The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-20
ABOUT THE PAY-ROLLS.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
3 BOARDS OF WORKS AND FINANCE

BOARDS OF WOIKS AND FINANCE.
The Crowds of Unnecessary Hands Put to
Work at the BelIeviIIe Water Works and
| ON the Streets.-Figures that Make
Interesting but Odious Comparisons.
It is some weeks since the TATFLER call
ed attention, in advance of all the papers
as usual, to the fact that trouble was brewing
between the Board of Finance and the Board
of Works over the Board of Works pay-rolls
Since that time the matter has been the
subject of more or less discussion between
the two Boards, and the readers of the
local papers have been treated to sectional
views of the question that have been un
interesting because the matter has not
been fully understood. The TATrLER to-
day puts its readers in possession of the
facts as far as they can be learned. a6i
The Board of Finance apportiops to
each of the City Boards--the Works in
cluded-a certain sum of money each year
to meet that Boards expenses during the
year. The Finance Board also designates
how much of the total amount thus appro
priated may be spent each month, and it is
paid to each Board as directed. In the
matter OF the expenditure of the pportion-
ed money, the Board of Finance has no
control over the other Boards, save the
Board of Works. The expenditures ordered
by that Board need the concurrence of the,
Board of Finance before they can be, paid.
Some months ago the Board of Works de-
eided to spend money without regard to
the limitations set by the Board of Finance,
and to run the chance of the Financiers or
dering their bills paid. The committee on
Pumping and Reservoirs, and that on Dis
tTibution and Extensions, were especially
profligate.i New men were employed with
out stint, and when the pay rolls were
sent down the Board of Finance refused
to concur. These payrolls provided for the
pay Of the regular help Of the city as well
as for that Of the extras but they were all
Jumped together. One could not be toll
from the other. The Board of Finance
would have full authority to pick out the
regular servants and concur in their pay
sment /; but they do not know tie IN from the
interlopers.. The bills were sent back to
the Board Of Works with a request that
they do the winnowing, putting the
regular men on one pay roll, and the new.
men on the other but the Board of Works
T0IuS6Qs Il anu 66nb buO Ol4lo OaCh. 11dSO
Thursday evening the bills came up again
Finance Commissioner EdeIstein rather IA
yored concurrence in the pay-rols, out of
sympathy for the suffering men, but the
rest of the Board would not consent, and
back the ay-rolls went to the Board of
Works for the suggested division.
The TATTLER is satisfied, from inquiries
it made yesterday at the Board Of Works,
that even there it is not believed that the
pay-rolls should have the concurrence of the
FinanceBoard. Chief Engineer Ruggles, who
was sought for in formation, only reluctantly
gave it but he practically admitted it to
be his belief that the work for which pay is
demanded had not been honestly per-
formed Up to five months ago there hal
been twenty-eight or twenty-ni 10 men iii
the service of the Committee on Pumping
ana Reservoirs Among them were seven
engineers. five general workmep, one ma
chinist, and six firemen. The water works
were rua with them There is no more to be
done now than-then; but the number of
employees has been increased to forty
three. Chief Engineer Ruggles could not
say what the necessity of the employment
of these extra hands was. He tacltly ad-
mitted that they are supernumaries. The
Committee on Extensions and Distributions
lays the water pipes. Last year at this time
thirty men were enough to do the work of
the Committee. This year the payroll of
the Committee includes $50 or 100 names.
"But last year" said Mr.. Ruggles, /" we
did little else than make the repairs in the
pipes. This year we have averaged half
mile of new pipe month"
"Was that number of men necessary to
do that quantity of work - th#i
81 don't know" answered the Chief En-
gineer.
eBut you certified 10 their bills2"
D. al only certified on the sworn statement
of their bosses and superintendent. AS a
matter of fact, sore men are on the pay
rolls for only few days of the month
The average number employed the whole
month would be probably fifty"
"Are so men necessary to lay half mile
of pipe iu month";"
ooh, no; you mustn't ask me too
much !"
1t was very evident from what Mr.. Rug
giles said afterwards that he believed that
so honest workingmen would have done q
good deal more.
eff you or had been having the work
done for ourselves" he said in fact, ''it is
likely that we would have got more work
out of them.
Mr.. Ruggles would. not say why the
Board of Works refused to divide the pay
rolls Il but from others it was learned that
the Committee members have been adj
vised that if they do not make the city pay
these bills, they will themselves be respons-
ible to the men for the amount of the in
debtedness.