The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-09
THE COUNTY In A HOLE.
Freeho1ders Have Put 1t
There, and They Can't
Get 1t Out.
MONEY AND CREDIT ARE LOW.
Collector Dugan Says a Contractor
Could Have Run the County at a
Big Profit.

There is every prospect of lively
time for the Board of Freeholders soon.
To meet the expenses of five months they
have at their absolute control about one
fourth of the amount necessary. How to
make one dollar go as far as four dollars
is problem for the mathematician of the
Board, or the controlling majority to
answer. The mathematician has reported
that it can not be done, and he ought to
know, for he is a Freeholder and has
''been there"
Today / met Collector Dugan at his
office, and asked him what would be done
by the Freeholders to meet the expenses
for the year.
II don't know" he replied, ST am not q
Freeholder. l only collect the money,
and pay it over as directed by law"
But what is the reason that there Is
not money enough to meet all expenses,
and that at the end of the year the
county will be in debts" asked.
''The Lord only knows"-he excepted
the Freeholders-''for they have had
plenty of money. The appropriation for
this year was more than ample and it has
been expended in curious manner"
THE CoUNTY'S BAD CREDIT.
'sf necessary, cannot the Freehoiders
buy what they need and have it charged
against the county :"
tThey may be able to, but doubt it,"
he replied. mo one will trust the county,
so far as can learn, on acquisitions, and
the Board does not meet until September.
OF course, any one will sell goods when
the order is given by majority vote of
the Board, but not on requisition. I
would not trust the county for a bag Of
feed on a requisition."
"That is hard on the county," said.
81 know it, and SO do all the heads of
departments. Why, only the other day
| Warden Ryan of the Aims House wanted
| some feed for his own horse, and he paid
| me for it because l would not trust the
| county"
"You have been reported as having held
conference with some OF the county
| officials to devise some means to avoid any
| trouble about obtaining further supplies"
said.
"That is untrue" he replied. 81 have
not held any conference or discussed the
matter in any way, notwithstanding what
| the EUeRi1lg Journal says. No confer
ence was held and none will be held so
| far as / know"
Mr. Dugan then said the Freeholders
may do as they like, but they can only
expend S61, ,000-scarcely enough to pay the
contract claims, aside from the expenses
| that must be incurred.
'They have got themselves into bad
| fix" said he, ''but they can blame only
| themselves have kept aside the money
to pay for the Morris Plains patients, the
| Court House expenses and the interest
and bonds falling due. This they can
not touch.'
| THEY CAN'T GET THAT $24, 600
SIS it true that the Freeholders have OBJ
jected to the work on the Hall of Records,
| to avoid paying the amount due, so that
the S24, 900 may be used TO help out the
| Board with other claimss'
Il don't know said the Collector, "but
if so they cannot get the money. It was
appropriated for a special purpose and
will be used only for that If the Free
holders have got themselves into
q fix l cannot help it. At
| the last meeting they held
how much money the Board had at its
disposal and told him. l said also that
only that amount could be had from me.
! The publication in the Journal about the
conference mentioned before, l want you
to distinctly understand, has not word
of truth in it."
Don't you think it costs great deal
more than is necessary to run this
! county," l asked the Collector.
"If man had h contract to supply the
county for the amount appropriated, said
| he, "he could, in five years, be in
| dependently rich. He could make from
S35, 900 to $75, 600 year and do better by
the county than the present service.
| There is no excuse for the cOunty's being
so short of funds, for the appropriation
| was ample and more than enough. Any
contractor would feed the people and
furnish supplies gladly at the amount
| Maid -