on January 5, 1911 LEGISLATORS MEET IN A DAMP CAPITOL in NYT on April 18, 1911 LEGISLATURE RESTS; PRIMARIES BILL LOST in NYT on July 22, 1911 LEGISLATORS RIOTOUS OVER PRIMARIES BILL in NYT on October 1, 1911 PASS PRIMARIES BILL AS LEGISLATURE ENDS in NYT on October 7, 1911 134 Category:1911 in New York (state) Category:Fires at legislative buildings Category:1911 U.S. legislative sessions