The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-20
JERSEY CITY'S DEBT.
MAYOR TRAPHAeEN's WARMING TO THE CITY
FATHERS.

MAYOR TRAPHAGEN's WARMING TO THE CITY
FATHERS.
Mayor TrAphagen, oil Jersey City, has prepared
q financial statement, which he commends 10 the
serious attention OF the Board OF Aldermen, and
at the same time he enters bold and vigorous
protest agans, the corruption, frauds and extrav-
agance which have impoverished the city during
the i've years OF the Ring administration. He
sums up the city debt as folloWs:-Debt OF old
jersey City, Sl,76S,e43; debt OF old Bergen,
$I,643e29; debt OF old Hudson City, 500. 44s;
total, $5,o72 7I6; bonded debt OF Jersey Oily, May
l. 1871, ST. 49, 72, less the sinking fund, $4,000:
debt on the LIST or May In the present year,
sl4,s56O5o, less sinking fund, SS25,525; present
me Mayor insists upon the necessity or re-
trenchment Ia every department. and the aoon-
tion OF sinecures lie sets iOrrh that the anaiS OF
the city should be managed I'm Just that careful
way that We would manage our own private
affairs. The mere TACT OF the money belonging TO
the city aud not coming OUT OF own private
purses should not be an excuse Tor any wihu ex-
pendIture Of the public unds.n He then COM
ments on the figures he submits In the following
manner :-"You Will see til 4 our debt IN the year
1870 at the time of the consolidation OF the three
cities, amounted to the OF $5,072, ;fIn the
year 1871, &C the time ~ the passage Or this Char
ter, Il amounted TO S7,4l0.072 winch you VIII see
Il nearly double. In the same wear water
debt amounted TO 252; ana IN the short
nov amounts 10 "a, d2o, O0O which clearly SHOWS
tue careless and reckless expenditure or
money. Work as given out without Jaw
money that 10 should not have done, and those
public servants that have been the means OF or
derlng the work done where no contract has been
awarded, or where the contracts nave been
larged upon and changed, are amenable TO the
iaw ana are persona ~ responsible for the momens
a pubic servant exceeds the duty prescribed In
our cnarter he becomes personally liaDle.u
The mayor iys particular stress upon the recK-
less extravaganza or the Police Commissioners.
and adds:'.l have here oiore ca led the attention
OF the Board 10 The extravaganza prices paid tor
provisions, med cines &c, and IN nv opinion they
far exceed that OF any other cItY when compared
with the numoer or patients that admitted
during the year. | deem II necessary 10 call
The attention OF the Commissioners 10 that point
again. as the evil mas not been remedled."
lie complains that the ponce Justices do not keep
a strict account or all mes paid so that any
citizen could examine the books and satisfy MIN.
sell. Speaking OF the extravaganza or fne Board
or Education he says that tue supplies TO the
schools are enormous, and that there are posi-.
tions In the teaching stan wnicn are simply
sinecures. he says tnar 1.-THE expenditures ia
this department might be lessened Dy having one
principal TO eaca school, VINO would have the
charge and inspection Of the whole school; but as
IL Is | nave noticed That ia some Of the schools
there are two principals who do neither teach nor
instruct the scholars, which NUMBER " principals
deem Unnecessary